Student Life

The student dismissal plan will be set and cannot be changed after 1:00 pm daily. Students should know their plan for dismissal every single day before they come to school. This should remain the plan for most days, if possible.

Children thrive with consistency, structure, and routine. If a parent must change the dismissal plan on a particular day, this must be communicated to our main office staff by 1:00 pm.

No changes can be made after 1:00 pm. There is simply not enough time to communicate changes to students. If a parent is picking up a student early or picking up a student for an appointment, then they will be required to ring the doorbell, announce their business, and wait outside the front door for their child. The child will independently walk with their belongings from their classroom after their teacher is called by a front office staff member.

Parents and students have a primary role in student attendance at school. In order for parents to fulfill their responsibility, the school will keep them informed of student absences and participate in determining appropriateness of planned/optional absences.

Reporting Your Child's Attendance

If a student is going to be absent from school, the parent or guardian must notify the school before 8:30 a.m. on the day of the absence.

Note: Parents have a legal responsibility to provide the school with telephone numbers where they can be reached at any time.

Call the NES Office at 508-228-7290 and follow the prompts provided or enter extension 2104 (English) or 2105 (Spanish) to report an absence.

Excused Absences

The following absences may be excused:

• illness,
• a family emergency, e.g. death in the family,
• sanctioned religious holidays,
• subpoenaed court appearances,
• documented medical appointment
• documented hospital stay or doctor’s directive,
• suspension out of school,
• school sponsored events and activities.

All other absences are considered unexcused.

Note: If your child is absent due to a doctor or dentist visit off-island, a note from the health care provider is required for school records.

Unexcused Absences

Vacations carried beyond the defined vacation time frames of the school (including early departures and late returns) are strongly discouraged and
considered unexcused absences. Classroom discussion and interaction often provide the main focus for learning and cannot be replicated through
make-up assignments. Grades will be affected by such unexcused absences.

Appointments must be made with the principal in advance of vacation.

Unexcused absences totally 15 days result in withdrawal.

More information about extended absences is available in the NES Handbook.

The academic day begins at 7:50 a.m.

Tardiness is defined as arriving at school or class after the scheduled start time.

A student is late or tardy if the 7:50am bell rings before the student reaches his/her classroom.

Consequences

Upon the 5th tardy within a school-year, the principal may call the parents/guardians to schedule a conference to develop a plan of correction.

Furthermore, if a student is tardy more than 10 times in a school-year, the principal may call the parents/guardians to schedule a conference to develop a plan of correction. A Truancy Officer may be contacted if absences exceed 15 times.

Appropriate Attire

Weather-appropriate attire must be worn to school every day.

The standards for public school dress reflect “common sense” and a concern for each child’s comfort, safety, cleanliness, and sense of modesty. There is a strong relationship between neat, appropriate attire and a positive learning environment. We take pride in our personal appearance. To help create this environment, the following standards for student dress must be observed by all:

• Shirts, blouses, and dresses must completely cover the abdomen, back, shoulders, and chest. Shirts or tops must cover the waistband of pants, shorts, or skirts with no midriff visible.
• Undergarments must not be visible at any time.
• Footwear is required and must be safe and appropriate for indoor or outdoor physical activity.
• Clothing or accessories may not display offensive, vulgar language or images, and must not advertise or refer in any way to illegal products or activities. (For example, clothing may not depict or suggest drugs, alcohol, tobacco, sex, violence, or foul language.)
• Short shorts, mini-skirts, short-skirts, and the like are deemed to be inappropriate attire.

The school administration reserves the right to determine whether a student’s attire is within the limits of decency and modesty, and is within the meaning and spirit of these policies. The principal may allow exceptions for school-wide programs or special classroom activities.

Consequences

The principal will administer consequences for policy infractions as follows:

• Notify parent/guardian for a change of clothes
• Change clothes in the nurse office
• Removal from classroom

Violations will be handled discreetly to retain the dignity and privacy of the student.

We welcome parents to volunteer throughout the school year. Parents/Guardians can call the Main Office or speak directly with their child’s
teacher if they are interested in volunteering or share through an electronic message.

Massachusetts law requires that all volunteers who may have unsupervised contact with students have a Criminal Offender Records Information (CORI) check. Completed Volunteer forms are available in the NES front office. A Driver’s License must be used and scanned through our Raptor Security system generating a Sticker to be worn at all times. Volunteers will have a pre-arranged time with the office and teachers they will work with.

Arrangements can be made through the classroom teacher or the Grade level Counselor at 508-228-7290 ext. 2109/2110, or call the Main Office at
508-228-7290 ext. 2104/2105.