Student Handbook - Saco School Department

FAIRFIELD SCHOOL
STUDENT/PARENT HANDBOOK
2016 – 2017
207-282-1322
Vision: School, home and community….
“A collaborative adventure in lifelong learning”
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Saco Telephone Directory
Saco Board of Education and Central Office Staff Directory
Fairfield School Directory
Arrival & Dismissal, Attendance
Banking, Birth Certificates, Cancellation of School,
School Messenger
Daily Time Schedule, Delegate Program, Dressing for Weather,
Abbreviated Wednesdays/Early Release Days
Fairfield School Classrooms (Graded Classroom, Looping, Multiage)
Multigraded Team Teaching, Title 1, Math Support, Literacy Support,
Responsive Classroom
Emergent Readers, Initial Readers, Transitional Readers,
Math Instruction
Statement of Best Practice
Stages of Literacy Development
Emergency Information, Fire Drills, First Day of School
Food Services
Parties, Personal Items and PTO
Thursday Folders, Visitors and Volunteers, 5210 for Wellness
Unified Arts at Fairfield School – Art, Computer, Guidance
Unified Arts at Fairfield School – Library, Music and Physical Education
Reporting to Parents
Recess Rule Reminders
PBIS
Behavioral Expectations Chart
Conflict Resolution (Kelso)
Polices and Procedures Statement
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19-21
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TELEPHONE DIRECTORY
Superintendent of Schools
Curriculum Director
Special Services Director
Maintenance/Transportation Director
Food Service Director
Transportation Department
Burns School
Fairfield School
Saco Middle School
Young School
Thornton Academy
Saco Police
Saco Fire
284-4505
Ext. 33
Ext. 34
Ext. 36
282-0211
284-5959
282-5800
282-1322
282-4181
284-7053
Business
Emergency
Saco Recreation Center
Dyer Library
York Institute Museum
284-5081
282-6443
282-4182
284-2040
282-3361
284-4535
282-3244
283-3661
282-3846
283-3861
282-3031
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Saco School Department
90 Beach Street
Saco, Maine 04072
Saco School Department
Board of Education
Ward 1 Garrett Abrahamson 18 Blake Avenue – 494-8463
Email: gabrahamson@sacoschools.org
Ward 2 Lynn Leary 269 Flag Pond Road 283-3207
Email: lleary@sacoschools.org
Ward 3 Edna Ben-Ami 49 Ocean Park Road 283-4868
Email: eben-ami@sacoschools.org
Ward 4 Kevin Lafortune 6 Peabody Lane 284-4587
Email: klafortune@sacoschools.org
Ward 5 Michel Ohayon 3 Birch Hill Lane 284-9598
Email: mohayon@sacoschools.org
Ward 6 Ted Sirois 38 Summer Street 2841553
Email: tsirois@sacoschools.org
Ward 7 Elizabeth Johnston 62 Pleasant Street 283-3517 284-6710
Email: ejohnston@sacoschools.org
SUPERINTENDENT: Dominic DePatsy
FINANCE DIRECTOR: Jason DiDonato
CURRICULUM DIRECTOR: Julie Smyth
SPECIAL SERVICES DIRECTOR: Jen Normand
MAINTENANCE/TRANSPORTATION DIRECTOR: Michael Garrity
FOOD SERVICE DIRECTOR: Susan Morrell
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FAIRFIELD SCHOOL DIRECTORY
PRINCIPAL: Maureen McMullin
ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT: Debra Jackman
KINDERGARTEN:
Room 1
Room 2
Room 3
Room 4
Room 5
Room 6
FIRST GRADE:
Room 11
Room 14
Room 16
Room 18
SECOND GRADE:
Room 12
Room 13
Room 20
Room 21
MULTIAGE:
Room 7
Room 10
Sarah Scheele
Jamie Paige
Lisa Arnold
Meghan Parkhurst
Allison Ledoux
Becky Marshall
Heather Galasyn
Danielle Bogardus
Allison Desjardins
Tracy Galante
Amy Tousignant
Mary Bishop
Carol Mercier
Karen MacKenzie
Alyssa DiPietro
Darci Holland
LIBRARY: Amanda Tripp
GUIDANCE: Kristen Brown
SPEECH: Meredith Carbone
RESOURCE TEACHER: Jennifer Marines
READING RECOVERY: Christina Paul
COMPOSITE ROOMS: Tara Salway, Stacy Hand
LITERACY TEACHERS: Sherry Colville, Jessica Cook, Nancy Marston
KINDERGARTEN LITERACY TEACHERS: Susan Smith/Wendy Cannon
MATH STRATEGIST: Athena Pappaconstantine
ED TECHS: Joan Brown, Tessa DeSilva, Jennifer Fournier, Sonja Gerken,
Rachelle Michaud, Shelby Robinson, Michael Murphy, Tina
Murphy, Adam Harrison, Melissa Martin, Melissa Bear, Kerrin
Page, Melina Bouthot
CAFETERIA: Fran Poisson, Sue Phillips, Nancy Hanks
CUSTODIANS: Darrell Amsden, Gordon Brown, Nelson Bernardo
SHARED PRIMARY STAFF
ART: Shea Brook
OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST: Annie Sirois
Nurse: Jessica Morgan, Patti Campbell PHYSICAL EDUCATION: Jared Berard
MUSIC: Martha Vandoloski
PHYSICAL THERAPIST: Kelly Mourmourmas
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ARRIVAL & DISMISSAL
The bell rings for the start of school at 8:00 A.M. Playground supervision for bus
students begins with the arrival of the first bus at about 7:35 A.M. Children may not be dropped
off at school before 7:35 A.M. Walking students may begin arriving at 7:45 A.M. Children are
tardy after 8:00 A.M.
In order to insure the safe dismissal of each child, all children to be picked up or
dismissed from school must bring a signed, dated note. In the event of an emergency a
personal telephone call may be made to the school by the parent. All students being picked
up at the close of the school day will be released from the gymnasium. No students will
be dismissed from the office at the close of the school day. No students will be dismissed
directly from a bus line without the parent notifying the office first.
Dismissal begins at 2:15 P.M. Because of the crowded conditions on buses, students
will not be allowed to take a different bus home unless there is an emergency or the child is
going to a regular sitter’s house after school. Any other transportation need becomes the
responsibility of the parent.
ATTENDANCE
State law requires that your son or daughter attend school every day unless there is a
legitimate reason for the absence. The school must know where your child is if he or she is not
in school. In the best interest of your child, we will be following this procedure:
1.
2.
3.
If your child is going to be absent from school parents are expected to call school
between the hours of 7:45-9:00 A.M.
If we do not receive a call from the parents in case of a student’s absence, we
will assume that the absence is unexcused and you will be called at work.
An excuse note must still accompany your child when they return to school.
The Saco School Department Board of Education believes that this procedure is
necessary to keep everyone informed in case of a student’s absence in order to protect that
child’s best interest.
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BANKING
Every Tuesday the opportunity for students to practice good savings habits by banking is
available through the school savings program with Saco-Biddeford Savings Bank and/or Saco
Valley Credit Union. This program starts the middle of October. Envelopes are available in the
main office.
BIRTH CERTIFICATES
Within 60 days after the entrance date, birth certificates (from the city or town, not from
the hospital) must be presented by all pupils entering Maine schools for the first time.
CANCELLATION OF SCHOOL/DELAY OF SCHOOL
An announcement will be made on the radio if school is to be closed or if there is to be a
delayed opening due to the weather conditions or other emergencies. Delayed openings may
be utilized if it appears that a one or two hour delay will make it possible to safely operate the
buses. If there is a two hour delay of school breakfast will not be served.
Listed below are the stations that will air Saco School Department school cancellation.
WPOR
WIDE
WRED
WYNZ
* (TV Channels - 6, 8 or 13)
FM 101.9
Fox 51
AM 1400
WTHT FM 107.5
FM
95.9
WGAN AM 560
FM 100.9
www.sacoschools.org
www.wcsh6.com
www.wmtw.com
www.wgme.com
SCHOOL MESSEGER
Keeping you informed is a top priority in Saco School Department. That’s why we have
adopted the SCHOOL MESSENGER Notification Service, which will allow us to send a
telephone message to you providing important information about school events or emergency
notifications. We anticipate using SCHOOL MESSENGER to notify you of school delays or
cancellations due to inclement weather, as well as to remind you about various school or district
events, such as report card distributions, open houses, field trips, or more. In the event of an
emergency at school, you can have peace of mind knowing that you will be informed
immediately. For this reason, it is very important to notify the office of any changes to your
address, phone numbers, or email addresses.
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DAILY TIME SCHEDULE
GRADE K through 2
7:35 AM
7:45 AM
7:55 AM
8:00 AM
11:05-11:30 AM
11:30-12:00 PM
11:35-12:00 PM
12:00-12:30 PM
2:12 PM
2:15 PM
Early buses
Walkers arrive
First bell
School starts
First lunch
First recess
Second lunch
Second recess
Walkers dismissed
PM bus dismissed
DELEGATE PROGRAM
The purpose of the Delegate Program is to provide an opportunity for students to “shine”
in the social/emotional areas. The delegate program is a leadership program to enhance social
skills in first and second graders. At this level students are expected to follow the school rules
in and outside the building. When students show respect, kindness and safety to others, they
act as role models to the entire school. Each month we honor students who are “leaders” by
providing them with a vest to wear. They also meet with the school counselor to review the
school rules and discuss how helpful and kind they have been to others.
DRESSING FOR THE WEATHER
The children are expected to go outside for school recesses except in rainy or very cold
weather. Therefore, students should be sent to school dressed for possible daily weather
changes. The school needs a doctor’s note to have a child stay in for recess. Please label all
outer wear (boots, shoes, hats, etc.) so that lost articles may be returned quickly.
ABBREVIATED WEDNESDAYS/EARLY RELEASE DAYS
Abbreviated Wednesdays, for the purpose of staff development, have been incorporated
in the school calendar. Students will be dismissed at 1:15 PM EVERY WEDNESDAY. Both
breakfast and lunch will be provided on these days.
Dismissal for Early Release Days are at 11:45 AM. Both breakfast and lunch will be
provided on these days.
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FAIRFIELD SCHOOL OFFERS ALL STUDENTS
A TIME TO WONDER, A TIME TO LOOK CLOSELY AND A TIME TO
SHARE.
All classrooms provide:
A safe and supportive environment
A strong sense of belonging and community
Acceptance and respect for individuals
Challenging activities and instruction for children at all levels of ability
An environment that fosters self-directed learning
An environment that supports academic and social curriculum
Student centered decision-making
Strong relationships among children, teachers, parents and community
Graded Classroom
A graded classroom consists of one teacher and a group of children, who are in a single
grade and are of similar chronological ages. The grade level curriculum guidelines are
presented over a one year period of time. Within each class, developmental, academic
and social needs are met.
Students in single grade level classrooms actively engage in a standards based
curriculum. Though a single classroom teacher is responsible for assessing and
reporting social and academic progress, we recognize that it takes a “village” to educate
each student. As a result of this belief and practice, students will have opportunities to
work with teachers other than their classroom teacher.
Looping
Students in a looping classroom remain in the same classroom with the same teacher
and classmates for both 1st and 2nd grade. A key element of the looping program is the
child’s opportunity to remain with the same teacher for two years providing a quick
transition period for the students returning for their second year. The social-emotional
well-being of the children can also be assessed over a two-year period of time.
Multiage
In a multiage classroom, one teacher works with two grade levels within the classroom
setting. A key element of the multiage program is the child’s opportunity to remain with
the same teacher for two years; providing a quick transition period for the students
returning for their second year as well as giving the second year students the chance to
act as role models for the establishment of the new community.
Students in a multiage are grouped developmentally rather than chronologically, thus
creating a realistic life setting. The curriculum is delivered over a two-year period, with
the multiage teachers collaborating to create programs and share the responsibility for
the education of the students within the two year multiage cycle. The social-emotional
well-being of the children can also be assessed over a two year period of time.
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Multigraded Team Teaching
The multiage classroom is a two-year program where children have the opportunity to
remain with the same teacher for two years. This helps provide an efficient transition
period for the students returning for their second year, as well as giving the second year
students the chance to act as role models for the first year students as they establish
their new community. Children will work in their specific grade level for literacy and
math, but combine for other areas such as Science, Social Studies, and the social
curriculum. Outside of literacy and math, the curriculum is delivered over a two-year
period, with multiage teachers collaborating to create a variety of learning opportunities.
Title I
The Title I program at Fairfield provides academic support services as part of a federal
program for children who are having difficulty with reading. The students are provided
with small group instruction as a supplement to their regular classroom reading
program.
Math Support
The Math Support Team offers assistance to students qualifying for supplemental
instruction at the remedial level.
Literacy Support
Literacy support is provided for Kindergarten through second grade. In Kindergarten,
there is a literacy teacher to support the classroom teacher. She works with small
groups and when necessary, one on one with children who need extra help to be
successful. In first grade, there are two types of support. The first is an intensive one
on one literacy support taught by teachers who are highly trained in teaching reading.
The support is provided daily for a half hour. It is meant to be a short term intervention.
The child will have instruction in reading and writing. The second type of support for
first grade is a literacy group. This group also meets for about a half hour at least three
times a week. If time permits, the group meets as frequently as five days a week. The
group is made up of four or five children reading at about the same level and taught by
a Literacy Ed Tech. In second grade, the children have reading support in literacy
groups. These groups meet at least three times a week for about a half hour and are
usually taught by Literacy Ed Techs.
Responsive Classroom Approach
We approach the issues of classroom management and discipline as much more than
what to do when children break rules and misbehave. Rather than simply reacting to
problems, we establish an ongoing curriculum in self-control, social participation and
human development. Children care for themselves, for one another, and for the world.
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Reading Instruction
Literacy acquisition is continuous; however, three distinct stages of reading growth can be
discerned as students gradually become proficient readers. Initially, children must acquire an
understanding of the nature and purpose of print. As they progress from more generic
understandings and rough approximations to more conventional uses of print, they begin to
identify words in their printed forms. Extensive reading practice leads to automatic recognition
of a sizable number of words. Readers begin to encounter more concepts and ideas that
transcend their experience. Further growth involves relating what is new to what is known.
Emergent Reading
Recent studies of young children indicate that a basic set for literacy must be acquired
before they can begin to accurately match speech to print. Concepts related to printed language
must be promoted through extensive modeling and meaningful experiences with the printed
word. Emergent readers are extending their concept of the world around them.
Initial Reading
Students enter this stage as they begin to identify specific words in their printed form.
These first sight words characteristically are frequently encountered and personally meaningful
to the student. Students increase the number of words they can easily identify and learn to use
word identification strategies to figure out words they do not recognize at sight. They use
language patterns and meaning cues as well as knowledge of letter-sound correspondences to
construct meaning from the printed text. The readers will expect print to be meaningful.
Transitional Reading
Students who have begun to decode but are not yet fluent independent readers are in this
stage. They recognize many words at sight and use identification strategies successfully to
decode many others; however, their reading tends to be slow and laborious since they have to
consciously figure out words that are not yet recognized instantly. The major task of students at
this stage is to increase fluency through extensive reading practice with interesting, easy to read
material.
Our literacy curriculum provides the need for high quality, engaging literacy experiences
that provide meaningful practice and further each individual student’s literacy development.
Math Instruction
Students need a facility with numbers and operations to achieve success in today’s
mathematics programs. Basics for students today require a broadening of the curriculum to
include all areas of mathematics. Students are being asked to demonstrate proficiency not just in
skills, but in problem solving, critical thinking, conceptual understanding, and performance
tasks. Our math curriculum provides the need for high quality, engaging math experiences that
provide meaningful practice and further the development of operation.
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Statement of Best Practice
In the review of the national recommendations across art, science, mathematics,
reading, writing, and social science there exists a consensus of what constitutes best
educational practice. There are 13 principles that have been extracted from the review
of these common recommendations. They are (as quoted from BEST PRACTICE New
Standards for Teaching and Learning in America’s Schools, Zelman S., Daniels H.,
Hyde A., Heinemann, 1998.);
STUDENT-CENTERED – The best starting point for schooling is young people’s real
interests; all across the curriculum, investigating students’ own questions should always
take precedence over studying arbitrarily selected “content”.
EXPERIENTIAL –Active, hands-on, concrete experience is the most powerful and
natural form of learning. Students should be immersed in the most direct possible
experience of the content of every subject.
HOLISTIC – Children learn best when they encounter whole ideas, events, and
materials in purposeful contexts, not by studying subparts isolated from actual use.
AUTHENTIC – Real, rich, complex ideas and materials are at the heart of the
curriculum. Lessons or textbooks that water-down, control, or oversimplify content
ultimately disempower students.
EXPRESSIVE - To fully engage ideas, construct meaning, and remember information,
students must regularly employ the whole range of communicative media-speech,
writing, drawing, poetry, dance, drama, music, movement, and visual arts.
REFLECTIVE – Balancing the immersion in experience and expression must be
opportunities for learners to reflect, debrief, abstract from their experiences what they
have felt, thought and learned.
SOCIAL – Learning is always socially constructed and often interactional; teachers
need to create classroom interactions that “scaffold” learning.
COLLABORATIVE – Cooperative learning activities tap the social power of learning
better than competitive and individualistic approaches.
DEMOCRATIC – The classroom is a model community; students learn what they live as
citizens of the school.
COGNITIVE – The most powerful learning comes when children develop true
understanding of concepts through higher-order thinking associated with various fields
of inquiry and through self monitoring of their thinking.
DEVELOPMENTAL – Children grow through a series of definable but not rigid stages,
and schooling should fit its activities to the developmental level of students.
CONSTRUCTIVIST – Children do not just receive content; in a very real sense, the
recreate and reinvent every cognitive system they encounter, including language,
literacy and mathematics.
CHALLENGING – Students learn best when faced with genuine challenges, choice,
and responsibility for their learning.
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Emergent Readers:
* Become aware of print.
* Read orally, matching word by word.
* Use meaning and language in simple
text.
* Hear sounds in words.
* Recognize name and some letters.
* Use information from pictures.
* Connect words with names.
* Notice and use spaces between words.
* Read Orally.
* Recognize a few high frequency words.
* Match one spoken word to one
printed word while reading 1 to
2 lines of text.
* Uses spaces and some visual
information to check on reading.
* Know names of some alphabet
Letters.
* Know some letter-sound
relationships.
* Read left to right.
Initial Readers:
* Know names of most alphabet letters
and many letter-sound relationships.
* Use letter-sound information along with
meaning and language to solve words.
* Read without pointing.
* Read orally and begin to read silently.
* Read fluently with phrasing on easy
texts; use punctuation.
* Recognize most easy high frequency
words.
* Check to be sure reading makes
sense, sounds right, and looks
right.
* Check one source of information
against another to solve problems.
* Use information from pictures as
added information, while reading
Print.
Transitional Readers:
* Read silently most of the time.
* Have a large core of known words
that are recognized automatically.
* Use multiple sources of information,
while reading for meaning.
* Integrate sources of information such
as letter-sound relationships, meaning,
and language structure.
* Consistently check to be sure all
sources of information fit.
* Do no rely on illustrations, but
notice them to gain additional
meaning.
* Understand, interpret, and use
illustrations in information text.
* Know how to adapt reading to
different genres.
* Have flexible ways of problemsolving words, including analysis
of
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EMERGENCY INFORMATION
Your child will bring home two emergency pink cards the first day of school. It is
imperative that these forms be accurately completed and returned to school the next day.
There may be times when school personnel will need immediate access to information about
your child.
Please be sure to update the school office with any changes that occur during the year,
for example, any changes in addresses or phone numbers or changes of people to contact if
you are unavailable.
FIRE DRILLS
State law requires schools to conduct fire drills each year. Emergency evacuation plans
are posted in each work space throughout the schools. These plans are practiced periodically
to assure the safety of all in case of emergency.
FIRST DAY SUGGESTIONS
In order to ease the confusion of the first few days of school, please:
1. Have a tag pinned to your child with name, address, phone number and bus
number (to and from school).
2. Provide a book bag marked with your child’s name for carrying snacks and
important papers.
3. Provide pencils and crayons for your child (all other materials will be provided).
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FOOD SERVICES
Breakfast Program
Breakfast is served daily from 8:00-8:25 AM. in the classroom daily. Students
may choose to eat breakfast at school or at home. The Breakfast Program is FREE to
all students attending Fairfield School.
Lunch Program
Free and reduced price lunches are available every day. Parents wishing to
apply for these must fill out and return the lunch forms sent home with all
students the first week of school.
Lunch prices:
$2.50 – student
$0.50 - milk
Free to those approved for reduced price
Parent Recommendations for Cold Lunch
Nutrition Promotion Nutrition messages, consistent with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, shall be present throughout the school including in the cafeteria and gymnasium. Advertising of non-­‐nutritious foods and beverages through signage, vending machine fronts, logos, scoreboards, school supplies, advertisements in school publications, coupon or incentive programs, is prohibited. Administrators and staff will be encouraged to model nutritious food choices and eating habits. Parents will be encouraged to provide nutritionally sound snacks from home.
At Fairfield School we support your child’s healthy food choices by:
-Encouraging children to try fruits and vegetables in our meal programs and our Fresh Fruit &
Veggie Snack Program.
-Role Modeling positive behaviors by eating fruits and vegetables in the children’s presence and
giving positive reinforcement when they do.
-Strongly encouraging parents to send in healthy food items for celebration and holiday
parties in the classroom. Please see list of suggested items following this page, which
will be sent home at the beginning of the year. Suggested items include fruit or veggie
platters, fruit kabobs, and trail mix.
- Also encouraging parents to consider sending in non-food items for celebrations.
Some examples would be pencils, crayons, activity books, etc. You may also want to
consider donating a book to the school Library dedicated in your child’s name!
We appreciate any comments, suggestions or questions you may have for us.
All checks should be payable to: Saco School Department
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PARTIES
Children may not have birthday parties at school nor may invitations to
private parties be passed out at school. Parties are held on Halloween,
December holiday, Valentine’s Day and the last day of school.
In order to recognize birthdays in a healthy fashion, we are excited to be
starting a new tradition here at Fairfield School. If you choose to honor
your child’s special day, we suggest donating a book to either the Fairfield
School Library, or to your child’s classroom library in lieu of sending in
cake or cupcakes. We will place a bookplate inside the cover to identify
your child as the “gift giver”.
Personal Items
Personal items that should not come to school include, but are not limited to the
following: CD players, game boys,cell phones, Ipods, roller skates and bakugan
battle balls. The school is not responsible for any of these personal items.
PTO
The Saco Primary Schools have two active PTO’s which sponsor many different
activities within each school to help enrich your child’s educational experiences.
The Fairfield PTO meets on the third Thursday of the month beginning in
September, while the Young PTO meets on the first Wednesday of each month
beginning in September. Both PTO’s meet at their respective schools. Meetings
begin at 6:00 P.M.
Officers for 2016 - 2017
President:
Vice President:
Treasurer:
Secretary:
Tracy Galante
Karen Whitten
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THURSDAY FOLDERS
To help with communication and to assure that parents receive all school notices, all
paperwork will be sent home from school via Thursday Folders. Folders for Fairfield students
will be red, and folders for Young students will be green. The students need to return these to
school each Friday morning so teachers will have them available for future notices.
WELCOME VISITORS AND VOLUNTEERS
Parents and/or volunteers are welcome to come into our school for special events or to
volunteer. All parents and/or volunteers must fill out a Saco School Department Volunteer form
and submit a copy of their driver’s license to be kept on file in the school office. In the interest of
safety and the welfare of our students, we ask that any and all visitors please stop at the office
to sign in on the school log. We also ask that you wear a Visitor or Volunteer Badge while
you’re here. All parents wishing to volunteer in the classroom should make arrangements with
the teacher ahead of time.
At Fairfield School, we believe that knowing the families of the children we teach and
inviting their participation are essential to a high quality education.
Foster Grandparents
PROP’s Foster Grandparent Programs are providing support to children at more than
fifty locations in Cumberland and York Counties. The placements include child development
centers and Head Start programs, public school classrooms, long-term residential programs and
Maine Medical Center and homes with children with special needs.
Foster Grandparents provide one-to-one guidance for children requiring assistance in
academic subjects and children in need of individual attention, nurturing and support. Typical
assignments of a Foster Grandparent in the classroom include helping students with their
learning in a caring and patient way. We are fortunate to have many Foster Grandparents
supporting our classrooms.
Thornton Academy Mentor Program
The Thornton Academy Mentor Program is dedicated to serving the K-8 classrooms
within the greater Thornton Academy community.
Its mission is to invest collaboratively and to empower a stronger community with
dedicated high school student volunteers. The students volunteer their time in a classroom
every other day for ninety minutes for either 1 or 2 academic semesters. The mentors are
engaged in a myriad of tasks that supports both the teacher and their students. Students are
also involved in supporting faculty members with tasks that involve their students either
academically, socially or emotionally. We are fortunate to have numerous TA volunteers
supporting our classrooms.
5210 For Wellness
Our schools support the 5210 philosophy. What can you do to help keep kids healthy?
Follow 5-2-1-0 countdown to good health!
5:
2:
1:
0:
Eat at least 5 servings of fruit & vegetables on most days.
Limit screen time to 2 hours or less daily.
Participate in at least 1 hour or more of physical activity every day.
Avoid soda & sugar-sweetened drinks; limit fruit juice to a half cup or less per
day. Instead, encourage water and 3-4 servings/day of fat-free milk.
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UNIFIED ARTS AT FAIRFIELD SCHOOL
ART
The art curriculum is designed to provide students the ability to express themselves
through a variety of art processes and materials such as drawing, painting, printmaking, and
sculpture. Students will also learn the Elements of Art: line, shape, texture, color, form, and
pattern. Through practice and application students will develop problem solving and decision
making skills as well as get in touch with their imagination, personality and voice of their
artwork. Students will learn about and recognize the works of various artists and cultures
beginning in Kindergarten. All lessons are aligned with the Maine Learning Results for Visual
and Performing Arts: Creative Expression, Cultural Heritage and Criticism, and Aesthetics.
COMPUTER
Each class has the opportunity to work with computers for 60 minutes every other week
in the classroom with our portable lab. Computer time is divided between educational and
entertaining games, artistic projects, and reinforcement in skills areas such as typing and
program familiarity. The intent is to integrate the classroom curriculum with special attention
paid to areas of assessment.
GUIDANCE
What is an Elementary School Counselor?
- A school person that helps all children
-A resource person for teachers
- A counselor, consultant
- A resource person for parents
How Does a Child See the Counselor?
-Self-referral
- Teacher referral
-Parent referral
- Administrative referral
- Special services referral
The Elementary School Counselor:
- Sees children individually and in groups
- Gains understanding through observation
Uses the community as a resource
- Guides students through the process of change
- Aids students understanding of “responsibility for self”
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Yy
Zz
LIBRARY
The Fairfield School library is a place where imaginations run wild! Students visit the
Library on a weekly basis to hear stories and explore books of different genres. Stories read to
the students connect to current events, holidays, and classroom topics.
Book Check Out Rules:
• Students choose one book at a time.
• Books are checked out for one week.
• Students must return their last library book before they can
check out a new one.
• Chapter books may be renewed.
• Families will be responsible for the cost of any lost or damaged books.
MUSIC
“Just as there can be no music without learning, no education is complete without music”
Unknown
The goal of the music program at the K-2 level is to introduce students to a variety of
musical activities to enrich their lives so they may become life-long learners of music.
Current research shows that children involved in music perform better in school and
achieve higher test scores.
Students have music class once a week for 35 minutes. Basic music skills are
introduced using the spiral approach to teaching skills. Skills taught in Kindergarten are
reintroduced at a more complex level through second grade where the recorder is introduced.
Music skills taught include: pitch, tempo, rhythm, structure and dynamics. Activities in a typical
music may include: singing, movement, listening, creating, performing, and playing instruments.
All lessons are aligned with Maine State Learning Results. It is our hope that children
feel comfortable in their music class so they are able to express themselves musically in a
nonjudgmental environment.
PHYSICAL EDUCATION
“You’re not fully educated until you’re physically educated”.
Our Physical Education program provides students with a sequential age-appropriate
curriculum of fundamental motor skills, physical fitness and cooperative skills relative to each
grade level aligned with the Maine State Learning Results.
The primary goal is for students to achieve individual success and enjoyment as an
active participant in various activities that will help begin to develop self-confidence and selfesteem leading to improved academic and social skills needed for a lifetime of healthy living.
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REPORTING TO PARENTS
Communication between home and school is a crucial factor to the success of each
child. There are four planned reportings for parents which are as follows:
Conferences:
Family conferences are scheduled twice each year (see calendar). While report cards
give valuable information in summary form, they can never take the place of personal contact.
Only in conference situations can the many aspects of a child’s educational development and
growth be fully explained and discussed between the people who know the child best....the
parents and the teacher.
Conference Pointers:
Parents might ask:
*What is my child working on now?
*Does my child contribute to class activities?
*What does my child do easily and well?
*With what is my child having difficulty?
*Does my child complete work correctly?
*Does my child listen and follow instructions?
*Does my child get along well with others?
Teachers could learn:
*to know you as an adult
*about your child’s playmates/family/interests
*what your child tells you about school
*how she/he accepts responsibility at home
*how your child uses his/her free time
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RECESS RULE REMINDERS FOR STUDENTS
Swings
Non-swingers should not be in or around the swing
No underdog pushes
No kinked chains or chains over the top of bar
Swings should be stopped before getting off
No climbing on swing supports, no jumping or twisting while swinging
One student may count another off swings by counting out loud slowly to 100
Need to stay seated on bottom in swings, no knees or standing allowed
Slide
Slide feet first one at a time
Climb ladder and stairs
Use normal procedure for climbing ladder, one rung at a time
Be sure bottom is clear before sliding
No standing or sitting on top of ladder
No climbing up the slide itself
No toys/objects, sand, snow or woodchips allowed on the slide
Balance beam
Walk all the way across without stopping
Walk one at a time across the beam
Bee-Hive
Must wear sneakers
Climb with two hands and two feet
No jumping
No standing at the top
Dome
Must wear sneakers
No hanging upside down
Must drop and exit the dome
No standing on top of the dome
Climbing Wall
Climb with two hands and two feet
No jumping
No standing on top of the climbing wall
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Pavilion
No standing on the tables
Kindergarten windows
Children are not allowed to play near the Kindergarten windows
Kindergarten door
Children are not allowed to play in the Kindergarten door alcove
Ball games
Hands and feet to yourself
No dodgeball or throwing ball at each other
Wall ball exception (nerf ball)
No kicking the ball at the wall ball – only throwing allowed
No tackling with football or pass
Two hand touch is acceptable
Only 2 balls going at once on the kick over to team game
Only played in field
Not allowed on tar in winter
One person on duty to supervise ball games
General winter rules:
No throwing snow & ice
Jacket rule – judgment call
No sliding on ice
Equipment:
Swings are ok, no other equipment
Field:
No field if it is too wet
Must have boots, snowpants, jacket, hat & mittens to go on field
Winter Recess Rules:
Snowbank:
Must have boots, snowpants, jacket, hat/hood & mittens to go on snowbank.
Slide feet first, bottoms only
No digging tunnels
Digging holes are ok
Students can slide down either side of the snowbank
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If no hat, hood or mittens, students need to borrow from nurse’s office. If they
take a hat, they keep it.
No piling up of jackets on the # - line them up
Playground Equipment/Structure Rules
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One at a time on the Monkey Bars
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No climbing on top of Monkey Bars or playground structure
Hands only on the Monkey Bars, No hanging upside down from legs
When you fall off the Monkey Bars go to the end of the line for another
turn.
No jumping or blocking on the playground structure
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No sand, snow, or mulch on the structure
Playground structures are off limits in rain or snow.
On the firepole and other twirly pole use arms and legs to hold on.
Bike rack is not a piece of playground equipment-off limits
Jumping is allowed on the bridge
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Follow the slide rules
Students are not allowed to play under the bridge
No climbing off and on the sides of the bridge
No blocking in the tunnel
THANK YOU FOR GOING OVER THE RECESS RULES WITH YOUR CHILDREN
SO WE CAN HAVE A SAFE AND FUN TIME AT FAIRFIELD.
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POLICIES
AND
PROCEDURES
Please be informed that additional
MSAU Saco Board of Education
Policies and Procedures
can be found on the MSAU Saco website
or by contacting the
Saco School Department
Superintendent’s Office
90 Beach Street
Saco, ME 04072
MSAU Saco School Board Policies and
Procedures are subject to change.
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