NORTHVALE PUBLIC SCHOOLS
BOARD OF EDUCATION
Mr. Brian Lent,
President
Mrs. Lisa Mazurek, Vice President
Mrs. Elise Winans
Mrs. Johanna Bargisen
Mrs. Jennifer England
Mr. John DiPaola, School Business Administrator
Mrs. Paige Gan, Administrative Secretary
Mrs. Anne Colthart, Secretary
The Board of Education Work Session is usually held on the
second Monday and the Regular Meeting on the fourth Monday of each month at 7
PM in the All-Purpose Room in
SCHOOL DIRECTORY
(201)768-8484
Mr. Sylvan C. Hershey Superintendent
of Schools
Mrs. Pat Kayan Secretary to the Superintendent of Schools Ext. 30234
Mr. Michael Pinajian Assistant Principal
Mrs. Kathleen Solano
Mrs. Diane Santoro Child Study Team Chairperson
Mrs.
Mrs. Dona Vinci
Mrs. Jeanne Griffin Guidance Counselor Ext. 30226
Mrs. Jane Mosier School Nurse Ext. 30224
Parents
of students in grades K-5 must notify the teacher if their child walks to and
from school or has transportation. Also,
if this routine changes, a note must be sent to the teacher describing the
change.
When
students are dropped off at school and picked up at the end of the day, parents
must adhere to the following safety procedures:
Cars must drop-off/pick-up at the
curb. Parents must not sit at the curb
holding up
the flow of traffic. Keep moving forward as cars exit the parking
lot.
If you have more than one student to
drop-off/pick-up, please decide on one location
(either Nathan Hale or Thomas Jefferson)
to do this. Please, no double drop-offs!
Prior
to dismissal, parents should stand away from classroom windows to prevent
distraction.
After
dismissal, students should report home unless they are enrolled in a
school-sanctioned activity.
During
extremely cold weather and/or precipitation, the teacher-in-charge will allow
students to enter the building through the link and proceed to a designated
area. TJ: All-Purpose Room – NH: link
and main corridor. Students may be
dropped off in the morning as early as 8:00 a.m. Supervision is provided both in the front and
back of the buildings at that time. At
8:30 a.m., students will enter the schools and report to homerooms.
Students in
Thomas Jefferson enter at their classroom doors. Students in Nathan Hale must enter the
building by going through the link doors.
If late, all students enter through the front doors and report to the
appropriate main office.
If
students are going to be absent, a parent/guardian must call the School Nurse to report the reason for
the absence. Upon the student’s return
to school, a note must be brought in which lists the date(s) of absence(s) and
the reason, with a parent/guardian signature.
It is the
student’s responsibility to make up all of the work that was missed while
he/she was absent.
It
is important to have a good record of attendance. This will allow students to better follow and
understand lessons in each class. If
attendance is poor, it could have a negative impact on student achievement.
A
minimum number of days of attendance for the school year, required for
promotion, are defined as follows:
Grades K, 1, and 2: 161 days
(not to exceed 20 absences)
Grades 3, 4, and 5: 162 days
(not to exceed 19 absences)
Grades 6, 7, and 8: 163 days
(not to exceed 18 absences)
Parents/guardians of students not meeting the above requirements will be required to meet with the administration to determine whether or not promotion is appropriate.
A
student is tardy when he/she arrives after 8:35 AM.
If late to school, all students must report to the main
office with a note from a parent/guardian.
Students
are permitted five (5) tardies before disciplinary
action will take place.
Constant
tardiness will result in a parent/guardian meeting with the administration and
a detention plan will be put into action.
If a student must leave school early for an appointment, a
note must be brought to the homeroom teacher.
Parents/guardians must come into the main office to sign out their
child. Students will not be called out of class
until a parent/guardian arrives at the main office.
All letters/flyers to go home to parents will be
distributed to students on Tuesday and Thursday of every week. In the event that an immediate letter/flyer
must go home on another day, the administration will make all necessary arrangements
with the teachers for distribution.
The administration must preview and approve any
letter/flyer before it is sent home.
Letters/flyers that advertise organizations and/or functions that are
not directly related to the
Extra-Curricular Activities for Grades 5-8
The following activities may be offered for student
participation:
A.
Yearbook I. Musical Theater Ensemble
B.
Student Government J. Music - Choral
C.
Soccer Team K. Music - Instrumental
D.
Volleyball Team L. School Newspaper
E. Basketball Team M. School Literary Journal
F.
Spring Track Team N. International Club
G.
National Junior Honor Society O.
Physical Education Intramurals
H.
Art Club
The Art Club may also be offered to students in grades two through four.
Designated spaces are clearly marked for Visitor Parking. If you are visiting the
schools, please park your car in these visitor spaces. If these spaces are filled, you will need to
park your car on the street. All other
spaces are numbered for school staff.
Do not park in the numbered parking spaces.
Rules
Concerning School Grounds
1. Loitering
in or around the school, before or after school hours, is prohibited.
2. Bicycles,
skateboards, and scooters may not be ridden on school
grounds.
3. Bicycles must be locked
up while on school grounds. The school
district will not be responsible for
personal property.
4. Crossing guards are
located in front of Nathan Hale, Thomas Jefferson, and
on
5. While on school property, students must
walk at all times.
6. Students should be ready and waiting for parents on the front sidewalk at dismissal.
Students shall not:
1. Disrupt teaching and learning.
2. Interfere
with the rights of others to enjoy a safe and comfortable environment free of
foul, demeaning, or abusive language; sexual harassment; reckless endangerment;
or threatening/physically harmful behaviors.
3. Disobey or show lack of respect to
teaching staff and school staff.
4. Consistently refuse to complete
homework or other assignments.
5. Cheat or engage in academic dishonesty.
6. Steal, damage, or deface the property
of others.
7. Possess or use illegal substances.
8. Engage in illegal activities.
9. Possess, use, or threaten to use
weapons or any implement intended to harm others.
10. Operate cell phones to make calls, play games, or send messages, etc, during the school day. If a student is found using a cell phone during school hours, the phone will be confiscated and a parent will be required to pick it up from the Assistant Principal’s office.
The
sequence of disciplinary interventions is as follows, however, the
administration reserves the right to alter the sequence depending on the nature
of the offense.
1. Warning
2. Parent
Notification
3. Referral
to Administration
4. Detention
(am/pm)
5. Loss
of Privileges
6. In-School
Suspension
7. Out-of-School
Suspension
8. Notification
of Police
9. Hearing
with the Superintendent
10. Expulsion Hearing with the Board of
Education
The Northvale Schools’ Administration prides itself by providing a safe and secure learning environment where students feel comfortable attending. Students are expected to maintain the highest standards of conduct and parents are encouraged to remind them to be on their best behavior while in school.
If and when unacceptable behaviors occur, students will incur consequences, as stated above, for their actions. Consequences are designed to teach students responsibility at various levels.
Students who become physical and engage in altercations with each other will be spoken to by the administration. Physical offenses can warrant various degrees of disciplinary action and parents of the student(s) involved will be notified of the incident and appropriate consequences.
Consequences for Negative Behavior
Students
need to accept responsibility for their behavior. Professional judgment will determine when to
move from level to level. Consequences
will generally include, but not be limited to:
Level
One – The Teacher
Parents
will receive 24 hours notice of the date and time of a detention that has been
issued to their child. Failure to report
for a detention will result in further disciplinary action.
Level
Two – The Guidance Counselor
A guidance-oriented approach could be utilized
to reinforce teacher measures and examine causes of behavior.
Level
Three – The Administration
If a student fails to respond to the
teacher’s authority and/or counseling, the following will tend to occur: (Not necessarily in this sequence.)
All disciplinary action taken against any student is done in accordance with NJ State Law under the N.J.S.A. Title 18A, as well as district policy. Disciplinary action against a student is not subject to negotiation by parents.
Every student shall be afforded due process. This process shall include the student being advised by the Assistant Principal of his/her misconduct and the basis of such accusation. Should the offense warrant a long-term suspension from school, the student shall be entitled to a hearing with the Superintendent. In the case of a student expulsion, the student shall be entitled to a hearing with the Board of Education.
Students in grades 5-8 are given the use of hall lockers and are held responsible for proper care and regulations regarding their use. Lockers are considered school property and school authorities may open and inspect them when necessary.
Everyone
in the school community works well when there are rules to guide them.
When
rules are broken there are consequences.
1. School Dress Code: Appropriate dress is mandatory at all
times. Clothing that is not allowed in
school is as follows:
No halter tops.
No razor back
tops.
No half
t-shirts.
No spaghetti
strap tops.
No extremely
short miniskirts or shorts.
No clothing
with inappropriate slogans.
No underwear
showing. This includes bra straps and
boy’s boxers.
A major concern
is the amount of skin revealed by a student’s choice of clothing. It is distracting to the school community to
wear such clothing. Parents/guardians
will be called to bring a change of clothing or students will be provided
appropriate clothes for that day in the event that clothing is deemed
unacceptable.
3.
Expensive personal belongings should be kept at home.
4. All
students should treat each other, adults, and property with respect and in
a safe manner.
5. Students
will respect teaching and learning by listening to their teachers.
6. Students
will respect each other’s physical space by refraining from pushing,
hitting, kicking, spitting, biting,
or threatening physical harm.
7. Students
will show respect to the school by keeping it clean and free of
unnecessary damage.
8. Toy
weapons are not permitted in school.
9. In
hallways, students should walk to their right and keep noise to a minimum.
10. Students
may only cross the railroad tracks on
11. Textbooks
will be inspected at the beginning and end of the school year. Damages or lost books will result in book
fines and/or replacement costs.
12. All textbooks must be properly covered at
all times.
13. Proper behavior must be exhibited at all
times. This includes assemblies,
sporting events, field trips, and special
activities.
14. Students
are responsible for making up all missed class work/homework due to SDL
(Self-Directed Learners), instrumental lessons, special trips, and any other
activity that takes them away from the regular schedule. No extra time will be permitted. Assignments are due on the original due date
given by the teacher.
Example: If a student has a music lesson third period
on Tuesday, which means they are missing Language Arts, that student must hand
in the prior night’s homework on (the original due date) Tuesday.
15. All
failed tests must be signed by the parent/guardian and returned to school the
next day.
16. Parents/guardians may request a teacher
conference by calling (201)768-8484 and leaving a message in the teacher’s voice
mailbox. Please refer to the school
website for a list of teacher extensions
17. Students
are not allowed to use the office telephones.
Students may use the pay telephones located outside the main office.
18. Students are
not allowed to use cell phones or pagers during the school day.
19. Cell phones are not allowed to be “on” in either school building.
Procedures for Processing Concerns
Any
student-teacher or program concern should be handled in the following manner:
1.
Begin by expressing your concern to the
teacher. Discuss the issue with the
teacher. Direct and informal
communication should generally be your first step.
2.
If the matter is unresolved, speak with the
Assistant Principal, who will conduct a problem-solving meeting between you and
the teacher.
3.
If still unresolved, you may appeal to the
Superintendent of Schools, who will conduct a conflict resolution meeting with
the parties involved.
4.
If you believe that your situation has not been
resolved, your appeal process will be presented to you. It could involve formal communication with
the Board of Education.
Our goal is to resolve misunderstandings as close to their source as possible. Our procedure is designed to problem-solve conflicts.
In the interests of
safety and security, the
Fire
drill instructions are posted in each classroom. When the fire alarm sounds, students shall:
1.
Maintain absolute silence during the entire
drill. (From alarm sounding until their
return to the classroom.)
2.
Follow teacher directions at all times.
If
an accident occurs, or a student becomes seriously ill, the incident must be
reported immediately to the nearest staff member.
Lock Down and Evacuation Situations
This
is an administrative decision where special instructions are directed to all staff
for the ultimate safety of everyone in the school. Procedures are in place if such a decision is
put into action.
1.
An average grade of 90 or above must be attained in all academic
subjects.
2.
Students may not receive a “C” in any subject for that particular
marking period.
Grades
may be lowered for cheating, plagiarizing material, falsifying sources, failure
to submit assignments, or indulging in academic dishonesty or negligence.
Report
cards are sent to parents/guardians four times each school year.
Progress
reports will be sent home to students in grades 5-8 on designated dates. Parents should contact the teacher issuing
the progress report to support the improvement of their child.
Incomplete
report card grades must be made up within two weeks to avoid failure.
The
grading system is described on the report card that students receive. Report card and progress report envelopes
must be signed by a parent/guardian and returned to school the next day.
Parent/guardian/teacher
conferences take place in November.
The
Northern Valley Administrators Association has recognized the need to establish
specific guidelines, which clearly delineate the requirements to graduate from
the eighth grade. These requirements are
as follows:
1.
Students are required to attend school for a
minimum of 163 days except for medical reasons or extenuating circumstances.
2.
All students must have a passing grade in the
major subject areas of Language Arts, Literature, Math, Science, Social Studies
and Spanish.
3.
Students failing two or more subjects will not
participate in graduation ceremonies/activities. Attendance in summer school
may be required for promotion to the ninth grade.
Eligibility
for participation in eighth grade activities (Washington Trip, Graduation, Swim
Club Trip, Dinner Dance, Field Trips, etc.) will be determined by student
adherence to the school policies and rules.
A
student may be subject to removal from participation in eighth grade
activities, inclusive of graduation exercises, if behavior and conduct is not
in compliance with school policies.