The DoDEA Student Information System (DSIS) Family Portal will be unavailable from Wednesday, June 25 at 2:00 pm ET until Thursday, July 10 at 2:00 pm ET. Parents and students will not be able to access the system or register students during this time. Registration will resume when the system is reopened on July 10.
To avoid disrupting instructional time, only emergency messages will be delivered to teachers in classrooms. All other messages will be sent to the teacher via email, which they may be able to receive during their planning period or at lunch.
To ensure the teacher receives the message, please call by 10:00 a.m. to allow the school office ample time to send the message. In addition, the school intercom system will not be used to deliver messages to students or to check your child out of the classroom unless there is an emergency approved by an administrator.
Due to classroom transitions throughout the school day, it is not always possible to relay phone messages to students. To avoid disrupting instructional time, only emergency messages will be delivered directly to classrooms. All other messages will be sent to the child's teacher via email. The school office cannot guarantee delivery of phone messages to students received after 1:00 p.m. Please provide your child with transportation/pick-up instructions prior to start of school.
For grades K–3, achievement codes rather than letter grades will be used.
| Code | Description |
|---|---|
|
E |
Exceeds grade-level expectations: Student exhibits the skills/behaviors independently without teacher support. Students at this level are exceeding the grade-level standards. |
|
M |
Meets grade-level expectations: Student exhibits the skills/behaviors independently with minimal teacher support. |
|
S |
Steady progress towards grade-level expectations: Student exhibits the skills/behaviors with teacher guidance and support. |
|
L |
Limited progress towards grade-level expectations: Student exhibits the skills/behaviors in isolated or rare instances, or with a great deal of support. The performance is inconsistent and below the normal range of expectancy for a student at this grade level. |
*Please label all supplies with your child’s name.
*All students are required to wear pants/shorts and gym shoes during PE class
| Pre-K to 1st Grade | |
|---|---|
| Backpack (clear recommended) | 1 |
| Plastic or vinyl folders- pockets | 2 |
| Crayons (24 count) | 1 |
| Pencils (#2 hardness) | 1 pkg |
| Eraser (bar style, not pencil cap style) | 2 |
| 2nd to 5th Grades | |
|---|---|
| Backpack (clear recommended) | 1 |
| Pencils (#2 hardness) | 2 pkg |
| Notebook paper-wide ruled | 2 pkg |
| Folders-pockets, prongs (Plastic) | 3 |
| Crayons (24 count) | 1 pkg |
| Colored pencils | 1 pkg |
| Eraser (bar style, not pencil cap style) | 1 |
| Large Pencil Pouch | 1 |
| 3 ring binder @ 1” (single subject) | 1 |
The primary objective of school discipline is to maintain a safe and orderly environment that positively affects academic achievement. Discipline provides an opportunity for students to understand that inappropriate behavior results in appropriate consequences. These consequences are designed to keep the students academically involved. Exclusion from learning opportunities is a final disciplinary option. We believe it is imperative to provide students with feedback for their disruptive behavior and allow for planning to avoid future incidents of behavior.
Each teacher has and enforces a classroom discipline plan. The steps of action are:
(Conferences, detentions, suspensions, or referrals are possible at any time depending on the disruptive behavior.)
Some items prohibited at school include:
Cell phones may be brought to school but must be turned off and stored in the backpack or locker during the school day. In cases of emergency, students may contact their parents by using the phone in the school office.
DoDEA Schools provide a warm and nurturing environment for students. Classroom instruction, student assignments, assessments, and homework are standards based. The focus is on ensuring that all students master DoDEA standards through differentiated instruction and best practices. Classroom instruction is developmental and engaging so students are successful. Instructional time is protected to maximize learning opportunities. It is imperative that students are on time and remain in school throughout the day to capitalize on all opportunities.
Per DoDEA regulation, before an animal or pet can be brought in to the school for any reason (to include bringing in pets when there are no classes in session), the animal or pet owner must first have written approval from the Principal. Animals that could cause injury or harm to any person, WILL NOT be brought to school. The pet owner will provide a copy of the Veterinarian certificate for the Principal and School Nurse prior to bringing the animal or pet into the school. A copy of this certificate must be kept in the classroom at all times. In addition, a copy will also be kept on file in the school office. Animals are visitors at our school, not residents. If your child has any animal allergies, please notify the School Nurse.
Students are allowed to use personal water containers (plastic only, please) in classrooms and other instructional areas as appropriate. Staff and administrators have the right and responsibility to check the contents of all water containers. Water bottles should be clearly marked with the student's name.
No food or drinks will be allowed in the hallways, playgrounds, or stage area.
Please do not bring flowers, balloons, or other gifts to the school for birthdays. Students may bring birthday invitations at the teacher's discretion to school, only if there is an invitation for each child in the classroom. Classroom teachers will determine an appropriate time for distribution.
To avoid interruption of instructional time, flowers or other gifts will not be delivered to students. If we should receive a delivery for a student, we will notify the student's parent and hold it in the office until the end of the school day for the parent to pick up.
The Pledge of Allegiance or National Anthem will be incorporated into the morning announcements. Participation is not mandatory, but all students are expected to show respect.
Parents who have questions and/or concerns are requested to resolve it at the most appropriate and immediate level. For typical classroom matters, the following procedures should apply in order as needed:
These procedures follow the correct chain-of-command/line of authority from teacher to principal to superintendent and focus on resolution at the lowest level. Parents are encouraged to seek immediate resolution of problems. Prompt action can frequently prevent complications and more serious problems later on.
Parents should be aware that not all playground equipment is appropriate for all children who may use the playground. Parents and supervisors should look for posted signs indicating the appropriate age of the users and direct children to equipment appropriate for their age. Toddlers and preschool-age children require more attentive supervision than older children; however, one should not rely on supervision alone to prevent injuries.
Because all playgrounds present some challenge and because children can be expected to use equipment in unintended and unanticipated ways, adult supervision is highly recommended. A playground should allow children to develop gradually and test their skills by providing a series of graduated challenges. The challenges presented should be appropriate for age related abilities and should be ones that children can perceive and choose to undertake. Toddlers, preschool- and school-age children differ dramatically, not only in physical size and ability, but also in the intellectual and social skills.
Our playgrounds are closed to the public when school is in session.The playground equipment is appropriate for children attending the school. We also ask that all children be supervised at all times. Safety shall always be the prime consideration when children are playing. Any situation or activity that poses a hazard will be stopped. Children are expected to use our playground equipment for the purpose it was intended. Consequences of breaking the playground rules may lead to restriction of playground activities or stronger disciplinary action if the behavior is severe or persistent.
Children's use of the playgrounds after school hours is only permitted under the supervision of parents.
Homework is one means of developing the necessary skills of independent study and learning for present and future use. Homework promotes organizational skills and a sense of responsibility. It is also an opportunity for parents to become actively involved in their child's learning and for each child to reach his/her full potential. Through homework, students are given the opportunity to complete additional practice and application to strengthen skills; to expand and/or enrich regular class work; to complete work started in class; to make up work due to absence.
Teachers may assign homework as determined necessary to enhance student learning that is taking place in the classroom. Each child works at his/her own pace, so the amount of time needed to complete specific assignments may vary. The types of homework may vary to enable the student to have experience/practice in reading, writing, computational skills, and other subject areas during a given week. Frequency and length of assignments will be grade appropriate. At a very minimum, a child should read or be read to 15-20 minutes nightly
Students are responsible for ensuring that they:
This includes:
Parents may review their child's cumulative school records at any time, with the assistance of school personnel. School records may not be removed from the main office.
It is imperative we maintain accurate, up-to-date information on each student enrolled in our school. We request parents to notify us immediately if there is a change in any of the following information:
We are legally required to maintain current orders or extension to orders in order to enroll or re-enroll all students.
Parents and/or guardians must supply the school with a copy of any type of court order that may affect the student (e.g., who is allowed to visit the child, who has legal custody, etc.). These orders will be maintained in the student's cumulative file. If any changes take place during the school year with the court order, the school must be notified immediately. Teachers will be notified of any restrictions that affect students in their classes.
If you will be TDY or on any type of leave while your child(ren) is/are attending school, please be sure to obtain a special power of attorney to be used in case of emergency, and inform the teacher and school office of the name, address, and telephone number of the person taking care of your child. In addition, please notify the School Nurse, so they will know whom to contact in case of emergency. The School Registrar will keep a copy of the power of attorney in your child's cumulative file for emergency situations.
Please call the front office within 30 minutes of the start time when you know your child will be absent or tardy.
Students will not be released from school on the basis of a telephone call. Parents must sign-out and sign-in their children when taking them to appointments and back to school. When students are sent home because of illness, they are to be accompanied by their parent(s) or authorized guardian/emergency contact.
Parents are asked to call the front office when they know their child will be absent. The sponsor must provide the front office with a written explanation of each absence when the child returns to school. The sponsor's note, by itself, does not constitute an excused absence.
Parents will be informed of unexcused absences. Students will be required to make up all missed school assignments. Parents are strongly encouraged to work closely with their child's teachers to ensure all class assignments are completed in a timely manner.
During the school day, students will be released only to a parent or to the person listed as the emergency contact on the registration form. The only exceptions will be:
Academics are not restricted to the classroom, but take place in the community as well. Therefore, study trips may be ongoing throughout the school year. A letter from your child's teacher, to include the date, time, and destination of the study trip, will be sent home the week prior to the planned trip. At various times during the school year, classes may take study trips as part of the instructional program. Study trips are considered part of the instructional day. Children MUST HAVE A PERMISSION SLIP SIGNED BY THE PARENT before they go on any trip leaving the school. If a parent does not want to send their child on a study trip, the teacher will make alternate arrangements for the child to attend another class for the period of the study trip or parents may elect to keep their child at home. Parents may attend the study trip with the child in these instances. Chaperones may not bring siblings/infants on a study trip. As an invited chaperone, one's responsibility must be to help supervise all the students in the classroom.
Students arriving to school late or being dismissed early from school are signed in and out through the front office. The time and reason for being absent from school is noted for accountability.
Students arriving at school after the instructional day begins are considered tardy. If you know that your child will be late arriving to school, please make certain that a note is sent explaining why they are tardy. A student who is tardy should report to the office for a late slip before going to his/her classroom. A signed appointment slip from the dentist or doctor may be used in lieu of a note from parents. Parents should come in to the office to sign in their child; or a signed note is requested from parents.
Students who are tardy due to government transportation are excused and will not need to obtain a late slip from the office. A tardy not properly reported by the parent or guardian is unexcused unless circumstances warrant otherwise. The classroom teacher will report students who are frequently tardy to the administration. Parents may be contacted if it is noted that a student has numerous unexcused tardies.
Students with more than 5 unexcused tardies and/or early dismissals and students with more than 7 unexcused absences may be referred to the Student Support Team (SST) and then to the Command if the problem is not resolved.
Parents can excuse up to 10 tardies/absences per school year
The School Advisory Committee (SAC) and Installation Advisory Committee (IAC), composed of parents, teachers, and stakeholders, advise school administrators, Community Superintendents, and Installation Commanders on policies, procedures, and resources to enhance the educational environment. These committees hold open public meetings for parents to engage and learn more about the school.
Serving on a SAC or IAC is a rewarding responsibility that offers the opportunity to contribute to children's education actively. These committees provide advisory input on school policies, administrative procedures, and educational resources. At the same time, final decisions rest with the DoDEA school district superintendent.
To learn more about DoDEA Americas Advisory Committees, please visit the DoDEA Americas Advisory Committees website.
The DoDEA School Meals Program (SMP) supports academic achievement by providing nutritious meals to your students through the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program.
Electives: Additional supplies may be needed for a specific class.
Please Note: As the year progresses, more supplies may be needed and/or supplies may need to be replenished.
This applies to:
Parker Elementary School
In coordination with installation command, a school closure could be determined for natural disaster, base emergency, or an approaching weather system. The school will communicate closure though Everbridge, ASPEN, and Facebook in a timely manner. Ellis D. Parker Elementary is not a part of the Alabama State Department of Education School System, so school delays or closures will be announced through the schools stated notification systems.
For the safety of our students, children will not be permitted to walk or ride a bike home if lightning is present during dismissal. All walkers will need to be picked up by car in the Car Rider Line. Please note that the school will not mandate a dismissal change for rain unless conditions are deemed unsafe.
