A calendar of yearly events is provided at the beginning of each school year.  It is the policy of STCS to adhere as strictly as possible to the calendar in order for parents to make long-range plans.  Occasionally small changes are made to the calendar when absolutely necessary.

II.  ABSENCE

1. Parents are required to report any absence by calling the school office before 8:30 a.m.  A call must be made  for each day of absence.  Please call all homework requests in by 8:30 a.m. to be picked up after school the  same day.
    
2. We discourage appointments being made during school hours.  If this is unavoidable a written statement from a parent must be submitted to the school office.  For the safety or your child, a student cannot wait outside the building.  A parent must come into the main office and sign out the student.

III.  EXCUSED ABSENCE

Absences will be considered excused for the following reasons:

• Personal illness of the student
• Medical or dental examination and/or treatment of the student when such appointments cannot be scheduled outside of school hours
• Student participation in school sponsored activities taking place during school hour.
• Death in immediate family
• Extenuating circumstances to be judged by the principal

 IV.  UNEXCUSED ABSENCES

Absences will be considered unexcused if a student is absent for reasons other than those listed as excused.  Unexcused absences will impact grades.

V.  PRE-ARRANGED ABSENCES

The school discourages vacations or trips taken during the school year.  Valuable instruction time is lost and the quality of schoolwork suffers when it is unaccompanied by instruction and immediate feedback.  Learning activities and classroom dialogue cannot be replaced by the assignment of extra written work.  Requests for work that will be missed must be submitted two weeks in advance.  A general description of material that will be covered during the students’ absence will be given.  Specific assignments may not be available.  It is the responsibility of the student/parent to make arrangements with the teacher to make up any missed work and to comply with the due date for the missed assignment.

 VI.  TARDINESS   

Children are to arrive at school not later than 7:55 a.m.  This enables the students to make adequate preparations for the day before the bell rings at 8 a.m.   Any student not in his/her classroom when the 8 a.m. bell rings will be marked tardy.  Students arriving late to school should report to the office for a tardy slip.  After 8 a.m. parents are to sign in all students at the office.  Students will not be admitted to class without a tardy slip.  The number of times a student is tardy will be recorded on the child’s permanent record.  Tardiness in excess of three during a 30 day period will result in the student’s losing P.E. privileges for a day.  The Principal may impose further measures for chronic tardiness.

VII.  EARLY DISMISSAL

If a student must leave school before regular dismissal time, he/she must submit a written request from a parent or guardian.  For the safety of our students, a parent or designated person on the emergency card should come to the office to pick up the child.  No child may walk home for an early dismissal.  If your child becomes ill at school, only those authorized on the emergency card may take the child home.  The school may require proof of identity from the person picking up the student.  The student must be signed out of school by a parent or authorized party picking up the child.

VIII.  SCHOOL HOURS

The School Office is open daily from 7:30 a.m. to 3:45 p.m.

 Monday - Thursday
 K              8:00 a.m. - 2:55 p.m.
 1st - 8th    8:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
 Friday
 K - 8th      8:00 a.m. - 1:45 p.m.

The normal school day begins at 8 a.m.  Students will be allowed in their classrooms at 7:50 a.m.  Students arriving before 7:50 a.m. must wait in the assigned waiting area.  Students should not be dropped off prior to 7:45 a.m.

IX.  MORNING DROP OFF AND AFTER SCHOOL PICKUP

For the safety of our students and to comply with various police and fire regulations, drivers must observe the following regulations:

• Maximum speed limit in the parking lot is 10 miles per hour
• Enter the parking lot from Goodnight Avenue through the center entrance.

NEVER BACK UP WHILE IN THE SCHOOL DROP-OFF CIRCLE

1. Students are to be dropped off in front of the school in the drop off circle.
    
2. Drop-off/pickup only when vehicle is fully stopped.
    
3. Drop-off/pickup students(s) through the right-hand door(s) of vehicle.
    
4. After the student(s) has exited/entered the vehicle, exit the parking lot through the center Goodnight exit.
    
5. The circle is to be used only for drop off and pickup.  Parking is never allowed except for deliveries; i.e., mail, delivery of merchandise or other materials.

To park and drop off pickup students:

1. Park in spaces on the East side (nearest the Church) of the parking lot;
    
2. A parent or driver is to accompany student(s) to or from vehicle to sidewalk.  Students are required to enter school grounds via crosswalk to school sidewalk.  Neither students nor parents are to walk across the parking lot through the flow of traffic;
    
3. To leave parking lot carefully and slowly drive and merge with vehicles departing through the center Goodnight exit.

After pick-up begins, no vehicle will be allowed to wait in the drive-through pick-up line.  If a student is not ready to be picked up, the driver is to exit the pickup circle and begin the drive through procedure again.

XI.  WEATHER EMERGENCY

When it is necessary to close the school due to inclement weather, an announcement will be made regarding school delays or closure on the following radio stations:   KCSJ 590 AM, KGHF 1350 AM, KCCY 96.9 FM, KDZA 108FM, or watch KOAA (Ch. 5/30), KRDO (Ch. 13), KKTV (Ch. 11).

1. If it begins to storm during the school day, we will make a special radio/TV announcement for STCS.  Tune in to one of the above stations for information.
    
2. Delayed Openings:  STCS will open at 10 a.m. when we have a delayed opening.

Please always determine the safety of your own travel.  Do not bring your child to school if your own neighborhood or driveway makes it unsafe.  Students missing school due to inclement weather when the school is open will be allowed to make up any work missed.