Attendance
Pursuant to Section 104.1 of the Commissioner’s Regulation, school districts are required to adopt and implement a Comprehensive Student Attendance Policy. A complete copy of HCSD’s attendance policy is available upon your request. The elementary portion appears in the “Attendance” section of this handbook. This policy dictates that attendance letters be sent home to all students with more than ten absences, regardless of whether or not the absence is defined as excused.
The district uses ParentSquare to make daily contact with the parent/caregiver of any child who is absent. Please call the school nurse at 315-866-8562, ext. 1022, stating why your child will not be in school. You will still receive a call from the automated system regardless if you call ahead or not.
When a child returns to school, he/she must have an excuse signed by a parent/guardian. This excuse is given to the homeroom teacher and is kept on file for two years. (Ed. Law 3210 & BOE Policy 7231)
Illness
The district has always asked parents to keep students at home if they are not well enough to participate in school activities. With the heightened risk of COVID-19, parents are now asked to consider the health of the entire household, not just the child.
Each morning, parents should assess their child’s health, and the health of others in the household. If anyone in the household is showing the following symptoms without a known cause, the child should stay home:
- Fever or chills
- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
- Fatigue
- Muscle or body aches
- Headache
- Recent loss of taste or smell
- Sore throat
- Congestion
- Nausea, vomiting or diarrhea
Your child should also stay home if any of the following have happened within the previous 14 days:
- Your child tests positive for COVID-19;
- Your child has had close contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19;
- Someone in your household has been directed by a health-care professional to self-monitor, self-isolate or quarantine;
Your child has traveled to a state or other location that requires a 14-day quarantine upon return.
Head Lice/Pediculosis
Visit the district’s Health Services page for information about head lice, or pediculosis
Family Trips/Emergencies
We realize from time to time it may become necessary to remove a student for a family trip or emergency.
When necessary, the following procedures should be followed:
- Notify the main office, the school nurse, and your student’s teacher as soon as you know the dates of absences (for family trips).
- The parent/guardian should contact his/ her child’s teacher to obtain whatever work the teacher deems appropriate. The teacher will need a few days notice to assemble the materials. *Please follow the procedure given under “Homework Requests.”
- Remember, homework is designed to be a practice of what has been taught; it is not a substitute for direct instruction that the child may be missing.
Physical and Dental Exam Requirements
Section 903 of New York State Education Law requires an annual physical exam for students in kindergarten, 1, 3, 5, 7 and 11. The physical exam requires a Body Mass Index and Weight Status report, and a dental health certificate supplement. The required forms are available from the school nurse and are filed in your child’s cumulative health record. More information is on the Health Services page.
Immunizations
According to Public Health Law 2164 (8-a), students entering Pre-Kindergarten or Kindergarten are required to have up-to-date proof of immunization records on file in the nurse’s office by the first day of school.
Visit the Immunizations page for more information about vaccination requirements.
Health and Hygiene
The school nurse will implement a class in puberty, health and hygiene for students in grade 5. Prior to the class, a booklet will be mailed home to you to review and discuss with your child. The class will consist of teaching, discussion, and the answering of questions related to puberty, health, and hygiene. These classes are NOT co-ed and are offered through physical education classes.
Classroom Snacks
If you are providing a snack for your child’s classroom, please consider providing a healthy treat and send them in as single servings. Ask your child’s teacher if there are any children with food allergies in the class, and avoid sending in foods that a student in class is allergic to. Treats that are prepared in a commercial kitchen are preferred to homemade treats because there are strict Health Department guidelines that kitchens must follow and potential allergens are listed in the ingredients.
Medication Policy
Visit the Medications page for information about the district’s medication policy.
Accident Reports
If your child is injured during the school day, it is necessary for us to have an Accident Report on file. Generally, staff who witnessed the accident or the school nurse will complete this form. The nurse will notify the parents/guardians of the incident that day.