Principal's Page

From the Desk of Mr. Lance Hamlin

Text Box: School Planners must be purchased by students in grades 1-5 at a cost of $5.00. CASH ONLY PLEASE

 

August 16, 2007

Dear Parents/Guardians,

Welcome to the 2007-2008 school year at Tom Landry Elementary!   I am very excited to be returning to Landry after serving as Principal of Sheffield Primary the past two years.  I look forward to seeing our returning students and can’t wait to get to know our new students and their families.   We have had a few changes in personnel.  (below)  I hope you get to meet them and the returning staff at our second annual “Back to School Bash” on Thursday, August 23rd from 6-7pm. 

Personnel Changes:

Principal: Lance Hamlin

Assistant Principal: Charlotte Sasser 
Secretary: Laura Kehoe

ESL Instructional Facilitator:  Madge Ray (from Kindergarten)

PPCD: Sean Putt (new position)
            Mary Bowerman (new PPCD aide position)
K         Kecia Cate (moving from 1st), Kacy Byers
1st        Bree Meninger, LeAnn Berg, Angie Cox, SuWane Scott
2nd       No Changes
3rd        No Changes
4th        No Changes
5th        Kristin Haney (moving from 4th)

Important Things to Know:

Meet the Teacher Night: Tuesday, September 11, 2007 from 7:00 - 8:00 p.m.  Pre-K will have their “Meet the Teacher” time on Friday, August 31st at 9:00am.

Student Information Form: A Student Information form is in your packet.  Please verify that all blanks are complete with current information.  Carefully check for current phone numbers and email addresses.  Please make changes in red ink.  This form must be returned in order for your student to be officially registered.

            School Hours: For their safety, students may not arrive on campus before 7:30 a.m.  Breakfast will be served from 7:30 a.m.-7:55 a.m. for those students who want to eat breakfast here at school.  Upon arrival, students must go directly to the cafeteria through the gym to eat breakfast.  We will do morning announcements from in the gymnasium at 8:00 am. 

            Tardies: Students will be considered tardy if they are not in the gymnasium by the 8:10 bell.  This includes students eating breakfast in the cafeteria.  (Cafeteria doors are open at 7:30 a.m. to serve breakfast.)  Remember three tardies will equal one absence. Students who are consistently tardy or absent are subject to disciplinary action as stated in the CFB student handbook.  This could affect a student’s grade placement for next year because the state requires that students be in attendance 90% of the time.

            Supplies: Supply lists will be posted on the windows at school at the beginning of the year and a list will be available on the table in the hall near the office. Pre-packaged supplies were only available for purchase at our Back to School Bash, Thursday, August 23.

            Cafeteria: Lunch costs $2.00 a day.  Milk is $.50 and extra treats are available at a cost of $.25 and $.50.  Breakfast cost is $1.00.  Free and reduced lunch applications are available in the office.  We highly recommend that you buy lunches by the week.  A cafeteria staff person is available each morning to accept checks or cash for weekly lunch payments.  We urge you to prepay.  Students can only charge $5.50. If your child does not bring lunch money, he/she will be given a side dish, bread, and milk.
            Make Your Day MAKE YOUR DAY has been adopted as Tom Landry’s discipline management program.  It is based upon the premise that “No one has the right to interfere with the learning, safety, and well-being others.” We have developed a school-wide culture which fosters self-discipline and self-evaluation to develop the whole child for lifelong learning.  Consistent and predictable expectations and consequences allow students to make informed choices to achieve their full potential every day.  (See below for more details.) 

            Nutrition: Nutrition is an important component to a child’s well being and disposition.  We ask that you refrain from sending sodas to school in any lunch.  If your child carries a lunch, please pack healthy, well-balanced meals.  Limit the amount of candy, if any, that you send as a portion of your child’s lunch.  There are strict nutrition regulation changes.  Please see nutrition information included in your packet.

            School News: The office will send home important notices every Thursday in the Thursday Folder.  Please make it a part of your weekly routine to ask for this folder each week on Thursday.  Also, check out our web page as well and expect weekly correspondences from teachers.

Uniform Policy: The Landry parents and community have adopted a uniform policy. In addition, the Carrollton Farmers Branch Board of Trustees has made this policy MANDATORY.  IT IS IMPERATIVE WE HAVE YOUR FULL SUPPORT IN ORDER TO CARRY OUT THIS POLICY.  Students seem to follow the uniform requirement for the first few months of school and then they become lax.  Students are to wear navy or khaki bottoms, and white, red, navy or burgundy tops, or a spirit shirt.  Students can wear jean bottoms ONLY on Fridays. SEE ATTACHMENT.       

            Report Cards/Parent Conferences:  Report cards are issued every nine weeks.   Progress reports are issued at the end of each 3 week marking period for all students K-5th grade.  We will have parent conferences from 4-7pm on October 16th and October 18th.  Teachers will send out notices for sign up times prior to the conference date.

            Visitors/Volunteers: Visitors and volunteers are always welcome at Landry.  Everyone MUST report to the office ANYTIME he/she visits the building.  You are REQUIRED to wear a visitor’s badge and to sign in and out.  All volunteers in the classroom or on field trips must first attend a volunteer orientation, complete an application, and agree to a criminal background check.

            Medications/Appointments: Please send all medications in their original containers and clearly mark it with your child’s name.  Please consult your student’s handbook for specific directions.  If at all possible, please schedule doctor appointments for non-emergency care after school hours.  Our time with your child is important.

            Dismissal: At 3:05, car riders will be picked up on the West (back) side of the building.  We ask that you form two lines when picking up your children.  There will be no need to get out of your car because the three teachers on duty will help put your child in your car.  At 3:10 day care riders will be dismissed from the East (front) of the building.  At 3:10 walkers and bike riders will also be dismissed from the East (front) side of the building.  For safety reasons it is extremely important that students leave the campus immediately.  Please let your children know this.  CAR RIDERS ARE NOT TO BE PICKED UP IN THE FRONT OF THE BUILDING.  Day care buses, bike riders and walkers will be in this area.  Any cars in this area will prevent us from implementing our plan effectively and will likely cause safety problems.  Your cooperation is needed.  (PK and K teachers will let you know any special dismissal and arrival procedures they may have.)  STUDENTS ARE NOT ALLOWED TO PICK UP SIBLINGS FROM OTHER CLASSROOMS.  Parents need to help their children find a designated area outside the building to wait on siblings.

            How Students Go Home: Send a note to your child’s teacher regarding how your child is to go home.  If there is a change, send a written note notifying the teacher of the change.

 

Sincerely,

Lance Hamlin

Principal, Tom Landry Elementary

 

DID YOUR CHILD MAKE HIS DAY TODAY?

 

WHAT IS MAKE YOUR DAY?

MAKE YOUR DAY is based upon the premise that “No one has the right to interfere with the learning, safety, and well-being others.” We are developing a school-wide culture which fosters self-discipline and self-evaluation to develop the whole child for lifelong learning.  Consistent and predictable expectations and consequences allow students to make informed choices to achieve their full potential every day.

HOW CAN I MAKE MY DAY?

Students can make their day by earning “Points”.  Points are used as a measure to evaluate if a student is
“Doing what is expected and doing it the best that they can."

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN I INTERFERE WITH THE LEARNING, SAFETY, AND WELL BEING OF OTHERS?

Students know that inappropriate behavior will be dealt with in “steps”.  Choosing “Steps” is not a punishment, but a consequence based on the student’s choice to make a mistake.  We all make mistakes. 

Step 1 is designed to be a quick removal so that the teacher can continue to teach the rest of the class without interruption.  A child who behaves contrary to the school rule chooses a step 1 designation and is expected to stop interacting with the class and sit quietly outside the group for 3-5 minutes.  After this time, the teacher asks the child to identify the misbehavior and if the child is ready to rejoin the class.  If he/she is not ready, or misbehaves in another manner, the child moves to a step 2 designation.

Step 2 is in a standing position, again away from the rest of the class.  The teacher again checks on the child with the same questions as before, and the child determines if he/she is ready to move back to step 1 or progress to step 3.  If the child can identify the offending behaviors and is ready to do a better job, he/she returns to step 1 and then to the class activity.  If he/she is not ready or misbehaves while in step 2, the student moves to step 3.

Step 3 is again in a standing position and the teacher directs the child to reflect on how his/her behaviors are supportive of the classroom rule.  The teacher continues teaching the class and checks in with the child at a later time.  At that time, the student retains control over moving back to step 2 and then to step 1 or progressing to step 4.  If the student is not ready to move to step 2 or misbehaves while in step 3, the student moves to step 4.

Step 4 involves removal of the child to a different classroom and an immediate parent conference.  Parents are contacted because a child in a step 4 situation has required 4 interventions by the teacher and is still not choosing to behave in a positive manner.  At the step 4 conference, the child is asked to explain his/her behavior, and the parent determines if the child is ready to return to the classroom. (If a student receives four Step 4 conferences they will receive an automatic Step 5.)

                        Behaviors that will result in an automatic Step 4 conference are:

1)      Five days of not making their day (cumulative)

2)      Inappropriate “restroom” behavior

3)      Sexual Harassment

4)      Stealing

5)      Fighting

Step 5 is reserved for misbehaviors that are serious and require immediate administrative attention, and often result in a suspension from school or removal to our district or county alternative school.

 

Sincerely,
Lance Hamlin

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