Routines & Procedures

Frank Hobbs School has developed some standard practices that help us provide an orderly and safe environment. 

Bell Times:

School begins: 8:45am

Recess: 10:15 – 10:30

Lunch outside time: 11:50 – 12:15 and Lunch eating time: 12:15 – 12:35,

Dismissal Bell: 2:37

Lateness/Early Dismissal

Students who are unavoidably late should go directly to the office where the “late” will be recorded. If your child will be leaving school early, please make arrangements with your child’s teacher. Students need to be signed out by a parent or guardian if leaving the school before dismissal time.

Daily Student Attendance/Family Vacations during School Time

Students’ daily, punctual school attendance has been identified as a critical factor in successful student achievement. When a family vacation requires their children’s absence during the school term, children can keep a journal of learning about the place, culture and its people. This journal may include maps, photographs, brochures and other artifacts of interest to enhance their children’s written anecdotes. This project will provide a valuable personal keepsake of the trip and perhaps an opportunity for a classroom presentation when the children return.

Students should keep reading and practice real life math skills along with some grade appropriate math facts each day. If parents ask teachers about appropriate materials for their children to work on during their vacation, teachers may suggest materials for parents to purchase and on occasion, may be able to provide parents with classroom materials. Work during the vacation is for student practice and is not part of the students’ term assessment.

In Kindergarten – Grade 5 classrooms, students are mainly assessed on their in-class work, contributions to class discussion, exploration of materials, and interaction with others in the process. Consequently, when students are on vacation for a prolonged period, teachers may be unable to assess a particular learning outcome on the students’ term report.

Visitors in the School

All adults visiting the school or school grounds between the hours of 8:45-2:37 p.m. need to check and sign in at the office. For safety purposes, all outside doors are locked after 9:00 a.m., except for the main doors off the parking lot.

“Inside” and “outside” days

During “outside days” all children are required to go outside during recess or lunch hour. If your child is too sick to go outside, then she/he should remain home until symptoms cease. Please ensure that your child is appropriately dressed for the weather, including light rain. If the weather is poor, two bells are rung to convey that it is an “inside” day. Students will remain in the classroom under the supervision of  noon-hour supervisors.

Pedestrians only on the playground

Students who ride bikes, scooters, or skateboards to and from school need to “stop and walk” when they are on the walkways into the school or on the playground. This is for safety purposes.

Recess and lunch breaks

Supervising adults wearing orange vests are present on the playground to help children with any difficulties and maximize playtime. Children are asked to use their WITSWalk away; Ignore; Talk about it; Seek help. The supervisors use walkie talkies to communicate with each other and the office. The primary concern of supervisors is the safety of students.

The morning recess break is from 10:15-10:30 a.m. The the outside recess play time is from 11:50-12:15 p.m  and the inside lunch eating time is from 12:15-12:35 p.m., and

Lost and found

Please mark your child’s possessions with his or her first and last names so that if anything is misplaced, it can be returned. Unmarked “finds” are placed in the lost and found box near the office. Parents and students are encouraged to check there often. Lost and found items will also be displayed each term in the hallway. Unclaimed items will be delivered to a local charity at the end of the year.

Telephones

In order for the school to ensure the safety and security of all students in its care, students are required to:
– ask their teachers for permission to make a phone call. Arrangements for play dates should be made at home, before the start of the day
– keep personal cell phones turned off and stored in their back packs once they arrive on the school grounds and until they leave the school to go home at the end of the day. Failure to comply with this cell phone rule will result in staff taking the cell phone and contacting the parent. You are reminded that the school cannot be responsible for the loss, damage or theft of valuables.

Accidents and First Aid procedures

If a child is injured at school, staff with certified first aid training will provide basic first aid. We always try to contact parents if we consider the injury to be at all serious, so please be sure to keep work and emergency phone numbers current. In an emergency situation, an ambulance will be called, followed by a call to the parent.

Bikes, skateboards, scooters, roller blades

Please be sure your children know all the rules of the road before allowing them to ride to school. By law, children must be wearing bike helmets if cycling. Any students arriving at school without a helmet will not be allowed to ride their bike home. Before and after school hours, children should walk their bikes, scooters, and skateboards on school property. We recommend that students lock up their bikes. The school is not responsible for lost or stolen items from school property.

Fire drills

Fire drills take place once a month. Teachers immediately lead their classes out of the building where attendance is taken prior to the return to class.

Earthquake & Lockdown drills

We regularly practice what to do if an earthquake were to happen during school hours. All staff have received training in earthquake procedures and are assigned to particular teams. We follow the earthquake procedures as outlined by the school board. We have a well-stocked kiosk of emergency supplies. If an earthquake or other emergency were to occur, children would be cared for at school until an authorized adult were to report to pick them up.

Lockdown drills are practiced once a year and are in collaboration with administration and the school’s police liaison officer. In the case of an intruder or outside emergency, the school may need to engage in a Lockdown. The Lockdown would allow students to be safe in the classroom, or alternate location, under the supervision of their classroom teacher.

Illness

If a child becomes ill during the school day, we call parents or an emergency contact and ask them to pick up their child. Children usually rest in the medical room until parents arrive. Please keep your child at home if he or she has been feeling ill. If students are too ill to be outside at break times, they should remain home until they are healthy enough to engage in regular school activities.

Medication for students

Occasionally we are asked by parents to ensure that their child receives prescribed or over the counter medication. Please be aware that in order for us to do so, parents must complete the Student Medical Form which must be signed by the prescribing doctor. School personnel are not allowed to dispense any medication without this form. Students should not carry any medications in their backpacks, unless authorized by the school, i.e. an Epipen.

Power Outage Plan (P.O.P.)

All students wait outside the school at the front door entrance of the school until 8:45 a.m. Students will be escorted to their classes by teachers. Power Outage Plan will be followed for the remainder of the day.

Personal Electronic Equipment

In order for the school to maintain a respectful, orderly and interactive learning and working environment, students are to keep cell phones, personal music, and gaming devices turned off and stored in their back packs once they arrive on the school grounds and until they leave the school at the end of the day. Failure to comply with this personal electronic equipment rule will result in staff confiscating the personal electronic equipment and contacting the parents. The school cannot be responsible for electronics that are brought from home.