Welcome to the Lexington School System!  We are looking forward to an exciting and successful school year.  We have prepared this folder so that we may bring about a better understanding between the school and the parents/students.  We ask for your cooperation so that we may provide your child with a rewarding and enriching educational experience.  Please take time to read this handbook thoroughly.

Educational Philosophy
The philosophy of Lexington Public Schools is based on the concept that the school should exist for students regardless of race, creed, color, national origin, sex, disability or religion.  It should concentrate on providing, through teaching and counseling, equal and adequate opportunity for each student to develop physically, intellectually, socially and vocationally in order that he/she might recognize and accept his/her responsibilities in preserving the democracy which has provided for these opportunities.

Arrival and Dismissal
Parents are advised not to bring or send students to school before 7:45 am, unless a special event is scheduled by the school.  Teachers cannot be responsible for students who arrive early because teachers are involved in meetings, conferences, and classroom preparation.

Parents who bring children to school should let their children out near the building entrance.  Cars must not be parked in the school driveway at any time.  If a parent needs to park his/her car, he/she should use the parking lot north of the Elementary building.

Please notify the office in advance and/or advise the teacher if there is to be a change in the transportation of your child.  If no notification is received, your child will follow his/her regular method of getting home.

Attendance and Make-Up Work
Students receive maximum benefits from school only through preparation and participation each day in all classes.  Daily attendance, therefore, is expected of all students unless illness or family emergencies prevent it, and in such cases, it is the responsibility of the parents to notify the school by telephone on the day of the absence or by note the day the student returns.  According to a new ruling by the State Board of Education, each student has a limit of ten days missed per class each academic year for outside activities such as livestock shows, music events, athletic events, etc.  Each student will be given an opportunity to make up all of the work missed if absence is excused.  each teacher will allow the number of days absent plus one to make up work missed.  If an assignment or test is planned while the student is present, it is the responsibility of the student to have that work ready or to take that test on the first day returned to class.  Students that are tardy may have noon detention.  This will be determined by the principal.

Visitation
Parents are always welcomed and encouraged to visit and get a better understanding of our school program.  Oklahoma State Law requires that all parents and/or visitors check with the office before going to any classroom during the school day.  Patrons wishing to make classroom visitations are requested to contact the office at least 24 hours prior to the visit.  No students from other schools, brothers, sisters, or other relatives are permitted to visit school unless accompanied by an adult and prior arrangement is made through the school office.  This procedure is used to properly protect each and every child during the school day.  We know parents will feel more confident knowing that the school is taking every means to protect children from unauthorized removal, interruptions, etc.  We trust and expect all parents will cooperate with this request.  Parents wanting to check their child out of school during the day must sign the child out through the office.

Dress and Appearance
Proper dress, grooming and cleanliness are an integral part of the education function.  This dress code has been designed to present those associated with the Lexington School to their best advantage.

Grooming:  Cleanliness of hair, body and clothing is required.
Hair: Length of hair is left to the individual's discretion, but must be styled in a reasonable modest way so it will not cause distraction to others in the classroom.
Clothing:  Styles in fashion generally accepted in the community as being in good taste and not distracting to others should be worn.  Short shorts, halters, midriff blouses, tank tops, and muscle shirts are not permitted in grades 2-5 and are not recommended in K-1.  No patches on clothing are permitted if inappropriately placed.  No caps or hats will be worn inside the buildings.  Shirts designed to be worn inside trousers will be worn in this manner.  Clothing with profane or repulsive words or pictures will not be permitted.

It is felt that this dress code allows each person to express his/her individuality within the bounds of good taste.  Adherence to and cooperation with this code will enhance one's appearance and the school's image in the eyes of the community.  Take pride in abiding by the code and seeing that it is enforced.

Please mark outdoor-type clothing with your child's name.  Occasionally coats and other items are lost and we are happy to return them when we know to whom they belong.  Lost and found items are kept in the workroom.  Students should not change clothes at school.

Student Behavior
Students will naturally form friendships in school, but bear in mind that there is a time and place for everything.  Inappropriate displays of affections are not acceptable while at school sponsored activities.  Personal disagreements should not be handled during school time.  Any student who incites, encourages, promotes, or participates in a fight while at school, on a school bus, or at a school sponsored activity, shall be subject to disciplinary action.

Expectations for Behavior Outside the Building

• Students should not arrive at school before 8:00 am.  Supervision is not provided before this time.
• Students will not fight at school or on the way to and from school.
• Students go directly to the playground upon arrival at school.
• Students will not bring weapons of any kind to school.  This includes knives of any kind, Kung fu stars, spike bracelets, chains, toy guns, etc
• Students will not throw sand, dirt or rocks.
• Students should play with approved playground equipment only; hard baseballs and softballs are not approved.
• Students should tell the playground teacher if they have a problem and get permission before leaving the playground.
• Students will not play around classroom windows or doors, porches, or air conditioner units.
• Students will not play in water, mud, ice or snow.
• Students should leave nuisance items, such as water pistols, fireworks, shaving cream, water balloons, etc. at home.
• Students will use all playground equipment in a safe and proper manner.

Directed Activity
When it is raining or extremely wet or the weather is severe, all elementary students will be kept indoors during activity.  At all other times these students will be expected to go outdoors during their activity period.  Elementary students with chronic health problems or those recovering from a severe illness may be excused with a note from the parents stating the health problem and the length of time the child should be kept in.  Notes merely asking to let the child stay in will not be honored.  If the child is staying in frequently, but in our judgment does not have a significant health problem, we may ask you to provide us with a doctor's statement.

Telephone
It is impossible to permit unlimited use of the school telephone.  Children are allowed to use the phone ONLY when it is absolutely necessary.  Please communicate with your child before he/she leaves for school so that both of you will know what he/she is to do when school is out for the day.

Students will not be called from class to answer the telephone except in cases of an emergency.

Students will not be permitted to use the office phone without a phone pass completed and signed by a teacher.  Teachers have been urged to screen all calls and limit the call to emergency situations or school business. 

Students are not to make long distance calls unless arrangements have been made with the principal before the call is made.  Forgetting books, lessons, or spending the night with a friend is NOT considered an emergency.

Medications/Illness
School policy requires that all prescribed and non-prescribed medication brought onto school grounds be brought to the office with an accompanying signed note granting parental permission for school designees to administer medication.  The accompanying note must indicate dosage, and the time that medication is to be administered, and the duration medication is to be given.

Any medication that you wish your child to take must be in the original bottle.  Parents are encouraged to give medication at home unless the physician requires that it be given during school hours. 

Children who are ill should be kept home.  If they come to school, it can prolong their illness as well as expose others to this disease.

A child who becomes ill at school will be brought to the office where we will try to determine the nature and severity of the illness.  The child's temperature will be taken when it seems the best course of action.  If the student cannot, in our judgment, remain at school, we will contact the parents, sitter, or the emergency person listed with our office.

Normally, any child who is considered well enough to be at school is well enough to participate in all activities, including physical education and playground.  If a child is to be excused from these activities, a note from the parent will be required.  A physician's note excuse is required to miss physical education for periods of time.

We do not have facilities to take care of sick children for an extended period of time.  Should a child become ill at school, a parent or representative of the parent must come to the school to pick up the child.  Sick children should not return to school until their temperature has remained normal for 24 hours.

It should be clearly understood that neither the principal nor the principal's designee is required to enter into an agreement to administer the said medication at school. Further, the principal or the designee, at his/her discretion, may, by written notice to the parent or other person or guardian having legal custody, withdraw such agreement at any time subsequent to the reaching of the agreement.

Reports to Parents
Failing letters are sent to parents the fifth week in all four nine-week periods.  An appointment will be given to the parent for a conference which will hopefully be advantageous to the student's learning process.  Parent-teacher conference days will be scheduled during the school year.  Classes will not be held on these days.

The school is not pleased with failing work on the part of any student, and school officials will cooperate with the student and parent in an effort to determine the cause of the failing work.  Parents should not hesitate to phone or visit the school in case of unsatisfactory work on the part of the any student.  All parent-teacher conferences need to be set up in advance. 

Daily Schedule

Children attending Lexington Schools must have up to date health records, Birth Certificate, and Social Security number as well as proof of residency.

Immunization/Contagious Diseases
No child shall be admitted to the Lexington Public Schools without certification from a licensed physician or authorized representative of the State Department of Public Health that such child has received or is in the process of receiving immunizations.  Required immunizations include diptheria, pertussis, tetanus, measles (rubveola), rubella, mumps, poliomyelitus, Hepatitis A and Hepatitis B.  Any student whose parents have signed a Certificate of Exemption may have to be excluded from school for the duration of any outbreak of communicable disease included on the immunization list for their own health and for the health of the other students in school.

To prevent an outbreak of a communicable diseases such as head lice, scabies, etc., children will periodically be checked at school by the teachers. Your child will be sent home if suspected to be infested with a communicable disease.  If will be the parent's responsibility to rid your child of any disease.  You can protect our children from any such outbreak of any communicable disease by checking them at home periodically.  Once an outbreak starts, it will spread rapidly.  Please teach your child not to share any personal articles with their friends, including coats, hats, brushes, clothes, etc.

Parties

• There will be no parties except those predetermined and sponsored by the administrator and teacher.

• K-5 has three parties each year: (1) Fall Carnival, (2) Christmas, (3) Valentine's Day.  An Eighty-Niners Day Celebration is optional.

• Birthday parties are not allowed due to the large number of students.  No party invitations will be passed out at school.  Flowers and balloons being sent to school are discouraged: however, if they are sent, the child will not receive them until after school and they will be picked up in the Principal's office.

Christmas Exchange
The yearly exchange of Christmas presents will depend on the discretion of the teacher.  The maximum amount of the gift will depend on that year's prices.  It will be the decision of the parents and students about individual participation.

Bad Weather Information
When necessary to close Lexington Schools because of inclement weather, the following TV and Radio stations will be notified: 

TV - Channel 4, 5, and 9
Radio - WKY, KOMA, KEBC, 99 and 103

General Suggestions to Parents

• Encourage your child to come immediately home after school is dismissed.

• Please do not phone your child during school hours unless there is an emergency.

• Do not send your child to school with any type of animal without first contacting their teacher for permission.

• Place names on all articles of outer clothing - coats, gloves, hats, caps, sweaters, raincoats, etc

• The school maintains a lost and found area.  Please feel free to investigate if your child loses or misplaces something.

• Instruct your child never to converse with a stranger, and never get into a car with a stranger.

• Your child must have plenty of sleep each night for him/her to function well at school.

• To leave the school grounds during school hours, your child must have permission from the principal's office.

• If there is something that you want to know about school, if something has happened at school that worries you or your child, if there is a misunderstanding, or if you need more information for any reason, see the principal.

• Visit your school.  You as a parent, are not only welcomed at school, you are urged to visit.  Its is highly desirable that you attend the various meetings arranged by the principal.

• You will also want to know your child's teacher.  If you wish to confer with a teacher, please call the school and make an appointment.  You should not take his/her class time to discuss an individual problem.

Discipline Policy
One of the most serious offenses a student may commit is insubordination to a teacher, and any such behavior shall be dealt with severely.  Under no circumstances will disrespectful or threatening behavior towards a teacher be tolerated.

Senate Bill 610 approved by the state legislature states: "Every person who, without justifiable or excusable cause, knowingly commits any assault, battery upon the person of a school employee or a school district threatens and places such employee in immediate fear of bodily harm while such employee is in the performance of his duties as a school employee, is punishable by imprisonment."  State law stipulates that parents may be held accountable for actions of minor children which cause damage to persons or property.

Student Behavioral Expectations

PTO Home   School Calendar   Our Sponsors