Parent Information

You are recognized as the most important person in your child's educational success. Cooperation of home and school will help create a climate in which every student is able to pursue intellectual excellence throughout his/her life. On behalf of the staff, I wish you a great year and look forward to seeing you and your child.

To ensure the safe arrival and dismissal of our students, some important information is provided below. General information is found in the Student and Parent Handbook that you will receive after school begins.

The first day of school is Tuesday, September 6, 2011 for students in grades 1 through 5. Kindergarten students begin school on Thursday, September 8, 2011. Students may be dropped off no earlier than 8:00 AM, since we do not have supervisory coverage available until that time. Parents are encouraged to drop off their children beginning at 8:15 AM when there is more supervisory coverage. Students are considered tardy after 8:30 AM. Dismissal begins at 2:45 PM. Your punctuality is greatly appreciated.

The driveway beside the playground is one way from Bradford Street into the main driveway. The driveway leaving the school to Kenneth Court is also one way. When you enter from Bradford Street you must exit by the front driveway or Kenneth Court. When you enter from Morton Street you must exit by Kenneth Court, for safety purposes you can not u-turn at the top of the driveway.

Parents/guardians are asked to drop off students at the sidewalk only in the designated drop-off/pick-up areas that are in front of the school. There is no parking at the front curb. You must drop off your child at the sidewalk and then move on immediately to keep traffic flowing. If you need to park and walk over to the sidewalk or enter the school in the morning, you will have to park in a designated parking space or on the right side of the front driveway as you enter.

Kindergarten students will enter from the kindergarten playground that is located on the left side of the school at 8:25 AM and should arrive at school by that time. If the weather is inclement or too cold to be outside, students will report to the gym when they arrive at school.Look for the "Please Enter" sign displayed in the front window.

Please note that kindergarten students are to go directly to the lobby when they arrive for the first three days. Kindergarten students will go to the kindergarten playground area, weather permitting, when they arrive beginning on the fourth day of school.

Students in grades one through five will enter from the playground that is located at the right side of school at 8:25 AM. If the weather is inclement or too cold to be outside, students will report to the cafeteria and gym.

Kindergarten parents are to meet their child at the kindergarten playground gate.When picking up children in the afternoon using the drive up method, you are asked to remain in or at your car in one of the designated drop-off/pick-up areas along the sidewalk and have your child come to your car. Please do not park and leave a car unattended in a drop-off/pick-up area.

Students who will be walking home from school, or who will be picked-up by a parent/guardian, will be dismissed at 2:45 PM. If someone other than a parent/guardian will be picking-up your child, please send a note to the school indicating such. Any change in dismissal or early dismissal requires a note with parent/guardian signature.

If you are driving a car, please do not drive by the buses or vans when their lights are flashing. State law requires vehicles to stop when the lights are flashing and mandates a $200 fine for anyone who violates the law.

Carpooling is strongly encouraged. If you choose to carpool, please notify the school office and your child's teacher, in writing of the arrangements and the names of the adults with whom your child may be transported.

Students who are eligible for free bus transportation, including kindergarten students who live two miles or more from the school, and pay and ride students will receive a postcard with their bus assignment, bus stop, and approximate morning pick-up time 2 to 3 days before school starts. Please keep this postcard and use it as a temporary bus pass for the first few days of school until the driver gets to know your child. Only children who are eligible for free bus transportation and pay and ride students will be allowed on the buses. These students may only ride on their assigned bus to their assigned bus stop.

In order to make the process of purchasing lunches quicker and easier for students, parents and guardians are encouraged to pre-purchase lunches on a weekly or monthly basis. Your child will bring home more information regarding the process. Students may purchase lunch, which includes milk, or milk separately. Lunch may be purchased on a daily basis. Milk for morning snacks may be purchased on a monthly basis. Lunch money for those paying on a weekly or monthly basis should be sent to school in an envelope addressed to the cafeteria with your child's first and last name as well as room number. Payment must be made by cash, bank check or money order payable to the Stoughton Public Schools. Online payment is also available. A monthly school lunch menu will be sent home prior to the beginning of each month.

Please call the school office before 8:00 AM if your child is going to be absent or tardy. Give your name, child's name, classroom number or teacher, and the reason for absence or tardiness. A note should be sent to the teacher when your child returns to school explaining the reason for the absence. If we do not hear from you on a day when your child is marked absent, a staff member will call you to verify your child's absence. Students who are tardy MUST be escorted to the office upon arrival by a parent who will sign in the student.