All students in grades 7 and 8 are invited to participate in interscholastic team sports; soccer, basketball, softball or baseball. These teams represent Guilford in games with surrounding towns in Vermont and New Hampshire. Students who participate in after school sports must have a signed permission slip & medical release form prior to the first practice. An adult volunteer will be in charge of each sport and will make all necessary arrangements with parents and the school office. Students who wish to stay after school to watch a game must have an adult willing to supervise them during this time. These arrangements must be made prior to noon on the day of the game for which the student wishes to stay. Students will not be allowed to stay to watch practice sessions.
All children who reside in the district and are of legal school age are eligible to attend school. The admission of pupils shall be strictly in accordance with the provisions of the statutes and Board policies. The approval of the Board is required for the admission of nonresident pupils.
Students entering Kindergarten must be five years old on September 1 of the year in which they plan to begin school. Students entering first grade must be six years old no later than September 1 of the year in which they plan to begin school. Requests for exceptions should be submitted in writing prior to April 1 of any year such exception is to be requested. The school district will then administer appropriate educational tests of its choosing. Any costs involved will be borne by the parent. The recommendation of the tester and administrators to the School Board will assist the Board in making its decision. The decision of the School Board will be final.
Regular and prompt attendance is necessary for satisfactory progress. A written excuse from the parent or guardian shall be required for any absence. Any child who has been absent three or more consecutive days may be asked for a health certificate from his/her physician or a readmission slip from the school nurse or Principal.
Parents should make every effort to schedule medical or dental appointments after school hours whenever possible.
The School Board is committed to the non-discrimination of all people and groups on the basis of race, color, religion (creed), ancestry, national origin, place of birth, sex, sexual orientation, disability, age, or marital status. A detailed explanation of the School Board's policy is located in each school office and the WSESU Central Office.
Devices such as Walkmans, Game Boys and boom boxes are not allowed in school. Devices brought in shall be confiscated and repeat offenses may result in more serious consequences.
Emergency cards are filed in the school office. All parents must keep their card up-to-date with home and work telephone numbers and names of people to call when necessary.
The school had developed, in consultation with local officials and the Office of the Superintendent, procedures to be followed in the event of an emergency that would necessitate action at the school. Depending upon the situation, an evacuation of the school might be necessary. In the case of a localized event, such as a bomb scare at the school, our evacuation site would be the Broad Brook Grange. A regional event, such as a serious problem at Vermont Yankee, could result in an evacuation to designated sites in Bellows Falls or Greenfield, Mass.
We recognize that family trips and travel are worthwhile experiences. However, we have learned that when students miss school for a period of time, it can have negative consequences as well. This is particularly true when students return to school and find themselves behind in their studies and overwhelmed with make up assignments.
In order to ensure as positive an educational experience as possible, we offer the following guidelines for you and your child when an extended absence is anticipated:
Field trips requiring vehicular transportation and sports participation games or practices require a signed parent permission slip. If medication is needed while on a field trip, this should also be noted on this slip. This will be kept on file for each child and will be taken on the field trip. Assistance with transportation will be needed for many field trips. A blanket walking field trip permission will be sent home at the start of school. This will cover short walking trips off of school grounds. Parents will be notified when these will occur. A student may be prohibited from attending field trips if his/her behavior in school during the weeks prior to the trip is problematic.
All community groups are welcome to use the school. Arrangements can be easily made by calling or stopping by the school to obtain a building use form. The responsibility for making sure that the building is locked up tight and all lights are off belongs to the leader of the group using the building. Anyone leaving afterwards needs to cleanup and lock up. We cannot allow street shoes in the gym. All persons must wear soft soled shoes in the gym. No food or beverages are allowed in the gym.
The staff at Guilford School believes homework serves several purposes. We believe work to be done at home helps students develop a sense of responsibility and helps them learn to manage time. We also assign homework based on the belief that it helps students practice and reinforce skills and concepts taught in class, to prepare the next day's class and provides an opportunity to work on long term projects. The amount of homework assigned is meant to follow a pattern of increased expectations as students grow older. Primary grade students should expect one or two homework assignments per week, while students in the upper grades will be assigned homework 3-4 times per week. While the amount of time needed to complete assignments varies from child to child, a standard expectation if 10 - 20 minutes per assignment in the primary grades to one hour per night in the upper grades.
The school provides a location for lost and found objects and clothing. These accumulate quickly. Students and parents are urged to check the lost and found area next to the lunch room to claim personal belongings. Unclaimed articles will be given to charity. Middle School: Middle School students shall keep their backpacks in their homeroom during the school day. Electronic devices, such as Walkman's, Game Boys and boom boxes are not allowed in school. Devices brought in shall be confiscated and repeat offenses may result in more serious consequences.
Students are discouraged from bringing valuables or large sums of unneeded money to school. Students do so at their own risk.
The Guilford Central offers a variety of musical experiences for students K-8. Every child in kindergarten through eighth grade is a part of a general music class which meets once a week for 30-45 minutes. General music classes are geared to teach both rhythmic and notational music reading skills, singing, dancing and instrumental playing.
All children are exposed to the Or 0ff instruments which enable students to provide simple accompaniments to songs. Other instrumental experiences include playing the auto harp, recorder and/or a variety percussion instruments. Singing is taught through the use of the Kodaly’s solfege singing system.
Students entering fourth grade through eighth grade have the opportunity to join a choral ensemble. These choral groups continue to work on sight singing and are exposed to and sing a variety of choral literature. Likewise, students in fourth through eight grade are able to begin a band instrument and take group instrumental lessons which enables them to become part of the beginning band or advance band ensemble. Both the choral and the band ensembles perform outside the school for community functions or as part of the March is Music In Our School’s Month Celebration.
All seventh and eighth grade students involved in any of the performing ensembles have the opportunity to audition for the Connecticut Valley Music Association’s district festivals. The Junior High Festival Chorus is held in November and the Junior High Concert Band Festival is held in February. I am hopeful that many of our students will take advantage of these special opportunities as they arise.
Each Friday, a school-wide newsletter goes home. Each child is to bring one to his/her parents. Teachers and parents give Bev information to go home by Wednesday of each week. Individual teachers also send home information in classroom newsletters as they see fit. If you do not receive a newsletter, please ask your child. We hope to place each Friday newsletter on the school's website each week.
Students are expected to pay all bills in a prompt manner. These include bills such as music, sports, lunch, lost or damaged class or library books, etc. Students who have not paid all bills by the last day of school will not receive their report card. Eighth grade students with outstanding bills will not receive a diploma.
Students in grades K-8 will have two physical education classes each week. All students in grades K-8 are required to have a pair of sneakers (no black bottoms) that are to be kept at school to be used in the gym only for Physical Education. Students with the required footwear only will participate in class lesson. Students who are unprepared with the required footwear will participate in the walking program in the gym during class time without footwear so that they may still be an active participant.
Movement Education is the foundation of all the skills taught in Kindergarten through second grade. Children are provided with developmentally appropriate challenges to enhance their understanding of space and body awareness; to acquire basic movement skills such as running, skipping and jumping; to acquire basic manipulative skills such as catching and throwing; to develop gymnastics skills; to combine movement skills with music and rhythms; to improve fitness; and, to cooperatively work on group challenges. Emphasis is placed on participation, effort and positive social relationships.
Third through eighth grade students will use basic movement skills to develop more complex physical skills in Dance, Gymnastics, Physical Fitness, Individual Team Sports, Carry Over Sports and Group Initiative Challenges. Our program is designed to provide each student with a positive Physical Education experience that will influence the student's self-image, personal achievement and knowledge of a healthy lifestyle. Emphasis is placed on participation, effort, self-improvement and positive social interaction.
One or more adults are outside during all scheduled recess periods. Students must stay within sight of the recess adult at all times. "If the student can't see the adult, the adult can see them."
If a student needs medical, special attention or has needs, they should see the person on duty. A "pass" system is used during recess which allows the adult on duty to know where students are at all times.
This year, Guilford Central School will operate on two reporting schedules, with K-5 on a semester basis and 6-8 on a trimester rotation. Report cards for K-5 will be mailed home in January and June, with parent conferences offered in November and March. Grades 6-8 will be sending home report cards in November, March and June. Parent conferences will be available in November and March.
A child who is functioning below grade and/or age level in multiple academic or social areas, who is making significantly less progress than classmates, or who has excessively high number of absences is a possible candidate for retention. Teaches who are considering retention for a student should do a record review of the child and discuss the concerns with the child's previous teachers. Parents should be notified of this situation by December of the school year, but not significantly before the end of the first trimester.
A teacher contemplating retention for a child submits a completed retention consideration form to the principal by February 1. By March 15, parents are to be notified in writing that retention is under consideration for their child. By the end of March, the principal will convene a meeting of the child's parents, current and previous year's teachers, support personnel, and guidance personnel. The purpose of this meeting will be to explain to the parent why retention is under consideration, to hear the parents' point of view and to decide upon and explain the next steps in process.
Next steps will include one or more of the following:
By May 3, a second meeting will be convened to assess the student's progress and standing to date and to review information gathered. Monthly meetings will occur for the remainder of the year until a final decision is made in June.
By June 1, the school will make its recommendation to the parent. Every effort will be made to reach a consensus on the retention decision. If the parent and school disagree on the child's placement for the upcoming school year, the principal will make the final decision.
A mid-year review will take place each year following retention of a child. The purpose of the review will be to determine whether the current grade placement continues to be in the child's best interest.
T-shirt that has a crew neck only with short or long sleeves. Shirts that are sleeveless, have capsleeves, buttons, zippers, scoop necks, v necks or inappropriate slogans are inappropriate for
PE classes. T-shirt only - One layer only - No sweatshirts.
Shorts, skorts, jeans, pants or sweat pants, dresses and skirts are inappropriate for PE classes. No short shorts.
Inside sneakers. These sneakers are to be worn in the gym only! Please check with your child to see if their inside shoes are still comfortable. Many students in the spring find that the shoes they have been wearing are now too small and uncomfortable.
Due to an emergency, inclement weather, or impassable roads during mud season, school may be canceled or buses may run on pavement only. Notice of a cancellation will be announced on local radio stations early in the morning WTSA (254-4577) WKVT (254-2343). In the event of inclement weather, please listen to one of these radio stations. Parents will be asked to fill out a form asking whom they would like notified if an early school closing occurs during the school day. If such an event happens, radio stations will be notified and a phone tree will be put in operation.
School photographs of individual students and classes will be taken in the fall. Every possible effort is made to have the completed photographs available before December vacation. Parents need to inform the school if they do not wish their child's name or picture published in any published newspapers or videos for school activities.
Parents are encouraged to take advantage of the student accident insurance offered at the beginning of the school year. This is an extremely inexpensive way of covering medical costs if your child is involved in an accident. The school does not carry insurance to cover the cost of student accidents while at school.
In order to use the Internet, each student must have a signed “Acceptable Use Contract” on file. Each student will be given a copy of the school policy and permission slip to be signed by their parent and themselves and returned to the office.
Children in grades K-8 will be marked tardy if they arrive past 8:40. A late student is expected to have a note from a parent / guardian explaining the reason for the tardiness. Parents of any student in grades K-8 tardy five times in one trimester will be notified of the situation and asked to correct the problem. Students in grades 6-8 tardy 5 times in one trimester will be given a detention. An excused tardiness is one which is out of the child's control.
School telephones are for school business. Students may use telephones only in cases of school business or an emergency.
We welcome visitors to participate in our school life. We ask you to call ahead to let us know when you would like to come and who or what you would like to see. Before their visit, student visitors to Guilford Central must give the office written permission from a parent with an emergency phone number, have permission from their school and from the classroom teacher they will be visiting and check with the bus driver to see if their visitor can ride the bus. Parents must be available while a student is visiting. The visiting time will be coordinated with the parent and the teacher and the office