School Policies

ATTENDANCE POLICY
Sun Dream International School recognizes that attendance is a major component of each student’s academic success. The school’s policy governing student attendance requires that you receive and understand a summary of the policy and your role in relation to your child’s school attendance. The following information is meant to be helpful toward that end.

• You will be contacted by phone when your child is absent from school.
• You should contact the school administration to approval of your child leave the school boarding premises for inform about the absence when your child returns to school.
• Unexcused absences may result in disciplinary action consistent with the school’s practices.
• Your child’s attendance data will be documented on a daily basis and it will be reported to you on the report cards.
• Family trips and vacations should be arranged to coincide with scheduled school holidays and vacation periods.
If you are having difficulty encouraging your child to attend school, please notify your child’s teacher or contact the school.

MEDICATION

• If a child needs to take medicine during the day, you must submit written orders from the doctor and a “Medication Permission Form” signed by a parent. It is required that such medications be delivered directly to the school nurse by the parent in the original prescription bottle.
• At the beginning of the school year, parents are asked to fill out an emergency form listing the telephone numbers where each parent can be reached during the school day and two alternate numbers to be called in the event your child becomes ill or injured at school. Please remember to notify the school of any changes during the year. It is also a good idea if you are going to be out of town during the day to make arrangements with someone to be a contact for your child, in case one should be needed.
• When a child becomes ill or injured in school, he/she is sent to the sick bay. If the school nurse feels that the child is able to remain in school, he/she may be allowed to rest for a short time and then return to class. In case of minor accidents, first aid is given, and the child is sent back to class. When the school nurse determines that the child should not remain in school, the parents are contacted and asked to make arrangements to transport the child home. In case of an emergency and a parent cannot be contacted or cannot pick up the student, an ambulance will have to be called to take them to the hospital.

ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CODE OF BEHAVIOR AND CONDUCT
All students are expected to act in a responsible manner. This includes being willing to learn and work and being careful not to interfere with the rights of students to do the same. All students should also take care to behave with respect for people of all ages, races, gender, ethnic groups and religions. These rules apply not only to conduct occurring at school, but they also apply to conduct on school buses. Students who do not adhere to behavioral expectations, exhibit disrespectful behavior, or disrupt the learning process, will be subject to disciplinary action. Discipline may vary depending upon the circumstances and seriousness of the offense. The final determination pertaining to discipline will be at the discretion of the school principal.

STUDENT DRESS EXPECTATIONS

• Clothing should be safe, appropriate and not disrupt or interfere with the educational process.
• Dress items such as halter tops, short shorts, spaghetti straps, and shirts that bare the midriff or show undergarments are inappropriate.
• Footwear should be safe. We discourage flip flops and heels because it is difficult to play in these.
• Access to playground equipment will be limited if your child is wearing flip flops or open-toe shoes.
• Clothing should not include inappropriate words or pictures that are offensive, denigrate others, promote or endorse the use of tobacco, alcohol, illegal substances and/or illegal or violent activities.
• Wearing hats in the school building is not permitted.
• Violations of the dress code will result in asking the student to modify their dress by covering or removing an offending item. The parent/guardian may be asked to bring a change of clothes to school for the student.

GOOD DISCIPLINE … A TEAM EFFORT
Classroom staff and support staff are available to parents and students to deal with concerns relating to discipline. Support staff will provide social skills training to help children learn more effective social behaviors. Consequences and more regulated supervision will be imposed on students unable to accept their responsibilities. A consequence is most effective when it deals directly with the problem at the time and place it occurs and in a way that is viewed as fair and impartial by the student. However, the ultimate goal of our school discipline policy is for the student to internalize appropriate behavior and be self-disciplined. Progress toward that goal requires a completely cooperative staff effort that has the support of parents as well. There is no appropriate time for a student to verbally or physically harm another member in our school community. We expect students who are harmed in any way to, first, tell the person to stop; and, if they don’t, the student should tell an adult as soon as possible. That adult will speak with or have someone of authority take appropriate measures with the offender.

RESPONSIBILITIES OF TEACHER
It is expected that each teacher will:

• Prepare a daily or weekly homework assignment plan.
• Encourage children to be responsible for loading homework folders each day, while supporting the development of independence and responsibility for this task.
• Check returned homework.
• Follow up with children and parents if homework is not returned or if it needs to be completed in a different way.

RESPONSIBILITIES OF CHILDREN
It is expected that children will:

• Follow their teacher’s daily or weekly homework plan.
• Pack up homework folder each day and take home all necessary materials to complete arrangements.
• Complete written and reading homework each night, carefully and neatly.
• Return folder/ planner to school each day.
• Return weekly library book.
• Understand homework assignment before leaving school.

RESPONSIBILITIES OF PARENTS
It is expected that parents will:

• Encourage good work habits by asking children to take responsibility for the completion of their assigned work
• Provide a consistent workplace for the youngster’s homework
• Provide needed supplies at home for the completion of homework
• Look at homework folder each night
• Assist children with homework as appropriate
• Read to and with their child each night; discuss contents of books
• Sign homework papers or folder
• Help child pack up homework folder each night while encouraging the development of independence and responsibility for the return of homework
• Call for and pick up homework assignments when their child is ill and cannot come to school. Teachers will make every effort to provide opportunities for students to make up work when they are absent for legal reasons. If you call the office by 10:00 a.m., appropriate assignments will be prepared for your child. The materials will either be in the office by 3:00 p.m. for you to pick up or will be sent home with a sibling or neighbor, as requested. Teachers will not prepare materials for children when they are absent for prolonged periods of time for unexcused reasons. You can avoid a break in your child’s instructional process by avoiding any unnecessary absences.
  Consequences of Not Doing Homework
  Teachers will implement, at their discretion, the following consequences when homework is not returned:
  • Send a note to the parents
  • Make a phone call to the parents
  • Arrange parent conference
  • Have student complete homework during recess, as appropriate