Academic Standards

Pennsylvania Department of Education has articulated academic standards for what students should learn at school. These standards are the basis for CASD curriculum. You can view the standards at PDE's website.

Attendance

Each day's learning builds on what was learned on previous days. Regular attendance is critical for your child's success in school. Please read CASD's attendance policy for more information.

Absence

A note must be brought to school when a student returns to school following an absence. If a note is not received the absence will be considered illegal. For more information on what is considered legal or illegal absences see CASD school board policy.

School Day

The school day begins at 9:15 and ends at 3:30. The doors open at 9:00. Do not drop students off at school before this time as there will not be anyone to supervise them.

Early Dismissal Days

A note must be brought to school when a student returns to school following an absence. If a note is not received the absence will be considered illegal. For more information on what is considered legal or illegal absences see CASD school board policy.

Emergency Closing

Changes in the school's hours due to inclement weather are announced over local TV stations, KYW radio, the CASD web site as well as via the NTI automated calling system. Our district's number is 852. Please inform the school in the event your phone number changes. All after school activities are canceled if schools are closed early or canceled due to inclement weather.

Late Opening

During one hour delays the school day begins at 10:15. During two hour delays the school day begins at 11:15. There is no breakfast served on days with a delay. Lunches are served as usual. 

Food Service

The cafeteria provides nutritious and appealing lunches for students. Lunches cost $1.95 or $.40 for students who qualify for reduced lunches. Breakfast is available for $1.00 or $.30 for students who qualify for reduced price. The district uses an electronic accounting system for purchasing meals. Parents may deposit money into their students accounts. Students are not permitted to borrow money for lunch, so parents are encouraged to keep sufficient balance in the student's account. Applications for free and reduced lunch must be completed annually. They are available to each student at the beginning of the school year. For more information about the food service in CASD visit their web site.

Four Day Cycle

The Coatesville area school district operates on a four day cycle. The school year is comprised of 45 4 day cycles. The school days are designated by the numbers one through four rather than Monday through Friday. In the event of a school closing day, the day the students return to school will be the number of the cycle day that was missed. This insures that students meet all classes on a regular basis rather than missing classes due to vacation or inclement weather.

Health Services

The school nurse/health aide is available for emergency situations, dispensing prescribed medications, required screenings and health instructions. Keep your child home if they exhibit any of the following symptoms:

• fever, chills

• running or inflamed eyes and/or nose

• skin rash

• abdominal pain

• vomiting

• diarrhea

• sore throat

• enlarged glands.

Children should remain at home at least 24 hours without fever or vomiting following an illness. Also note that children are not permitted in school with any of the following conditions unless they are currently being treated by a physician:

• pink eye

• head lice or body lice

• impetigo

• redworm

• scabies

• unusual skin rash

• sore throat and fever

• scabies

See the nurse's office page for copies of medical forms.

Immunization Requirements

The following immunizations are required for children entering school in Grade K or 1.
4 doses of diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis (DTaP) one dose must be after the child's 4th birthday.
3 doses of polio
3 dose of hepatitis B
2 doses of measles, mumps and rubella (MMR)
1 dose of chicken pox

IST

The Instructional Support Team is a team of teachers, specialists and parents whose function is to enable struggling students to be successful at school. When a student is identified as having academic or behavioral difficulties that interfere with classroom learning the child may be recommended for IST. Information is gathered from all of the student's teachers. Information from parents, from standardized tests, grades and anecdotal records of observed behaviors are collected as well to understand how the student is performing in the classroom. The team then meets to develop strategies to specifically address the student's needs. Strategies are put into place for 30 days. Then the team meets again to make decisions on the student's education. For more information about IST and the process you may contact your child's teacher or the guidance counselor.

Lost and Found

Please be sure to identify your child's clothing and other items with their first and last name. In case of loss encourage your child to look in the lost and found box located in the cafeteria. All items left in the box at the end of the year are disposed of or given to charity.

Newsletter

The school newsletter is published monthly during the school year. It is distributed by the end of the month since it includes information and the menu for the following month. You will need adobe acrobat reader to access it online. It is available on the Home page under 'Quick Links'.

PSSA

The Pennsylvania System of School Assessment, also known as PSSA, measures how well students have achieved in reading, mathematics, science and writing according to Pennsylvania’s academic standards. For more information, including our district's and school's results visit PDE's website.

Recess

Recess has important educational and developmental opportunities. Recess is monitored by CASD employees who have been trained to supervise the students. It is a time when students learn to cooperate with their peers in a free environment. These are some rules and ideas parents/guardians are asked to keep in mind:

• The human body is remarkably tolerant of the cold. Only in extremely cold conditions are students not permitted to play outside at recess. Please be sure your child wears coats, hats or other accessories to stay warm while outside in the winter.

• All students benefit from a time to get outside to play. Only a written order from a licensed physician will be deemed an acceptable excuse for students to be denied outdoor recess. Children too ill to go outside for a 15 minute recess are most likely too sick to be in school.

• Play equipment is provided for student use during recess. Permission must be secured for students to bring in and use their own equipment during recess.

• Rough play is not permitted. No tackle football, wrestling, snowball or pretend fighting.

• Students may not leave the recess area without permission from an aide or teacher.

• Disrespect directed at a recess or cafeteria aide will not be tolerated.

• Playground equipment must be used according to established guidelines: do not stand up on or jump off of swings.

• Sit up when going down slides

• No horseplay when on climbing equipment

• Harassment or bullying of others is never permitted at school. 

Report Cards

Report cards are issued to students in grades Kindergarten through grade Five after each sixty day grading period. Report cards contain academic development as well as your child's progress in understanding the Pennsylvania Academic Standards. After reviewing the report card, parents may keep the report card, but the envelop must be returned to school with the parent's or guardian's signature.

School Dress

Uniform Bottom Wear

• Color Choices: Black or Tan Khaki bottoms (must be plain with no decoration or labels/logos). Bottom wear should be appropriately sized, worn at the waistline and must be the appropriate length. Khaki or black cargo pants may be worn, however, those with camouflage may not

• Boys may wear long pants or shorts.

• Girls may wear long pants, shorts, Capri pants, jumpers, skirts, shorts, dresses

Uniform Shirts

• Color Choices: Red, White, Black (or a variation thereof)- no other colors are acceptable. Shirts must have a collar (polo style) Shirts should be appropriately sized for neat appearance and neatly tucked.

Other Shirts: Sweatshirts, Cardigans, and Sweaters must be red, white, or black- Hoodies may not be worn in school

Shoes No changes have been made to the shoe policy

Socks Socks and leggings (under jumpers, skirts, shorts, or dresses) must be a solid color: white, red, or black if they are visible

School Visit

Parents and visitors are always welcome. All parents and visitors must enter the school through the main doors and report immediately to the school office where office personnel will assist them. No one is permitted beyond the main office unless they are registered and are wearing an identification badge provided by school personnel or the school district. All identification badges must be returned to the main office prior to leaving school.

Principals may suspend the requirement during special events such as field day, concerts, parent teacher conferences, etc.

Parent visits to observe a child in the classroom are welcomed. They must be pre-arranged through the classroom teacher or the principal. As stated, parents must report to the school office when they arrive as school for the visit

Communications between home and school is an essential part of and effective educational program. The district calendar includes days for parent/teacher conferences. In order to ensure that adequate time is available, all conferences must be scheduled in advance.

School Wide Rules

• Respect yourself, others and their property

• Listen to all adults

• Walk quietly at all times. When in the hallways, stay to the right

• Keep hands, feet and objects to yourself

• Keep gum out of school

• Remember to keep hats off while in the building

• When dismissed, go directly to your own bus

Student Insurance

Students must have proof of insurance in order to participate in any field trip. Student insurance forms are available to parents at the beginning of the school year. The forms are to be mailed to the insurance company directly by parents.

Transportation

Students are assigned to ride school buses that will pick them up and drop them off in close proximity to their homes. It is recommended that students be at their bus stop five minutes before their scheduled stop time. Students are not allowed to ride a bus other than their assigned bus except in emergencies which require the approval of the principal. Large band instruments are not permitted on the bus unless they can be held on the student's lap.