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Frequently
Asked Questions
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- For complete information, refer
to Bales Code of Conduct and the Student Handbook. Links to these
documents in pdf format may be found at the right.
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- POLICY BOOKS
pdf documents
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- - Bales Student Code of Conduct
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- - Bales Student Handbook
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- REGISTRATION INFORMATION
- Fall 2008-2009 registration dates are August
11 - 20. The times are 9:00 - 11:00 and 1:00 - 2:30. Call the
registrar at 281-482-8255 with questions regarding registering
your Bales' student or log into Mary
Ann Sanchez, Registrar.
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- VISITORS / VOLUNTEERS
When you place your child into our care during the school hours,
we take the utmost responsibility in ensuring each child's safety.
We do not want a single unauthorized person in our hallways.
Those in our hallways are scheduled volunteers or scheduled conferences.
This way we know who is here.
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- Secondly, we want our teachers to be totally
attending to the children in their care. A drop by visitor takes
the teacher's attention away from his/her class. This can create
an unsafe situation. We ask that a note, e-mail, or phone call
be made requesting the teacher's response at his/her earliest
convenience.
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- Thirdly, the time before school is teacher
preparation time. Just those few precious minutes before the
kids enter the classroom can make all the difference in how the
day will go. We do not want to discourage communication by any
means, but we do ask that it occur at appropriate times.
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- We hope that you will understand our reasoning
and support us in our efforts to keep the building as safe as
possible with our kids' and teachers' needs in mind.
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ARRIVAL
AND DISMISSAL TIMES
At Bales Intermediate the day starts
at 8:10 a.m. A student will be considered tardy after the
8:15 bell rings. The first minutes of each day are very important
and every effort should be made to be punctual. Attendance is
marked at 10:00 a.m. and any child not present at that time is
marked absent for the day. Dismissal begins at 3:10 p.m. |
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ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS
State compulsory attendance laws generally
require all children between the ages of six and 18 to attend
school each day that school is in session. A student who is younger
than six and has ever been enrolled in the first grade is required
to attend school. Once a parent enrolls a child in kindergarten
or pre-kindergarten, the child is required to attend school that
school year.
Regular attendance is critical to your child's
success in school. It is also critical to the school district's
success because it is a factor in the district and campus rating
under the state accountability system and is a determining factor
in the amount of state financial aid the district is entitled
to receive.
School officials enforce the state compulsory
attendance laws.
There are times that children are sick or
have other legitimate reasons for being absent from school. Whenever
a child is absent from school for any reason, she or he should
bring a note signed by you explaining the reason for the child's
absence when she or he returns to school..
- Doctor and Dental Appointments: Absences for appointments with doctors, dentists,
orthodontists, physical therapists, and other health care professionals
will be counted as having attended school if the student returns
to school on the same day as the appointment and presents a note
from the health care provider stating the time of the appointment
and the time the student left the doctor's office.
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- Religious Holidays:
Absences for religious holy days, including up to two days of
travel time if necessary, will be classified as excused absences.
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- Perfect Attendance Awards: Certificates will be awarded annually to students
with perfect attendance and no unexcused tardies.
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TARDY POLICY
The school regards punctuality as
essential to the successful operation of a learning program.
Persistent tardiness to school causes distractions and interruptions
to the learning process which are detrimental to the student
involved and to his classmates. Parents will be notified of persistent
tardies.A student will be assigned detention after they have
been tardy five times. |
REQUESTS FOR ASSIGNMENTS
When a student is ill and is absent
two or more days, a request to pick up assignments may be
made. Please call the school office before nine o'clock to make
the request and allow a full day before picking up assignments.
Students have one day for each day absence to make up work. |
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EMERGENCY PROCEDURES
The safety of students and staff at
Bales Intermediate is always an important issue. In order to
prepare for emergencies, staff and students practice a variety
of drills, sometimes as a class and sometimes as a whole school.
The following information is provided so parents/guardians will
have a better understanding of the various drills and what to
expect in case of an emergency.
The PTO has established a safety phone relay
system. If there is an emergency message the administration would
notify the PTO co-chairmen, who would then activate the phone
relay system. Parents would be called or messages left. Additional
information may also be available on radio, T.V., Friendswood
ISD website, and Friendswood First Call Program.
Students, teachers, and other district employees
will participate in drills utilizing emergency procedures. When
the alarm is sounded, students and volunteers should quickly
and quietly follow the directions of teachers or marshals. Drills
that are practiced include: fire, bad weather, shelter in place,
and lock down drills.
In case of a campus evacuation, Bales Intermediate
would be relocated to the First United Methodist Church of Friendswood
where parents could check out their child.
In case of an emergency release by the district,
all students would be dismissed from the cafeteria and the gym.
Parents or guardians will need to be prepared to show identification.
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SEVERE WEATHER
Occasionally, the threat of severe
weather makes it necessary to dismiss school earlier than usual
in order for buses and cars to be able to travel the normal routes.
Examples of such problems are rapidly approaching hurricanes,
or rapidly dropping temperatures that make freezing rain and
road glazing a distinct possibility.
Please be assured that when severe weather
is a threat to this area, your school officials maintain a constant
watch on changing weather conditions and stand ready to take
the necessary actions for the dismissal of school and the immediate
return of students to their homes if and when such circumstances
warrant.
You, as a parent, can contribute to the welfare
and safety of your child by observing the following recommendations:
1. Keep yourself well informed about the development,
location, and movement of threatening weather.
2. RECOGNIZE THE POSSIBILITY OF AN EARLY SCHOOL DISMISSAL, WHICH
WOULD RESULT IN YOUR CHILD'S RETURN TO HOME AT AN EARLIER TIME
THAN USUAL AND BE PREPARED FOR SUCH AN EVENTUALITY. A parent
telephone relay system may be implemented.
3. Complete student emergency card with all back-up information.
4. If the severe weather poses a definite threat, feel free to
pick up your child at school without telephoning in advance.
Unnecessary phone calls will only tie up the lines and delay
the process of getting all students safely to their homes. Do
be sure, however, that your child is checked out through the
school office.
5. Listen to radio stations KIKK, KTEK, KILT, and TV Station
KTRH, Channels 2, 11, 13, and 26 for announcements concerning
the dismissal or cancellation of school or the time when classes
will be resumed if such dismissal or cancellation becomes necessary.
6. Check the FISD website www.fisdk12.net
for ongoing updates.
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- CAMPUS SAFETY AND TRAFFIC
A traffic problem often exists during
the arrival and dismissal times. Several steps have been taken
to remedy this situation.
1. Please do not block intersections, drivers, or school entrances.
2. We need your help in providing a safe loading and unloading
zone for your children.
3. Transportation changes are to be completed in writing and
sent to school with your child or left in the school office.
For safety issues, changes will not be accepted over the
telephone or by fax.
ALL STUDENTS MUST BE DROPPED OFF AND PICKED UP IN FRONT OF
THE SCHOOL.
....A. Please observe the loading/unloading (pick-up/drop-off)
lane - one lane against the curb.
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C. Pull your car up as far as possible
in your lane for loading and unloading. (Your children
may have to walk a bit further, but we should be able to speed
up the process of loading and unloading children.)
.....D.
The speed limit in all student-loading zones is 5 miles per hour.
.....F.
Be aware of crossing guards and crosswalks. Do not stop in a
crosswalk area.
.....G.
During the hours of arrival (7:30-8:10 a.m.) and dismissal (3:10-3:45
p.m.), please do not leave your car unattended at the curb/fire
zone.
.....H. PLEASE -AT ALL TIMES - Be aware that children
are often unpredictable.
4. Bus lanes are for buses ONLY. Please do not park in this
area.
5. Please respect all red fire zones. Do not leave your car unattended
in these areas.
6. Please pick your child up promptly at 3:10 p.m. Teachers have
team meetings and preparations to make for the next day and cannot
stay with your children after school.
7. Visitors and parent volunteers should use the left parking
area and enter the school at the main entrance.
8. Upon arrival, students will go to the gym or cafeteria and
sit in class lines.
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