ST. NICHOLAS OF TOLENTINE SCHOOL
Parent – Student
Handbook
2009 - 2010
September, 2009
Dear Parents,
It is my pleasure to welcome you back to a new school year.The faculty and
staff join me in saying we’re happy to have you as part of the St. Nicholas of
Tolentine School Family. We hope this will be a successful
year in educating your children not only in the academics but also in
assisting you to help build in them strong solid characters and good moral
values. We depend on you, the first teachers of your children, to join with us
as we, the administration, the faculty and staff work together to inspire each
student to achieve these goals.
The pages of this handbook are filled with important information regarding
school policy and procedures. Parents and students should
review the contents together. Please keep it handy for easy
reference.
During the 2009-20010 school year, we look forward to a cooperative and
committed home school partnership. Parent involvement is
encouraged and welcomed Again we welcome you and your
children to our school.
Sincerely in Christ,
Sr. Mary Esther Carsele, M.P.F. Principal
ADMINISTRATION & FACULTY
2009/2010 ADMINISTRATORS:
Pastor: Rev. Nicholas Martorano, OSA
Principal: Sr. Mary Esther Carsele, MPF
Vice-Principal: Sr. Carmela Falcone
Adm. Assistant: Sr. Mary Anne Gardner, MPF
FACULTY
Pre-K Miss Krista Pomante
K-1 Mrs. Janet Smith K-2 Mrs. Melissa Moscatelli
1-1 Cecelia Rinaldi
2-1 Ms. Stephanie Desiderio 3-1 Mrs. Joann Amorosi
4-1 Ms. Lorinda Fina
5-1 Mrs. Kim Ciavatto 5-2 Mrs. Patrica Lafferty
6-1 Mrs. Florence Coley
7-1 Mrs. RoseAnn D'Armi 7-2 Mr. James Cappelli
8-1 Mrs. Patricia Pizzo
Italian: Mrs. Irena Lala
Librarian: Sr. Dolores Duffy, OSF
Physical Education Teacher: Mr. Michael Snock
Computer Teacher: Mr. Michael Snock
Music: Sr. Mary Agnes Kinee, IHM
Secretary: Mrs. Diana Severio
Title 1: Mrs. Marilyn Fogel
Ms. Donna Williams
School Phone #: 215-468-0353
Convent Phone#: 215-271-1516
Rectory Phone#: 215-463-1326
STUDENT POLICIES
As a student of St. Nicholas School, you must obey the school policies
recommended by the administration and faculty. Following these policies will
make for a well-ordered, pleasant and successful academic year.
The policies are listed below.
1.Respect all people, adults as well as your classmates. Disrespect of another
can result in detention or suspension, depending on the gravity of the act of
disrespect.
2. Respect school property, books, and property of others. Books must be
covered. The use of book bags or backpacks is required for Grades K - 8.
3. You cannot enter the school building (unless requested by your teacher)
before 8:10 A.M. and you should not return to school before 12:35 P.M. if you
go home for lunch.
4. The first bell in the morning and afternoon signifies silence and immediate
preparation for instruction.
5. When returning from lunch, you must remain in the area assigned to your
class.
6. Each day before leaving school, your desk and floor area surrounding the
desk must be left in good order.
7. After school hours you must leave the school building and school area
promptly.
8. Voices during school time should never become boisterous or excessively
loud.
9. Quiet should prevail during change of classes, in the school halls and when
going from one activity to another.
10. During fire drills, you must move quickly and quietly.
11. DRESS CODE:
Boy's
The proper uniform must be worn for school and for gym classes. This includes
proper haircuts, not touching the collar for boys and/or shaved heads, no
facial jewelry, no earrings, and no fad bracelets allowed (i.e., gel
bracelets, studded leather bracelets). Boys are not permitted to wear the
Dickie pants. Pants are not to hang from hips or drag on floor. Pants are to
be the proper size and not one, two or three sizes larger, black belt must be
worn as part of the uniform. Solid white shirt (tucked into pants), with
burgundy tie must also be worn.
GIRL's
No facial jewelry permitted; earrings must be of modest size-no more than 1
inch in diameter and no more than 2 earrings per ear; no colored nail polish
(clear polish is allowed); no acrylic nails or tips; one chain may be worn
around neck; no fad bracelets allowed (i.e., gel bracelets, studded leather
bracelets); one simple hair band may be worn (multiple hair bands not
allowed); hair must be natural-no color highlighting of any kind permitted;
uniform must be of modest length; gym uniform must be worn properly; tight,
rolled at the waist pants or shorts are not permitted.
12. Homework assignments must be accomplished at home and done neatly and
completely.
13. Fighting with peers in school and in the school area is cause for
suspension or expulsion, depending on the gravity of the situation.
14. The eating of candy or chewing gum during school hours or on school
premises are not permitted.
15. Cellular telephones, beepers, pagers, handheld electronic games, personal
CD players and other items that, in the view of the school, may be distracting
or disruptive to the learning environment are not permitted in the school.
PARENT / STUDENT INFORMATION
SCHOOL HOURS
Grades Pre-K - 8
8:10 A.M. Bell rings. School doors open for students. Students enter
both buildings through the entrance closest to 9th Street
8:20 A.M. First bell. All children must be settled in their classrooms
before the bell rings.
8:22 A.M. Second bell. Anyone entering the building after the second
bell must stop in the office for a tardy slip. If a child is tardy three
times,a detention after school for 1/2 hour will be issued to the child at
fault.
12:00 P.M. Lunch begins.
12:40 P.M. First bell for afternoon sessions. Any student not entering
the building with the class is considered tardy.
2:30 P.M. Pre-K dismissal.
2:40 P.M. Kindergarten dismissal.
2:45 P.M. Dismissal for Grades 1 - 8.
Children should not arrive at the school before 8:00 A.M. or before 12:35 P.M.
The school does not assume responsibility for the children before these times,
even on days of inclement weather.
ATTENDANCE
Absence from school should not be taken lightly and students should only be
absent when truly sick.
Parents are asked to call the school office before 9:00 A.M. whenever a child
is going to be absent. Upon returning to school, the child must present a
written note to the homeroom teacher, marking days missing and specifying the
reason for the absence. The school phone number is 215-468-0353.
Doctor appointments, trips and vacations during school time are strongly
discouraged. If no other arrangements can be made, the child is held
responsible for all the work accomplished during the absence.
If a child is tardy due to unforeseen circumstances, a written note must be
submitted the day of tardiness. Anyone tardy more than twice will not be
considered for perfect attendance.
Children who are habitually tardy must make up the time after school.
EARLY DISMISSALS
No student can be dismissed during school hours without explicit approval from
the Principal. Requests must be made in written form. If a child is ill and
has been granted permission to return home, parents must come to either the
school office or the nurse's office for the student.
LEAVING SCHOOL PREMISES
Students who are staying in school for lunch are not permitted to leave the
school premises for any reason without the explicit permission of the
Principal.
EMERGENCY SCHOOL CLOSING
When weather is inclement and you are not certain if school will be in
session, please listen to the radio. Do not call the school, convent, or
rectory. At times, city schools may open one hour late. This will be announced
on the radio - Station KYW - 1060 AM.
VISITING SCHOOL
Parents must first report to the school office before going to an individual
classroom. When miscellaneous items are forgotten, the office personnel will
deliver them to your child's classroom.
DISCIPLINE
At Nicholas School, we stress respect for authority and for one another.
Important issues include self-discipline, obedience with regard to school
policies and regulations, and interest in academic achievement. We urge the
parents to work together with us in these areas. A student guilty of fighting,
disrespecting a teacher, vulgar language, truancy, vandalism, smoking, using
drugs or other inappropriate conduct is subject to suspension or expulsion,
depending on the gravity of the situation.
The discipline code applies to students and parents/guardians both in school
and at school sponsored events, as well as in the parish community and outside
the school/parish community where the behavior is contrary to Catholic
teachings or could bring disrepute or embarrassment to the school.
There are no scheduled detention classes.However, each teacher is free to
detain a child after school if deemed necessary. Parents will be notified in
advance.
HOMEWORK
Assignments are given in order to insure assimilation of the subject matter
taught in class, as well as to provide reinforcement. It should be done at
home with some type of supervision.
It is imperative that each student possess a notebook in which he/she enters
information about the nature of the assignment and the date on which it is due.
Parents are asked to provide a quiet place free of distractions, and are asked
to supervise and check their child's studies.
MEDICATION
No medication is allowed to be administered by the school unless accompanied
with a note from the doctor's office prescribing the medication. Arrangements
are made through the school office when the nurse is not available to
administer the medication. A form will be sent home by the school nurse for
this purpose. Children may not keep medication on their person, in their
desks, or in their book bags.
SCHOOL SUPPLIES
Before purchasing supplies, wait for notification from the classroom teacher
as to which supplies will be needed for the school year. You are then free to
purchase these supplies from the School Store or elsewhere. The School Store
is open each day at 8:00 A.M.
UNIFORMS
Girls: Grades K - 8
Maroon jumper
White long or short sleeved blouse
Maroon knee socks
Maroon or dark brown oxford shoes
Boys: Grades K - 8
Black or navy trousers - school style only
White long or short sleeved shirt
Maroon tie
Black belt
Black oxford shoes
Summer Uniforms (optional) September 9th to October 16th and April 12th
to June 18th
Girls: Grades K - 8
Maroon skort
White golf shirt
Maroon knee socks
Boys: Grades K - 8
Black or navy trousers
White golf shirt
Black belt
Children must bring a written explanation from their parents when they are
unable to comply with the school uniform regulations. Consistent disregard of
uniform policies will be referred to the Principal.
If children find it necessary to wear a sweater during school hours, only a
maroon cardigan or sweater vest is permitted. School uniforms may be purchased
from either Boystown/Girlstown, Cramer's on Passyunk Avenue or from Edie's at
2 nd McKean Street, for your convenience.
Gym Uniforms
Children of Grades K - 8 must wear the prescribed sweatsuit as a gym uniform.
All children must wear sneakers.
School Shoes
The prescribed and accepted school shoes may be purchased from Sammi Shoe Box
or Cramer's on Passyunk Avenue Boys must wear a black oxford and girls a
maroon or brown oxford. Any child who is not wearing the uniform shoe will be
asked to purchase another pair of shoes that conform to the school policy.
Uniforms must be worn from the first day of school in September.
SCHOOL AGREEMENT 2009 - 2010
The School Agreement distributed at the time of registration/re-registration
states the Spiritual, Disciplinary, Service and Financial responsibilities of
each family. The weekly contribution, which is mandatory, is both a reminder
of your responsibility to attend Sunday Worship and also to give financial
support to your Parish. Refer to and review this agreement to remind you of
your obligation.
NON-PROMOTIONS, TUTORING and SUMMER SCHOOL POLICIES
1. Careful study will be done to evaluate students' learning problems and to
decide if retention is beneficial for these students. This close study will
begin on the primary level, where retention is most beneficial.
2. A student cannot be retained in the same grade for two consecutive years. A
child may be retained once in the primary grades and once in the intermediate
or junior high level.
3. The final decision regarding retention will be a joint decision by both the
teacher and the principal. Parents will be informed in writing of possible
non-promotion by the beginning of the second trimester and each marking period
thereafter. Parents will not be permitted to alter a decision made by
Administration.
Retention Guidelines with Regard to Grades
Grades 1 - 2: U in Reading
Grades 3 - 6: F in two major subjects (Reading Math, English)
Children with frequent absences, children who perform below level, children
who are deficient in a specific subject area, or children who have
demonstrated an apathetic attitude resulting in poor grades must be tutored by
a qualified instructor or be required to attend a Summer School Program,
assuming that retention would not be beneficial to the individual. If parents
do not follow through once a decision has been made for this special
assistance, the parent will be asked to withdraw the child from St. Nicholas
School.
Summer School Guidelines with Regard to Grades
Grades 1 - 8: Students receiving a final grade of U or F in one
major subject or two minor subjects are required to attend summer school.