Bedford Policies and Procedures

BEDFORD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

IMPORTANT SCHOOL POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

 (Please keep these pages where you can refer to them.)

ARRIVAL

The Bedford Elementary school day is from 8:45 a.m. to 3:20 p.m.  At 8:30 a.m. the first bell rings and the doors to the school open. We are not responsible for any student until then and we want to make sure all of our children are taken care of and safe. Therefore, car riders and walkers should not arrive before 8:30 when they may enter the building. Car riders must be dropped off at the side door by the parking lot. Please go around the parking lot loop to drop children off at the door. Letting your child out of the car anywhere else in the parking lot could cause him/her to be hit by another motorist. The side doors will be locked promptly at 8:45 a.m.; therefore, if your child is late, he/she must come through the front lobby doors to the office for a late pass.

ABSENCES

Any student who is absent from school should bring, on his/her first day back, a written statement from his/her parent or guardian providing the date(s) of the absence(s) and the reason.

PLEASE BE AWARE THAT:

 If a student is absent 3 times unexcused during the school year, the parent/guardian will receive a phone call.

If the student is absent between 3 and 5 days unexcused, the parent/guardian will receive a warning letter.

If the student is absent 6 or more days unexcused, a referral will be sent to Bedford's Pupil Personnel Worker who will contact the parent/guardian.

BEING LATE/TARDINESS

It is very important that students arrive at school on time. Arriving at 8:30 allows students about 15 minutes to take their things out of their book bags, put their book bags and coats in their lockers, enter their classrooms, sharpen their pencils, turn in their homework, and start their morning activities. When the school day begins at 8:45, students are in their classrooms and ready for instruction to begin. Students who enter the building after 8:45 a.m. are marked late.

PLEASE BE AWARE THAT:

If a student is late 3 times unexcused during the school year, the parent/guardian will receive a phone call.

If the student is late between 3 and 5 days unexcused, the parent/guardian will receive a warning letter.

If the student is late 6 or more days unexcused, a referral will be sent to Bedford's Pupil Personnel Worker who will contact the parent/guardian.

We know you want the best for your child - and so do we! Please have your child here on time!!!!

EARLY DISMISSAL (PICKING UP A CHILD BEFORE DISMISSAL TIME)

Formal instruction ends at 3:15 p.m. Picking up your child earlier means a loss of instructional time. It is important that your child be in class for the full instructional day except for occasional days when it is absolutely necessary for you to pick him/her up earlier. If you come into the building to pick up your child either before or at dismissal time, please sign him/her out in the office and we will call your child to meet you in the office.   If you are sending someone else to pick your child up early from school you must send a note into your child’s teacher in the morning.  ARRIVAL, SCHOOL HOURS, AND DISMISSAL TIMES are when teachers are engaged in instruction. These are not times when teachers are available for conferencing. Please call or send a note if you need to discuss anything with a staff member and he/she will return your call and/or schedule a conference. Also, many of the teachers have email; their addresses are listed on Bedford’s website: Bedford Elementary School Website.

DISMISSAL

At 3:15 p.m., the afternoon announcements are made. Dismissal begins at 3:20 p.m.

Walkers are dismissed at 3:20 p.m. through the doors on the Kahn Drive side of the school. Parents, siblings, and friends who are waiting to pick up walkers are asked to wait away from the building windows and doors on the side of the school. This will eliminate over-crowding at the side door which could lead to a dangerous situation.

Car riders are dismissed shortly after 3:20 p.m.  If your child is a car rider we have a carpool registration form to complete and then you and your child will be assigned a carpool number.  Please be sure that whomever is responsible for picking up your child displays this number where it can be seen.  These students are dismissed through the side parking lot doors, where they are picked up in the afternoon Drivers are asked to enter the circle in the front of the building in single file in the right-hand lane. Please pull as far forward as possible to the car in front of you and remain in your car.  Please be on time when picking up your children. They should be picked up promptly between 3:20 and 3:30 p.m.

Bus riders are called as their buses arrive. These students are dismissed through the front doors of the building.

Please note that the Transportation Form in your Forms Packet asks that you indicate who will be picking up your child after school if he/she is not permitted to walk home alone. Loitering by middle school students has been a problem in the past, and we want to make sure your child is safe. Only middle/high school students who are waiting for Bedford children may be on Bedford property, and they must wait in the designated area.  All others are trespassing.

ALTERNATE DISMISSAL PLANS

In order to ensure the safety of every child, students will not be dismissed in a different way from the way you indicated on the Transportation Form or to anyone other than their parents/guardians without a note from the parent/guardian. We cannot honor phone calls. Upon arriving at school in the morning, your child should bring the note to the office to be logged in.

Students may not ride any other bus than the one he/she normally rides. For further information, please refer to the Transportation Form. If your child does not have a note, he/she will follow his/her normal transportation schedule.

STREET CROSSING POLICY FOR BUS STUDENTS

Baltimore County policy requires that children be on the side of the road where the bus stops for their pick-up prior to arrival of the bus. They are not to wait until the bus stops and then cross the road to board the bus. When students are discharged from the bus, they are to wait on the side of the road on which they got off. They should stand away from the bus as the bus pulls away and should wait until the road is clear in both directions before crossing. This policy is unique to Baltimore County. The long-term safety record justifies its use. 

VISITORS ARE WELCOME

 In order to maintain a safe and orderly learning environment Baltimore County Public Schools has implemented a Use of Door Entry Buzzer System for all visitors.

Procedures:

  1. Buzzer system is buzzed by a visitor.
  2. Office staff using the speaker phone box presses the talk button.
  3. Ask the reason for the visit.
  4. If the individual is visiting a staff member, does he/she have an appointment?
  5. Ask the visitor to report to the office for a visitor pass/name tag.
  6. All visitors must have government issued photo ID that can be scanned.Even if your ID has already been scanned in previously, you MUST still bring your ID in with you.
  7. All visitors are to return to the office and sign out and return the visitor tag.

 If you are visiting your child's classroom or are volunteering in the building, please stop in the office to sign-in and receive a visitor's or volunteer's pass. When leaving the building, just return to the office, sign-out and drop off your pass.

If you are coming in to bring your child something (bookbag, lunch, money, musical instrument, etc.), please come in to the office and we will call your child down from his/her classroom. If you would like to speak to a teacher or other staff member, please call first. He/She will call you back and, if desired, schedule a meeting with you.

You are welcome to observe in your child's classroom. It is not appropriate to bring other children with you when you are spending time in a classroom.  We would also ask you keep your cell phone off and not take pictures.

These procedures are so that instruction can continue without interruption and to ensure student safety. Thank you for your consideration.

STUDENT MESSAGES

Please note that we cannot interrupt the instructional program to deliver messages to children or to call them to the telephone.

UPDATING STUDENT INFORMATION

Please inform the office whenever there is any change in the family's address or home phone number or a parent's place of work, work phone number, cell phone number, or email address.  It is extremely important that we have correct information on file at all times.

WEDNESDAY FOLDERS

Please ask your child for his/her "Wednesday Folder" when your child arrives home on this day.   Important communications such as newsletters, flyers, notices from the Parks and Recreation Department, and other communications will be sent home on daily basis. The emptied folder should be returned to school the following day by the student.

GUM CHEWING

Chewing gum is not permitted at any time.

COUGH DROPS AND OTHER OVER-THE-COUNTER ITEMS

Students are not allowed to bring cough drops or any other non-prescription medication to school. This includes things such as a lotion for a rash, Tylenol, vitamins, etc. These things are available from the school nurse if she deems it appropriate and if the parent/guardian has given her written permission to dispense them (by completing the form sent home in the forms packet).

FOOD FOR CLASSROOM PARTIES

BCPS has adopted a wellness policy that has new guidelines for school snacks.  Cupcakes are no longer allowed to be brought into school.  We are working to generate a list of approved snacks and will that information shortly.

TOYS, CARDS OF ANY KIND, HEADPHONES, CD/DVD’S CD/DVD PLAYERS, HANDHELD COMPUTERS, CELLPHONES, ETC.

Please discuss with your child that toys do not belong in school. This is to prevent distractions during the school day and to protect your child's property from damage or theft.

We do not recommend cell phones.  If your child brings one to school, we will not be responsible if it is lost or stolen.  If your child brings a cell phone or other electronic communication device to school it must be turned off and must not be carried in a visible manner.

APPROPRIATE CLOTHING

There is no formal dress code at Bedford. However, students may not wear shirts with inappropriate designs or messages printed on them. Girls are asked not to wear "short" shorts, tops with spaghetti straps, or tops that reveal the midriff. It is suggested that instead of sandals, students wear sneakers or shoes as they provide better protection for children's feet. All students must wear sneakers during physical education class.

As the weather starts to get cooler over the next few months, we suggest students wear layers of clothing. That way, students will be able to put on or take off sweaters or sweatshirts as needed in order to be comfortable, whether the classroom is warm or cool.  In the warmer months or classrooms can be warm.  Please dress your children appropriately.

 

We appreciate your cooperation in following these procedures and policies. Please call the office at 410-887-1200 at any time if you have a question.