Message from the Pastor and Principal
Welcome to Immaculate Conception Catholic Church and St. Agnes School! It is my honor and grace
to be a shepherd in this community. I am now beginning my second year as pastor. We also have
the blessing of twinning with our neighboring parish of St. Nicholas, Belle River as of July 1,
2008. We are a growing family.

Actually, we are all lifelong learners, and I am delighted to serve as pastor of the parish and
superintendent of the school. We will teach as Jesus did, by word and example. We will be
partners with you as parents and guardians of your children-you are the first and best teachers
of your children. Together we will bring the Good News of Jesus Christ to our children. May
God bless this new school year ahead, help us to better know Jesus and send us the power of the
Holy Spirit.
--Fr. Ralph G. Zimmerman, Pastor

It’s here again…the start of another school year! We have an exhilarating year ahead as we
focus on our yearly theme of “Discover Joy and Celebrate Service.” This theme will be
celebrated each month through a variety of service projects to give to our surrounding
community. I strongly encourage your family to participate in these events to “live” Jesus’
calling of service. By celebrating this theme at school and home, we will integrate Gospel
values into our days leading to joy and faith in everyone.

I also want to thank you parents for believing in and supporting St. Agnes. It is our vocation
to work with your children to broaden their horizons in faith and academics. Your involvement
in our school allows us to truly carry out our mission statement of being a Christian community
in which Gospel values and academic excellence are promoted. We strive to provide the best for
St. Agnes families.

This calendar handbook is published so that parents and students may have a ready reference to
information that is necessary for the daily operation of our school. These guidelines are set
forth so that St. Agnes School will be a happy and safe place where everyone will be treated
with respect and is given the opportunity to learn to his/her greatest potential. The general
information given in this handbook will be supplemented by the Family Update you will receive
each Monday via your child. Thanks in advance for thoroughly reading this handbook and the
weekly Updates so that everyone is aware of what we expect and what services and benefits you
can expect from our school.

Should you need further information or assistance, please fell free to contact me directly. A
total listing of school personnel is also included in this handbook. As we encourage
communication between home and school, please do not hesitate to contact your child’s teacher
before or after school to discuss any concerns or questions. Keep in mind we are open to
suggestions and ways of making our school the best it can be!

Many blessings for a prosperous year!
--Mrs. Tammy Boushek, Principal


THE SCHOOL DAY
8:00 School doors open
8:20 Opening exercises and classes begin
8:20 Students marked tardy after this bell.
8:40 Students marked ½ day absent if arriving after this time.
11:50 Lunch and recess for grades K-2
11:55 Lunch and recess for grades 3-6
2:25 Students marked ½ day absent if leaving school before this time.
2:50 Dismissal

Students who are in school less than three and one-half hours a day will be marked absent.

School closings due to weather conditions will be announced over the following radio/TV
stations: 1400 KEYL – Long Prairie, 100.7 KIKV – Alexandria, 92.3 FM or 1490 KXRA – Alexandria,
103.9 KBHL – Osakis, 107.1 KMGK – Glenwood, and KSAX – Alexandria.

ATTENDANCE AND ABSENCE
To receive the maximum benefit from classes, it is important that a student be in school each
day. Please do not send your child to school when he/she is ill. As a safety precaution for
children, a parent-guardian is expected to call the school by 8:30 A.M. to inform the school of
a child’s absence. When considering an extended vacation or long trip, please preapprove this
trip with your child’s classroom teacher. A child must be present a minimum of 152 days to be
considered for promotion to the next grade. A doctor’s excuse and/or tutoring are means of
assisting promotion. As stated earlier, students who are in school less than three and one-half
hours a day will be marked absent.


TARDY AND EARLY DISMISSAL
Parents are urged to leave their children in school all day. Doctor or other appointments
should be scheduled outside school hours whenever possible. A student will be marked tardy or
absent if missing school because of an appointment. If a child needs to be dismissed, the
student should present a note to the teacher stating the time and reason before the
appointment. Parents must meet the child at his/her classroom or the school office.

VISITORS
Parents are invited to visit school at any time. We love to share what we are doing. For
security reasons, all visitors to St. Agnes School are asked to check in at the school office
upon arrival and check out when leaving the building.

BUS TRANSPORTATION
School bus transportation is provided for students. A student is to ride the bus to which
he/she is assigned. Any request to ride a different bus must be in writing by the
parent/guardian and submitted to the school office. Students will be allowed off the bus only
at school, home and locations in writing by parents. The bus driver is in complete charge of
the bus and its occupants at all times. Students riding the bus must comply with the requests
of the driver. School bus transportation is a privilege that may be withdrawn for inappropriate
behavior. Bus safety guidelines are taught and tested in each classroom in September. The
Osakis Public School Bus Discipline Policy statement is sent home to each family in the fall and
is fully endorsed by St. Agnes School. If a student is dismissed from the bus, parents will be
responsible for transportation. This includes shared time classes.

BICYCLES
Students who ride bicycles to school are to park them in the bicycle rack. Bicycles are not to
be ridden during the school day.

CELLULAR PHONE USE
St. Agnes School does not allow students to use cell phones on school/church property, during
shared time or on field trips. Students are allowed to have cellular telephones, but they are
not to be SEEN or USED on school/church grounds, at shared time or on field trips. Phones must
be turned off and kept in students’ backpacks. Students who do not adhere to the policy are
subject to the following disciplinary procedure: The cell phone will be taken from the student
and the parent will be contacted to pick up the phone at the front office.

ELECTRONICS USE
St. Agnes School does not allow students to use personal electronics (CD players, iPods,
Gameboys, battery operated games, etc.) on school/church property or during shared time.
Students are allowed to have electronic devices, but they are not to be SEEN or USED on
school/church grounds or at shared time. Electronics must be turned off and kept in students’
backpacks. Students who do not adhere to the policy are subject to the following disciplinary
procedure: The electronic device will be taken from the student and the parent will be
contacted to pick it up at the front office. Exception: CD players can be used on school field
trips when noted by the teacher(s).

TUITION
The per pupil cost at St. Agnes School is $4,800.00. Revenue comes from the following sources:
tuition, fundraising, parish subsidy and donations. Parents may choose from the following three
payment plans. Fair share tuition payment, Plan A or Plan B. Fair share involves paying all or
a large portion of the tuition after the church subsidy and fundraising have been deducted from
the total cost to educate a student. This sum is $2,064.00. If parents are not able to pay
this amount they may choose from Plan A or B.

Plan A—Tuition payment with General Fundraising
9 months 12 months Year
One child……………………$173.78 $130.34 $1,564.00
Two children……………$316.34 $237.25 $2,847.00
Three or more $371.89 $278.92 $3,347.00


Plan B—Tuition payment with Credited and General Fundraising
9 months 12 months Year
One child……………………$121.56 $91.17 $1,094.00
Two children……………$211.89 $158.92 $1,907.00
Three or more $267.45 $200.59 $2,407.00

It has been the policy of Immaculate Conception Parish that no child be turned away because of a
family’s inability to pay tuition. The tuition plan is set up on a trust basis. Families
qualifying for free or reduced lunch who find the tuition difficult to pay may ask for a partial
scholarship. In the spring of the year, families complete a tuition payment plan. Tuition
payments are due by the 15th of the month. All tuition issues are confidential.

Along with the Tuition Agreement Form, families choosing the fundraising option complete a
worksheet indicating which fundraising events they choose to be involved in. Should a family
not achieve their fundraising goal by the end of June they then are required to pay the
difference in cash.

SCHOOL DRESS
Students’ dress should be comfortable and in good taste. They should wear appropriate clothes
for school, be neat, and well groomed. Clothing often reflects our attitude toward school and
learning. Students may wear shorts during September, October, and May or in cases of
exceptionally warm weather. Students may not wear cut-offs, biker shorts, tank tops, halter
tops, spaghetti straps, sleeveless tops, shirts that show the midriff, frayed jeans, or clothing
with holes. Oversized or unusually tight fitting clothing is not to be worn. Clothing
advertising beverages and tobacco products or containing inappropriate language or messages is
not permitted. Tennis shoes are required for phy. ed. classes. In general, students go outside
for recess. It is important that students are dressed for the weather. Boots, snow pants, caps
and mittens are required in the winter. During wet and muddy seasons students are required to
have indoor and outdoor footwear.

REPORT CARDS
PARENT/TEACHER CONFERENCES
Report cards are given four times a year. Parent-student-teacher conferences are held twice a
year (fall and spring). Report cards and parent-student-teacher conferences are the usual means
by which parents can check on their child’s achievement. Completed papers are also sent home
periodically for parents to see. Parents are encouraged to call a teacher at anytime to discuss
their child’s achievement or well being.

LUNCH PROGRAM
Hot Lunch tickets are available as follows:
Single meals………$1.90
Five meals………$9.50
Ten meals…………$19.00
Twenty meals……$38.00
Lunch is served each full day of classes. Payments may be made on the first day of school and
as needed. It is appreciated if lunch tickets are bought by 20 meals or larger. The
bookkeeper, Sharon Marthaler, is responsible for lunch account information. The National Hot
Lunch Program provides reduced priced and free lunches for families that qualify for this
program. Please see Sharon to apply for this program. One serving of milk is provided with each
hot meal. Extra milk for class break or without a hot meal is $.30 or $1.50 for five days or
$6.00 for 20 days.

When paying for milk or hot lunch please make checks payable to St. Agnes Lunch Program. When
paying tuition and lunch please write separate checks as the school and lunch programs are
separate accounts. It is the policy of St. Agnes School that all lunch accounts are to be kept
current. The Minnesota Kindergarten Milk Program provides free milk to the Kindergarten
children during a morning milk break. Grades 1-6 must purchase milk for break.

HEALTH SERVICES
Health services at St. Agnes School are under the supervision of the Osakis District. St. Agnes
has a health service aide, Diane Waltzing, on duty during the school day.

IMMUNIZATION
Minnesota Law requires all students enrolled in a Minnesota school to have certificates of
adequate immunization. This verification must be given to the school before the child may
attend school.

SCHOOL WELLNESS PLAN
St. Agnes School’s wellness plan complies with all mandated regulations contained in the Child
Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004. The complete policy and guidelines can be
requested in the school office. Upon annual revisions, the guidelines are communicated to all
families.

MEDICATION POLICY
1. Parents are to contact the school health aide to identify a student who requires
medication and provide:
a. Written consent from the doctor and parent permission for school personnel to administer
medication.
b. A supply of medication in the original pharmacy bottle with the original label; this
includes over-the-counter drugs.
2. Parents who request and authorize the designated school personnel to give said
medication in the dosage described by the physician, release school personnel from liability
should a reaction result from the medication.
3. No initial dose of a drug will be given at school.

ILLNESS AND EMERGENCY CARE
Standing orders for dealing with illness and emergency situations have been developed and are
approved by the local medical community. Parents will be notified of serious accidents. If
parents cannot be reached, instruction on the emergency card will be followed. Please follow
the following guidelines concerning illness:
• A student with chicken pox must be kept home for 7 days after the first eruption appears
and all blisters become scabbed over unless you get medication from a doctor. This usually cuts
the time in half.
• If a student has pink eye, parents will be called and the student must go home. After
having been seen by a doctor and taken medication, the student may return to school the
following day.
• A student with strep throat must be out of school 24 hours after receiving medication
either liquid or shot form and kept at home for 24 hours.
• As a general rule, if a student is vomiting or has a temperature of 100+, he/she will be
sent home. Parents are asked to be aware of their child’s health each day before school and
keep him/her at home if ill.

PRAYER AND CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY
At St. Agnes School we strive to model a Christian Community. Students are encouraged to grow
in their relationship with God by: participating in religion classes, discussing life
experiences, and most importantly, by participating in the Christian life of worship and
prayer.

Students at St. Agnes take an active part in children’s liturgy which is planned by students on
a weekly basis. Kindergarten children begin attending Mass in November. Seasonal prayer
services are celebrated by the entire school community.

Students and teachers pray together during the day in their classrooms. Prayers are both
traditional and spontaneous. Classroom and all-school prayer services give students another
prayer experience.

Students have an opportunity to participate in a Reconciliation Service and receive the
Sacrament of Reconciliation before Christmas and Easter.

Students in grades 3-6 also participate in an annual Easter Retreat.

PRAYER PROGRAM
Students are guided in learning to pray spontaneously and in learning the following traditional
prayers at the designated grade levels:

Kindergarten: Sign of the Cross, Glory Be

Grade 1: Our Father, Hail Mary, Prayer to the Guardian Angel, Meal Prayers, School Mission Prayer

Grade 2: Act of Contrition, Ten Commandments

Grades 3 & 4: Mass Responses, Apostles’ Creed, Morning Offering, Mysteries of the Rosary

Grades 5 & 6: Memorare, Psalm 23, Prayer to the Holy Spirit, A Prayer of Peace, Serenity Prayer,
A Prayer to Accept God’s Will

*If we value prayer and wish it to be part of children’s lives, we believe we need to pray
together at home as a family as well as a faith community in school.

*All children are expected to participate in the prayer program. Parents of non-Catholic
students may speak with the principal if they wish to have their child involved in another way.


School Mission Prayer
Come Holy Spirit and fill us with your divine love. Empower us to live as a Christian Community
according to your Gospel and to use our God given gifts to learn well as you would wish us to
know. We ask this through Jesus’ name. Amen

GENERAL CURRICULUM OFFERINGS
KINDERGARTEN Religion, reading readiness, journaling,
listening, visual skills, math, art, physical education,
music, science, social studies, computer skills, drug
prevention education, and handwriting

GRADES 1-2 Religion, reading, phonics, spelling, handwriting,
listening, creative writing, math, science, social studies,
art, music, physical education, computer skills, drug
prevention education, and family life

GRADES 3-6 Religion, reading and literature, mathematics, language
arts which include grammar, composition both written
and oral, handwriting, spelling, science, social studies,
art, music, physical education, computer skills, drug
prevention education, and family life

EXTRA CURRICULAR STUDENT ACTIVITIES:
Mass serving – Band – Dance – Bowling – Basketball
Safety Patrol – Wrestling – Volleyball- After school enrichment classes
*(Please note some events are offered at Osakis Public School.)

INTERNET POLICY
Each fall the school’s Internet Policy is shared with parents. Parents complete a consent form
indicating their preferences concerning the Internet and their child’s involvement. A media
release form is also completed by parents.

BOOK AND VIDEO DONATIONS
We continue to build our video library. You may borrow a video for family or organization use
by stopping in at the office.

Donated books or videos (G rated) appropriate for elementary students are always appreciated.

SPECIAL SERVICES
SHARED TIME
Students in Grades 3-6 are taught Computer and Physical Education at the Osakis Public School.
Busing is provided by Osakis Public School.

BAND
Students in Grades 5 & 6 may participate in band at the Osakis Public School. School work
missed during group or private lessons is completed on students’ own time. Transportation is
provided by St. Agnes School. Band students pay a $25.00 transportation fee. Everyone is
invited to a Spring Concert in May.

TITLE 1
Students who would benefit from additional assistance are given help on an individual basis with
a Title 1 Aide. Parents are conferred with at the beginning of school and sign a consent form
for services.

COUNSELING
St. Agnes School receives counseling services through District 213. A child may be referred by
a parent or teacher for some guidance or counseling. Counseling is only initiated by consent of
the parents and is scheduled according to the needs of the individual student.

SPEECH THERAPY
Any student needing speech therapy is referred to the speech therapist who meets with the
individual to diagnose and work on the difficulty. Parents sign a consent form for services.

HOMEWORK
A reasonable amount of homework will be expected from the students. Instruction which is
followed up with the independent practice of skills has been proven to be most effective in
student learning. Approximate homework times are: K- (10-15 minutes), Grades 1-3 (20-30
minutes), Grades 4-6 (30-60 minutes). Homework over weekends will be kept to a minimum.

Parents can help their children in the following ways:

1. Set a definite time and place for homework to be done each day.
2. If the student has no homework, the time should not be canceled, but used for
recreational reading. We encourage parents to read to/with their children in all grades.
3. Turn off the TV if it is in the same room.
4. Look over papers brought home from school, show your interest and give the child
encouragement. Display good papers and awards.
5. Do not do homework for your child, but be willing to assist by listening to oral
reading, giving spelling words and generally looking over the work.
6. Check over homework. Is it neat and complete?
7. If your child often does not bring home any assignments, has an excessive amount of
homework, or you have any concerns, contact the teacher as soon as possible.

HARASSMENT POLICY
Student harassment guidelines have been established by the St. Agnes Board of Education. The
guidelines are carefully explained to students in the fall and a copy of the guidelines is sent
to each family to be discussed, signed and returned. The complete Harassment,
Suspension/Expulsion, Weapons and Grievance Policies may be acquired from the principal.

STUDENT BEHAVIOR
If school is to be a happy place where people are able to learn, it takes a lot of team work
where all members respect one another and act cooperatively and kindly. Teachers have the
responsibility to teach students and to make classes interesting. Students have the
responsibility to study and to learn. We ask the following of students:

1. Be ready to make small and big decisions.
2. Be responsible for your own decisions and actions.
3. Respect others and yourself.
4. Be a good listener.
5. Do your assignments to the best of your ability and have them completed on time.
6. Be understanding and forgiving of your teachers’ and other students’ mistakes.
7. See your own mistakes as a way to learn for the next time.
8. Be honest and trustworthy.
9. Help others whenever you can.
10. Treat your property and others’ property with respect.

BEHAVIOR EXPECTATIONS
Joy in my heart to share with others
Eyes and ears open to learn and to listen
Say kind and loving words
Use hands for helping not hurting
Stop, think, and act with care

CONSEQUENCES
1. Verbal warning by teacher or other adult supervisor
2. Private conference with the teacher
3. Miss 5 minutes of recess
4. Miss 10 minutes of recess
5. Conference with student, teacher, and principal
6. Conference with student, teacher, and superintendent
7. Conference with student, teacher, principal, and parent

HOME AND SCHOOL ASSOCIATION
The Home and School Association is made up of parents of the children who attend the school.
The purpose of the association is to promote a positive relationship between home and school by
keeping communication alive between parents and the school. All parents are automatically
members of the organization. Parents are asked to pay a $5.00 membership fee which is used for
parent speakers, parent/student gatherings and graduation.

Parents meet three times during the school year:

September – Back to School Night
January – Parent Day during Catholic Schools Week
May – Financial Information Update

VOLUNTEERS – “HOW CAN I HELP?”
A fantastic volunteer force made up of parents and senior citizen friends is one of the main
forces which makes St. Agnes a great school.

Volunteers are active in school as classroom, library and kitchen aides, on the playground and
assisting in clerical tasks. Volunteers also respond as drivers and as assistants on field
trips and provide assistance with the Christmas and Spring Concerts.

In fall and throughout the year, you will be asked at various times, if it is possible for you
to assist with a project event. Please continue to respond as generously as you have in the
past.

It is the policy of St. Agnes School to have all volunteers sign a form verifying that he/she
has never been involved in any sexual misconduct or been convicted of a felony and complete a
background check.

Volunteers who drive a vehicle for a field trip are required to present verification of a
driver’s license and insurance coverage. Drivers present this information at the secretary’s
office before the field trip.

WE NEED AND APPRECIATE OUR VOLUNTEERS

CRISIS MANAGEMENT PLANS
All faculty and staff are instructed in emergency safety procedures.

FIRE DRILLS
Students participate in periodic fire drills during the course of the year. In case of an
emergency, the signal to evacuate the building is a continuous sounding of the fire alarm. Each
teacher instructs his/her class concerning specific evaluation procedures. Everyone in the
building at the time of the fire drill participates in the drill. Silence is observed
throughout the entire fire drill.

TORNADO DRILLS
In case of a tornado emergency, there will be an announcement of alert made over the intercom.
Everyone will go and be seated in his/her assigned area. When the instruction to “take the
tornado position” is given, all participants will do the following:

1. Tuck head between knees and cover head with arms
2. Remain quiet throughout the drill

BUILDING LOCK DOWN DRILLS
Should an intruder enter the building, an announcement will be made alerting classrooms to go to
lock down mode. Students will practice this by going to a designated area in the room; the
teacher will lock the door. The lock down continues until an all clear signal is given.

EVACUATIONS
Should a bomb threat, gas leak, or utility problem occur, an announcement will be made alerting
classrooms to evacuate. Students will evacuate to First Presbyterian Church, 101 W Oak St.,
Osakis.

SNACKS/CLASSROOM TREATS
Nutritious snacks may be brought from home for morning breaks. Classroom treats may also be
shared for special occasions. All treats to be shared must be store bought. Homemade treats do
not meet state health requirements

TELEPHONE
Please do not call students or teachers during the school day unless it is urgent. A message
will be taken and given to the person as soon as possible. Students must receive permission
before using the telephone. If you have a questions or concern about your child, please call
your child’s teacher between 7:40-8:05 A.M. and 3:00-3:30 P.M.

LOST AND FOUND
A lost and found container is kept in the lunchroom. When an article is lost, please check
there first. At the end of the term all unclaimed articles will be given away. Whenever
possible, please mark your child’s belongings, especially snow pants and boots.

ACHIEVEMENT TESTS
St. Agnes School has adopted the Iowa Test of Basic Skills for grades 1-6. The achievement
tests are administered in April and the results are added to the student’s cumulative record
file. Parents are sent a report of the test scores. Students also take computerized math
(grades 3-6) and reading tests (grades 1-6) (STAR) three times during the school year to monitor
their academic growth. Feel free to call your child’s teacher for any further explanation of
test results.

FIELD TRIPS
In the course of daily instruction, teachers may plan to take their students on educational
field trips. In order to participate, the child must return a signed form stating that the
parent or guardian is giving permission for the child to leave school and go on the trip. Each
teacher has the right to withhold a student from going on a trip due to missing assignments,
lack of respect for his/her classmates, school rules or the teacher. The student attends school
on that day and completes prescribed assignments. Students are required to wear school shirts
on designated field trips.

BOARD OF EDUCATION MEMBERS

Ex-officio Member:
Father Ralph Zimmerman……..Pastor/Superintendent……...859-2390

Ex-officio Executive Officer:
Mrs. Tammy Boushek………...Principal………………….…859-2130

Official Members:
Shari Klukken…………………………………859-5973
Bob Kulzer…………………………………………859-5864
Nikki Leaunart………………………………859-2432
Molly Oeltjen…………………………………554-3057
Bev Paul………………………………………………859-4339
Mike Petrich……………………………………859-5396

The Board of Education meets at St. Agnes School every second Tuesday of the month. The
meetings are open and parents are invited to attend.