| SAINT PHILIP NERI ELEMENTARY SCHOOL East Greenville, Pennsylvania Learning, Growing, and Serving with Joy |
www.spnelementary.com |
| Home · About SPN · Administration · Activities · Home and School · Calendar · News and Events | |
| About SPN - Mission Statement · Academics · Handbook · Contact Info · SPN Church | |
The Office of Catholic Education through the Department of Elementary Curriculum and Instruction has established all curriculum policies and procedures at St. Philip Neri School. Teachers use approved curriculum guidelines and textbooks and instructional materials. The curriculum is structured to provide sequential development in each academic area. To accommodate the needs of individuals, flexible grouping, and various teaching strategies are utilized and participation in specific programs is encouraged. The Montgomery County Intermediate Unit, Non-Public School Services, helps to provide speech therapy, math remediation and guidance. Reading remediation, Title 1, is available through the local school district.
The religion curriculum is not confined to a class period. It flows into each aspect of the school as students learn who God is and how they share His love in our faith community. The religion course of study has guidelines and objectives established for each grade level, preschool through grade eight. Prayers, concepts and the basic truths and teachings of our Catholic Church are taught according to the developmental age of the students. As the students experience the learning process in each curriculum area, they continue to grow as total Christian persons.
A student will be placed on academic probation if he/she has two or more failures in a major subject for the final grading period. The period of probation extends from June through the end of the first trimester of the next school year. If the student on academic probation has one failure in a major subject at the conclusion of the first trimester, the student will be liable for dismissal from the school.
A failing grade can be changed to a 70 by either successfully completing a summer school program or a tutorial program approved by the principal, and by passing a test administered during the month of August by the School.
Students must have and use all stationery and learning materials required by the school. Textbooks and workbooks must be covered and carried in a school bag. Lost or damaged books are to be replaced and paid for by the students. Prices for books are available at the school office. Textbooks must be in a proper condition to be passed on to other students year to year. Fines will be charged for damaged or missing books. Report cards will be withheld for unpaid fees and charges.
Students are not permitted to doodle in or on their textbooks, workbooks or copybooks. We strongly encourage respect for property, orderliness and pride in one’s work. Parents are asked to review the student’s books and materials to help to instill these values in the student. Students must be prepared for each class with all books, supplies and necessary materials. The faculty determines the needed supplies for each class.
Each class may have educational field trips during the school year. Written permission from parents for students to participate is required for each trip. The permission slip must be signed ‘as is’. Any crossing out of the wording would eliminate the student from attending the trip. Both parents and/or guardians should sign the permission form. A form has been included in this publication for your review. Faculty members as well as parent chaperones accompany the class. Chaperones are selected by the teacher(s) planning the field trip. Chaperones must abide by the requirements and supervisory directives of the school and the teacher(s) in charge. The teachers set the conditions for any trip. All members of the school community must uphold these conditions and the policies set forth in this handbook and by the archdiocese. A field trip is a privilege and not part of the regular curriculum. Therefore, the teacher upon notification to the principal may withhold permission for a student to participate in a field trip.
The school adheres to the Archdiocesan policy whereby children in the primary grades (1–3) receive letter grades and the upper grades (4–8) receive numerical grades in all academic subjects. Report cards are issued three times a year. Progress Reports will be sent home mid-trimester. Each report card grade reflects a wide range of the student's experience:
Each report card grade reflects a wide range of the student’s experience:
Several major marks are required for each trimester marking period. All tests are sent home to the parents in the Wednesday envelope. A parent’s signature is required on each test. In assessing a child’s progress, parents are encouraged to look at these test results, project grades and homework. If you are in doubt about your child’s progress or have any questions about that progress, please call the school office to make an appointment with the teacher.
Primary Grades:
| O | - | Consistently produces work of high quality and applies learned skill |
| VG | - | Regularly produces work of high quality and applies learned skill |
| G | - | Frequently produces quality work and applies learned skill |
| S | - | Produces work of satisfactory quality and usually applies learned skill |
| I | - | Produces work of inconsistent quality and needs frequent reteaching |
| U | - | Produces work of unsatisfactory quality |
Grades 4 through 8
A numerical grade is indicated on the subject area line. This is a general evaluation for the subject. 70 indicates a passing grade.
System for Marking Report Cards:
| 1st Trimester | – | Based on first trimester work. |
| 2nd Trimester | – | Based on second trimester work. |
| 3rd Trimester | – | Based on third trimester work and final exams. |
| Final Mark | – | Average of trimester report cards. |
Homework that is properly designed will be constructive in the learning process and will reinforce and relate to that learning. To accomplish this successfully, full cooperation between parents and the school is needed.
As much or more stress should be given to study than to written assignments as a means of reinforcing the day’s lessons. Parents are asked to check the student’s work for neatness and correctness. It is permissible to leave errors in the homework so a teacher can determine whether the child understands the concept. Parents are encouraged to write or call a teacher if the child is having difficulty.
Students in grades 3 through 8 have an assignment calendar book in which to write down assignments. Students in grades one and two have copybooks in which the assignments are attached and later in grade two, written. If you have a question about the assignments or lack of assignments, please contact the teacher immediately.
Homework is assigned each evening according to the Archdiocesan time allotments at right:
| Grades 1 and 2 | - | 30 minutes |
| Grades 3 and 4 | - | 60 minutes |
| Grades 5 and 6 | - | 90 minutes |
| Grades 7 and 8 | - | 120 minutes |
We encourage students to be responsible for getting their assignments. Therefore, when a student misses classes due to absence, appointments, special lessons, etc., he/she should approach the teacher and request make-up work and/or assistance for lessons missed.
If it is necessary for the students to be absent from school for a family vacation, students will be given the make-up work upon return to school. Teachers will not give assignments in advance unless they are standard weekly ones – e.g. a spelling unit. All assignments must be completed at home and returned to the teacher by the date given.
Please be considerate in requesting work for your child when there is a long absence. Call the school and leave a message for the teacher. Requests for homework should be made early in the day but none will be prepared for pick-up during a teacher’s instructional day. A teacher who is instructing her students cannot simultaneously get materials ready. An appropriate time for pick-up by messenger will be arranged.
Each class has a weekly library period. Students are taught library skills as part of the Integrated Language Arts curriculum. Each student may borrow a book a week. Some books may be renewed for an additional period of time. A fine of 5 cents per day is charged for each book or magazine not returned by its due date. Lost or damaged books must be paid for. The librarian determines the cost of the replacement.
Students may use the reference library by making arrangements with their classroom teacher. Some reference books may be borrowed overnight. Some must be used in the reference room.
Gym calsses are ehld weekly. Every student is expected to show good sportsmanship in gym. Any student displaying conduct that could bring about harm to himself-herself or another or which reflects poor sportsmanship or conduct/language inappropriate for St. Philip Neri School will be dealt with in a manner considered appropriate by the Instructor and/or the Adminstration.
Education is a cumulative process. St. Philip Neri School seeks to provide the strongest possible foundation for the future learning and reserves the right to recommend the retention of any student who has not met the specific requirements of his/her grade, or who has not demonstrated, through objective evaluation and teacher judgment, achievement consistent with his/her potential. Retention is offered to students who need more time to master grade specific skills. Promotion is at the discretion of the principal. A student is promoted when he/she adequately demonstrates mastery of skills required in the given grade.
As parents and teacher, we must work together to help the students develop responsibility. Except in an emergency, no child has permission to call home for forgotten items.
Emergency cards are kept on file in the school office. Parents are asked to fill them out in pencil so changes can be made easily. All phone numbers including home, business and cell must be provided. Changes in guardians, emergency contact persons, phone numbers, place of business, etc. must be sent to the school office in writing as soon as possible after the change occurs. Without accurate information, the school is hindered in helping a student in an emergency.
For emergency closing due to inclement weather, please listen to the radio stations listed below. We are closed or we open late according to whatever “Upper Perkiomen School District” does. Listen for the UP listing. Please do not call the school or teachers at home. The school and faculty phone lines must be kept open for changes as they occur.
If Upper Perkiomen has a two hour delay, then Boyertown and Quakertown School Districts will now bus us on UP's two hour delay. If Souderton School District does not have a two hour delay, they will not bus your children and parents must provide A.M. transportation.
| RADIO | ||
| KYW 1060 | Philadelphia | |
| TELEVISION | ||
| Channel 69 | WFMZ | |
| Channel 29 | WTXF (FOX) | |
| Channel 6 | WPVI (ABC) | |
| Channel 10 | WCAU (NBC) | |
A qualified school nurse from the Upper Perkiomen School District takes care of medical records and directs the vision screening, audiometric testing and other required duties set by the state. The nurse is available at the school one morning each week.
The health regulations of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania require that all children have a physical examination and a dental examination. Physical examinations are required upon original entry (kindergarten or first grade), 6th grade and 11th grade. Dental examinations are required upon entry (kindergarten or first grade), 3rd grade and 7th grade. Examinations done by a licensed family physician/dentist within the last year prior to the opening of the school term can be accepted. In addition, Pennsylvania law also requires that all children before entering schools in the Commonwealth must have the following immunization:
Records must be kept up to date so we request that you notify the school office if your child has received further immunization or has contracted a communicable disease.
No sick child will be sent home without the knowledge of the parents or authorized person. Since the school has limited facilities for sick children, parents are asked to respond as promptly as possible when a child becomes sick. If your child is ill before school, please use consideration in making a decision as to whether to send him/her to school. Other children’s welfare could be affected adversely if a child comes to school sick.
After an illness, a child must bring an absence note to the teacher stating a reason for the absence on his/her first day back from the absence. The note should include the days and dates of absence, the reason for the absence and the parent’s or guardian’s signature.
Teachers and other non-administrative school employees shall not be required to administer medication to students. Parents and guardians are responsible for administering medication to their children. Administering medication during school hours or during school-related activities is discouraged unless it is necessary for the critical health and well being of the student. Parents and guardians may authorize their child to self-administer a medication according to the school’s procedures.
* Prescription medication means any medication prescribed by a licensed physician.
* Non-prescription medication means any medication that can be obtained over-the-counter.
Conditions for Administration of medication include:
The school buildings are locked. Entrance to the main building is through the front door only. Visitors should ring the doorbell and then sign in at the secretary’s desk. No child may open the door. If parents designate another person to pick up their child(ren), a notification to that fact must be presented to the school office by the parents in advance. If emergency numbers temporarily change due to personal business, parents should send all information to the school office and the child’s teacher.
Emergency drills are conducted periodically according to state regulations.
One of the greatest dangers in a school building is fire. Therefore, students are urged to be safety-conscious and follow the fire regulations exactly.
Signal - The clanging of the fire bell signals fire drills.
Behavior - Absolute silence is maintained throughout the fire drill, unless necessity requires it otherwise.
Correct Procedure - Students must leave the classroom and building as quickly as possible. Proceed from the classroom in a single file to the exit the class has been instructed to use. Students must walk fast but not run. Students should remain outside the building until the signal is given to return. Every drill should be considered an actual emergency.
These drills are conducted in the event of an emergency that has been determined by the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, the Fire Department of the Police Department. The students quietly report to designated areas. Staff and students are not permitted to leave their designated areas until they receive diret instructions from the police or fire department that Shelter In Place is over. Parents will not be permitted into the building while the Shelter In Place Plan is activated.
At the beginning of each school year parents are to prepare a Shelter In Place Kit for their child. The kit should be a small plactic storage container (the size of a shoe box) with a lid and your child's name and grade clearly marked on the box. The kit should include: bottled water, non-perishable snacks, handi-wipes, etc.
School attendance is taken at 7:45 A.M. All students should report to their classrooms by that time. Any student coming to school after the 7:45 bell should report to the office for a late pass. (This does not apply to students coming late on a bus due to a bus problem.)
| 7:45 A.M. | Attendance & Announcements and Prayers |
| 7:55 A.M. | Classes Begin |
| 11:45 A.M. | Noontime Prayers |
| 11:50 A.M. | Lunch & Recess |
| 12:30 P.M. | Afternoon Prayers. Classes resume. |
| 2:20 P.M. | Prayers & Dismissal Preparation |
| 2:25 P.M. | Dismissal for buses |
| 2:30 P.M. | Dismissal for students walking or being driven home by car |
PLEASE NOTE: Only students being bused to school may arrive before 7:20 A.M. No students should be dropped off by car earlier than 7:20 A.M.
Students bring their own lunch to school and eat in their classrooms or the multi-purpose room. In good weather, the students are able to go out to the schoolyard to play. If the weather is inclement, students have indoor recess. Each unit has indoor recess carts full of games and activities. Parent volunteers and teachers share supervision of the students during this period. Students are required to obey rules and regulations. Parent volunteers must be respected.
Students may purchase milk from the school on a monthly basis. On certain days during the month, the students can purchase hot dogs, pizza, steaks/cheesesteaks or McDonald’s hamburgers, cheeseburgers or McChicken sandwiches. Orders are sent home at the end of the month for the following month. All money for these items should be placed in an envelope with the student’s name and amount of money.
| 26 East Sixth Street · East Greenville, PA 18041 · 215-679-7481 | ||||
| © Copyright 2004-2006. St. Philip Neri Elementary School. All Rights Reserved. | ||||