ACCIDENTS: All accidents, however minor, occurring during the school day must be reported to the teacher in charge and to the office/nurse. In the case of all accidents, the nurse/teacher will fill out an accident report to be placed on file in the nurse’s office.
ACCIDENT INSURANCE: In the event of an accidental injury while participating in and/or attending any school sponsored and supervised activity, students are covered by accident insurance. This coverage will apply on an excess basis. This means parents’ insurance will pay first and the student accident coverage will pay second. TCS and the diocese pay the cost of this insurance.
ASBESTOS: In compliance with the U.S. EPA, we perform asbestos re-inspections of each of our school buildings for building materials containing asbestos. The inspection findings are in the asbestos management plan on file in the school office. The EPA requires re-inspections of the asbestos materials every three years. All asbestos materials in the school remain in good condition and we will continue to manage them as recommended by EPA guidelines.
ATTENDANCE: The Education Law requires that the students enrolled in the schools of this district attend school on every school day unless legally excused. The educational program offered by Trinity is based upon the presence of the student and requires continuity of instruction and classroom participation. The regular contact of students with one another in the classroom and their participation in a well-planned instructional activity under the instruction of a competent teacher are vital to this purpose. Absences other than legal absences are defined by state regulations to have a highly adverse effect on the student as well as the entire educational program. Therefore, the Advisory Council urges all parents to make every effort for their children to be in attendance. If a child is ill, parents are asked to call the school office to report the absence before 10:00 am. If there is no notification, the principal will contact the parent/guardian. This is for the protection of Trinity students and is aligned with state statues. All students who are absent or tardy must have a written excuse from the parent upon their return.
BUS STUDENTS: Students who ride buses to and from school should be aware that being able to ride the bus is a privilege. Violation of the rules set down by the school district and the bus driver could result in a child being denied bus privileges for a specific period of time. Parents are always notified by the principal if a student receives a bus report from the bus driver.
CELL PHONES: We realize cell phone use has become a large part of daily life in the 21st century. However, cell phones have the potential of disrupting the orderly operation of the school. The temptation is great for students to use cell phones to text messages, take photos, watch videos, or play games. Cell phones add unnecessary distractions in the classroom. In order to maintain an environment conducive to learning we have decided students may not bring cell phones on the campus of Trinity Catholic School. All students have access to a phone during school time in case of an emergency.
We do realize there may be extenuating circumstances where families feel, for safety purposes, their child should be allowed to have a phone on school premises. If this is the case, parents will need to follow the conditions listed below.
- A parent or legal guardian must complete and sign a Request for Cell Phone Agreement form. This form may be obtained in the school office.
- Parents and students must adhere to all the guidelines listed on the Cell Phone Agreement Form.
Unauthorized possession or use of a cell phone on school grounds will result in confiscation of the phone and disciplinary action will be taken for such a violation. All faculty and staff have been instructed to enforce this policy. Cell phones, like all other personal items brought into school by a student, may be subject to search. As with other personal property brought into our school, Trinity Catholic School is not responsible for lost or stolen cell phones.
EARLY ARRIVALS: Since teachers often have meetings or other commitments before school begins, students should not arrive at school before 8:15 AM, unless they are going to the Before School Program
EARLY DISMISSAL: No student is to leave the school or school grounds before regular dismissal time unless excused by the principal. A written request must be presented to the office in the morning. Parents are asked to come to the office to sign their child out and pick him/her up. If a child returns to school the same day, he/she is to report to the office again to sign in. Students who are away from school for an appointment for 3 1/2 hours or more will be counted as absent for 1/2 a day. Three (3) early withdrawals each of which are less than 3 1/2 hours are considered a one-half day absence. Please do not take your child/children out of school early, unless it is for an illness, appointment, or an emergency.
ELECTRONICS: Students are not permitted to bring video games or accessories, MP3 Players, DVD players, iPods, or tablets, such as iPads to school.
EMERGENCY CARDS: At the beginning of each school year, emergency cards are sent home to be completed and returned. It is critical to have current information for your child’s benefit. These cards supply information and permission to treat your child as needed in the event of an emergency.
EXCESSIVE ABSENCE: Being absent for 20 days or more throughout the school year can be cause for retention in the current grade.
FIELD TRIPS: Field trips are designed to supplement different aspects of the curriculum and to introduce students to the resources of the community. Parents will receive notices of field trips in advance of the scheduled date. Parents must sign and return the field trip permission form sent out by the school; a note or phone call from the parent or guardian giving permission will not suffice. If you sign up to drive or chaperone, you will be notified by your room parent or classroom teacher about the details of the trip. Younger siblings should not accompany chaperones or drivers on field trips due to insurance and liability circumstances. When driving students, you may not make any side trips, supply any snacks to or from the field trip due to unknown allergies, and no DVDs can be shown. One parent’s idea of an appropriate movie does not necessarily agree with another’s.
ILLNESS DURING SCHOOL: If a child becomes ill during school, he/she will be sent to the office/nurse. No child will be dismissed from school unless the home has been contacted and the parents have made arrangements for the child.
IMAGE RELEASE FORM: During your child’s tenure at TCS, we may use your child’s image on this website, in the newspaper, and in other forms of media. Please print this Image Release Form and fill in whether you give us permission to use your child’s image or not. If we do not receive a form from you, we will assume your permission is granted. You may send this form in with your child’s teacher or return it to the school office. Thank you.
IMMUNIZATION REQUIREMENTS: The Health Department of New York and the County of St. Lawrence require every student to meet specific immunization requirements listed below. Due to NYS Law, religious exemptions are no longer accepted!
- Pre-K: 4 doses DTap, 3 OPV, 1 MMR, 3 Hep B, 1 Varicella (Chicken Pox), 1-4 HIB, 1-4 PCV
- Kinder & 1: 4-5 doses DTap, 3-4 OPV, 2 MMR, 3 Hep B, 2 Varicella (Chicken Pox)
- Grades 2-5: 4-5 doses DTap, 3 OPV, 2 MMR, 3 Hep B, 1 Varicella (Chicken Pox)
- Grade 6: 3 doses DTap, 1 dose Tdap booster, 3-4 OPV, 2 MMR, 3 Hep B, 2 Varicella (Chicken Pox)
MEDICATION: If your child needs a prescribed medication during school hours, this will be handled by the school nurse. No medication may be administered unless a Medical Administration Sheet signed by the parent and the prescribing physician are first submitted to the school nurse. In all cases, the medication must be clearly and properly labeled. No other member of the school staff may dispense or authorize the use of any medication. Over-the-counter medications may not be administered unless the student’s emergency card has been authorized by the parent and the child’s physician. All medications, prescribed and over–the-counter, must be brought into the school office by a parent or guardian. Students are not allowed to carry medication (prescribed or over-the-counter) to school.
NONCUSTODIAL PARENTS POLICY: Divorced and separation are realities of contemporary life, which affect the school’s responsibilities to its students. The following guidelines have been adopted to assist the school in situations where a noncustodial parent wishes to become involved in school related activates.
- Ordinarily, the school will not resist or interfere with a noncustodial parent’s involvement in school-related affairs, or access to the parent’s child or the child’s records, unless the school is presented with a court order or comparable legal document which restricts such involvement or access. The school will not otherwise “choose sides” between parents.
- A noncustodial parent may not take custody of a child or remove the child from the school premises, unless the parent presents either a written court order, or a written authorization signed by the custodial parent which permits such custody.
- If actions of parent(s) (custodial or non custodial) become disruptive to the operation of the school, the school has the right to restrict access by such parent(s) and take other reasonably necessary action.
- Concerning student activities that require parental consent, the school will accept consent only from the custodial parent, unless authority to grant consent is given to the noncustodial parent by a court order or comparable legal document.
These guidelines will be applied so as to further the mission of the school and the best interests of its students.
PESTICIDE NOTIFICATION: NYS Law requires all schools to provide written notification to all parents, faculty, and staff if certain pesticides are used on school grounds.
TARDINESS: Arriving late for school is disruptive to a student’s day. Not only does a student miss announcements and/or class work, the student also gets a harried and unsettled start to the day. If a child comes late to school he/she is to bring a written excuse from his/her parent. The child must report to the office to sign in before going to the classroom. A student arriving to school after 8:35 AM will be considered tardy.
SCHOOL DELAYS/CLOSING: Announcements of school delays, closings, or early dismissals will be immediately broadcast over local radio and television stations. Parents can also check our school’s website, TrinityCatholicSchool.net or our FaceBook and Instagram page.
TELEPHONE: Students may only make phone calls from a school phone with permission from the secretary or under supervision of a teacher. No call may be made for forgotten items.
VISITORS: If you wish to visit your child during the school day, please enter by way of the front door, facing Main Street. You MUST sign in at the office and fill out a visitor’s nametag which will be worn while you are in the building.