Handbook

Tullahoma was the recipient of a 21st Century Community Learning Centers Grant. This highly competitive grant provides funding for use in enrichment, remedial, and intervention programs to be offered before and/or after regular school hours.  We will strive to provide a variety of high interest opportunities for students.  All school rules apply during before and after school programs. Participation in such programs is encouraged, but voluntary.  Parent permission must be provided for students to participate in before/after school programs.

Students who stay for after-school clubs should be picked up promptly at dismissal time at the front entrance of the school.

A list of all before and after school club offerings will be provided to every student. Some clubs have a maximum number of students allowed, therefore, they will be filled on a first come, first serve basis with 5th graders getting first rights.  If a student wants in a club that is already filled, his/her name will be put on a waiting list

Supervision is provided for students on school grounds starting at 7:15 a.m. each morning.  Please do not leave your child unattended. The school day for Farrar students begins at 8:00 a.m. each day and dismissal is at 3:00 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and 1:00 p.m. on Wednesday.  

Supervision is provided until 3:30 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday.

Morning Student Drop Off

Students are to be dropped off in the mornings starting at 7:15 a.m. All grades are dropped off at the front door.  Students should not exit vehicles at any other location.

The speed limit on school property is 10 mph and will be strictly enforced.  

If  there is a  need to come into the school when dropping a student off,  please park in a designated parking place. Do not leave your car unattended in the traffic lanes.

Afternoon Student Release/Pick-up

Walkers and Bike Riders: will be dismissed prior to car riders each day.

Car Riders:  

• Students will have assigned pick-up locations based on grade level
• Older siblings may join younger siblings in their pick-up locations; however, younger children may NOT go to pick-up locations of older children.
• Parents/guardians will be given 2 car tags per child at the start of the school year.  The tags are to be hung from the rearview mirror of the vehicle that picks your child up each afternoon.  Any individual who comes to pick up a student without a school tag will need to park and come into the school office so identification can be verified.  This practice will help ensure our children are getting into vehicles of those authorized for pick-up only. A driver’s license will be required for identification.
• Parents/guardians may secure up to 2 additional car tags during the school year at no cost. Any additional tags can be obtained for $5.00 each.

Pick-up Locations

• Kindergarten students:  Rear side of school 
  • Cars should enter from S. Collins Street and proceed straight up to the circle drive at the rear of the school and then exit the same way they came in.  There should be no passing of vehicles on South Collins Street.
  • Students remaining at 3:15 will be walked to front entrance pick-up area
• 1st  grade students:  Front gym doors
  • Cars are to enter from S. Collins Street, turning right into the school parking lot and proceeding to the front of  the gym, exiting the same way they came in.
  • Students remaining at 3:15 will be walked to the front entrance pick-up area.
• 2nd – 5th grade students:  Front Entrance of School
  • Cars enter from Westside Drive or Clement Drive.

All children should be picked up from school within 30 minutes after dismissal each day.  

Children needing supervision and care beyond the regular school day can be signed up for Kool Kids (Tullahoma City School’s After-school program).  There is a fee to attend. Specific information about the program can be obtained by calling 454-2593. Students must be registered for this program to be allowed to attend.

• Children in Kool Kids are to be picked up at the rear gym entrance.

Student success in school is directly tied to attendance. Each day a student learns new skills and ideas that will help in the activities of the next day. The importance of prompt and regular attendance cannot be over-emphasized. The law requires your child to attend school. Schools are required to maintain records of student attendance.

Absences:  There are times when a child must be absent from school due to family circumstances, sickness, or otherwise.  The State of Tennessee statute allows a child to be absent from school 5 days a year without question.

When a child must miss school, parents are encouraged to call the school office (454-2608) between 7:45 and 8:00 a.m..  Please identify yourself, state your child’s name and grade level, and the reason for the absence.

If a child is ill and taken to a physician, a doctor’s excuse should be obtained and turned into the office upon the child’s return.  This will ensure that the absence is deemed as excused and will not count toward the five allowable absences.

The Principal or Asst. Principal has the authority to excuse students when absent under the following conditions as designated in the policies of the Tullahoma City School Board of Education:

• Child’s personal illness
• Illness in the family requiring temporary help from the child
• Death in the family
• Special religious holidays regularly observed by persons of their faith
• Doctor’s appointment
• Other reasons as determined by the principal

After five (5) days of excused or unexcused absences, a doctor’s excuse is required for every absence.

All absences are deemed unexcused if the school is not notified of the reason for the absence or if the reason does not fit into one of the TCS Board Approved categories as noted above.

As of July, 2018, new TN School Attendance laws were enacted.  (SB2381/HB2376—Public Charter 958) which require parents of children who accumulate unexcused absences beyond what is allowable, to attend tiered intervention meetings.  

All absences are reported to the TCS Attendance Director.  

Late Arrivals and Early Check-outs:   Students who arrive at school after 8:00 a.m. must be accompanied into the school and signed in by a parent or guardian.  He/she will be counted tardy.  A note must be obtained from the office for admittance into the classroom.

Students must have parental permission to leave school grounds prior to dismissal time.  When a student must leave the school for any reason during the day, the child’s parent or guardian must sign for the child’s release in the school office.

All late arrivals and early check-outs are recorded daily and count toward absences.

Schools may be cancelled under extraordinary circumstances such as extreme weather, equipment failure, or public crisis. Every practical means is used to notify parents of an impending cancellation, including radio, Nashville and local TV stations, social media, and newspapers. TCS uses an automated phone system to notify parents of important information.  Push notifications and text messages will also be sent out through the TCS mobile app that is free and can be downloaded onto any smart phone through the app store. A correct and current phone number is needed for this service.

Announcements of school closings will be made as early as possible. When listening for school closure announcements through the media, be sure to listen for Tullahoma City Schools, not Coffee County Schools.

Cell phones are not to be used during the school day.    Parents are encouraged to require children to refrain from bringing cell phones to school.  If a cell phone is seen, heard, or powered on at any time during the school day, it will be confiscated and turned in at the office.  Cell phones will be returned to parents/guardians only.

If cell phones are brought to school, it is at the student/parent’s own risk. Should a phone be lost or stolen, time will NOT be taken out of the academic day to investigate or search for such item.  Best practice: Leave cell phones at home!

We will make every effort to communicate with parents/guardians  in a timely and effective manner to keep you fully aware of all of the things going on in our school. In order for us to do this, it is imperative that parents keep us informed as to any change of phone numbers, addresses, and email addresses, so that communication will not be interrupted.  We will use numerous methods of communication including social media (twitter, facebook, webpage), school messenger group calls, emails, text messages, and sending notes home. All parents are highly encouraged to do the following:

• Check your child(ren)’s backpacks every Thursday afternoon for written communication
  • (This is when most permission slips for field trips and special events will be sent to you.)
• Download the free TCS Mobile App on your mobile device.  (You can see all the events on our school calendar as well as receive push notifications  and text messages when messages are sent out.)
• Make sure we have your correct phone number and listen all the way through weekly messages sent out by your principal.
• Call the school office if you have any questions at 454-2608.

The teachers and staff at JTF have high expectations of positive behavior for students.  They will model and teach our children the importance of being respectful, responsible, and ready to learn every day.   Likewise, students are taught the importance of always treating others the way they want to be treated.

Students oftentimes learn by making mistakes or bad choices.  We will strive to make our school one that is safe for children and allows them the opportunity to  make and correct their mistakes. Students will always be given the opportunity to reflect on how they could have made better choices as part of the consequence of their behavior.  Most discipline will be handled by classroom teachers.

Some major offenses will be referred to the Principal and/or Asst. Principal and will result in immediate, appropriate consequences.   Major offenses may result in in-school or out-of–school suspension. Parents will be notified. In the event such action is deemed necessary and appropriate, the student will be referred to our school counselor and a behavior plan will be considered.  Student’s consequences will be decided on a case-by-case basis with the student’s best interest in mind.

Bullying
Bullying is a repeated, unwanted behavior with an intention to hurt someone.  It is different from conflict because bullying involves an imbalance of power.  Potential bullying behaviors may include social exclusion, false rumors, and/or threats. It may be verbal or physical.  Students are taught how to recognize and how to deal with bullying. Students are expected to report bullying incidences. We desire a safe learning environment for all our children. Therefore, bullying is unacceptable.

Student attire should not be a distraction in the classroom. The following guidelines are offered to assist parents and students in selecting clothing for the school day.  

• Clothing should fit comfortably.
• Clothing should cover midriffs, shoulders, and should be long enough to allow students to sit and move with ease.
• Clothing should not have inappropriate pictures or messages.
• Due to daily exercise periods and PE, students are highly encouraged to wear tennis shoes regularly.
• Shoes with high heels and/or without heel straps (flip flops) will make it very difficult for a child to fully participate in and enjoy exercise class, PE,  and recess, therefore they are not recommended.
• Shoes with wheels are not allowed

Teachers and the Administration will determine the appropriateness of the student’s dress. Parents will be called to bring a change of clothes or shoes if it is deemed necessary for the child to fully participate in the activities of the academic day.

Students may have opportunities during the school year to go on field trips.  Students will be required to ride a school bus to the destination of trip.  They will be allowed to ride home with their personal parent/guardian only, as long as the teacher on the trip has prior notice of this plan.  The parent must sign his/her child(ren) out when leaving the location of the field trip.

Parental signed permission slips are required for every child who leaves school grounds to participate in a field trip.  Over the phone permission cannot be accepted to allow a child to go on a trip. Field trip permission slips will be sent home well in advance of planned trips.

Grades are regularly posted online and are available to parents through a parent portal.  Students will be trained on how to access their grades. We will be happy to provide a brief training session for any parent who has difficulty accessing student grades. This tool provides up-to-date (within one week) information to help keep parents abreast of how well your child(ren) is/are meeting classroom expectations.

The teachers and staff at JTF encourage all children to do their very best.  While final grades are important, parents/guardians are encouraged to focus on any and all improvements of children over time.  Not all children are meant to be “A” students, but they are all meant to be successful and feel encouraged and excited about their personal accomplishments, regardless of how they compare to those of others.  

Progress reports will be sent home with every child at mid-quarter.  Report cards will be sent home with every child the Thursday following the return from each quarterly break for the previous quarter.

Make-Up Work: All missed class work or tests (whether from excused or unexcused absence) may be made up provided the student makes the request immediately upon returning to school, and provided class time is not taken from other students.

Medicine
A medication permission form provided by the school must be completed and returned to the school before any medications can be given to a child by school personnel. If an over-the-counter medication is to be given, parents must sign the permission form.  If prescription medication is to be given, both the physician and parent must sign the permission form. All medications must be brought to the school in the original container.

PEDICULOSIS (HEAD LICE)

The policy of Tullahoma City Schools is to exclude students with lice/nits since pediculosis is a communicable disorder.  When a student is found to have lice/nits at school, the parent is notified that the student must be removed from school until he/she has been appropriately treated and no live lice or nits remain in the hair.

A treatment will be provided when the student is sent home. That student is expected to return as soon as possible and excuses will be on a case by case basis. The parent is also responsible for accompanying the student to school after the appropriate treatment has been completed.  The parent should remain at the school until the child has been checked for nits and given clearance to return to class.

Each child is expected to have the necessary supplies according to the grade level supply list.

A fee established by the Board of Education for instructional supplies is collected from each child at the beginning of the school year.  The fee is $30 per child. This money is used to buy consumable materials to be used in the process of your child’s education.  A portion of this money will be used to provide consumable workbooks, art supplies, agendas, graph paper, etc.  Please send in your child(ren)’s fee(s) within the first month of school.  Fee payments can be made in small increments, if necessary.

Please mark all clothing (coats, gloves, etc.) with your child’s name.  Every effort will be made to help your child to keep up with his/her personal property.  Lost/misplaced items will be placed on the designated lost and found rack located in the front hallway, where they will remain for a period of time.  All items left unclaimed the last day of each quarter will be donated to Good Will.

If you notice that your child is missing an article of clothing, please come in and check the lost and found rack. Unfortunately, many jackets and other articles of clothing go unclaimed.

Breakfast
Farrar Elementary provides free breakfast to all students each day starting at 7:15 AM to help students get off to a good start. In order to start classes on time and for cafeteria personnel to have time to prepare lunches, breakfast will not be served after 8:00 a.m.

The National School Breakfast Program requires that four breakfast components be offered to students each morning.  Students are required to take three components each morning, with one being fruit.

Lunch
All students at JTF will be provided a free lunch each day.  According to the Federal Lunch Guidelines, a school lunch must offer 5 meal components:

• 1 serving of 2 ounces of meat or alternative
• 1 bread serving
• 2 different servings of fruits and/or vegetables (half cup)
• 1 cup milk

Students must take at least three components and may take up to all 5 components, including a fruit or vegetable, in order for the meal to be provided free.  If the guidelines are not followed, the student will be charged a la carte pricing.

A la carte items such as ice cream, chips, cookies, and slushies are available and priced individually.  They must be paid for in advance or at the point of purchase.

It is permissible for students to bring their lunches from home.  Carbonated drinks of all types are prohibited. Commercial foods are not allowed to be brought into the school for student lunches.  

Milk is the only beverage children in grades K-2 are allowed to purchase without a note from their parents.

IF YOU (PARENTS/GUARDIANS) DO NOT WISH FOR YOUR CHILD TO PURCHASE EXTRA ITEMS, SUCH AS CHIPS, ICE CREAM, ETC., OR YOU WISH TO LIMIT THE NUMBER OF DAYS YOUR CHILD IS ALLOWED TO PURCHASE SUCH ITEMS, YOU MAY SEND A NOTE IN TO THE CAFETERIA SUPERVISOR OR CALL AT 454-2615 AND SHE WILL NOTE THIS IN YOUR CHILD’S ACCOUNT.

Parents/Guardians may request a copy of a child’s cafeteria purchase history at any time.

In order to provide fast and efficient service in the cafeteria, we use a computerized cash register and record keeping system.  With this system, each student, is given a personal four-digit number, which he/she will use as long as he/she is a student at Farrar.  The four-digit number assigned to students is confidential. Money may be deposited into a child’s account before each school day. The system allows for prepayment of up to $99.99.  The system will deduct the amount spent by the student from his/her account.

Breakfast Prices:

• Free for all K-5 students
• $1.75 for all visitors

Lunch Prices:

• Free for all K-5 students
• $4.00 for all Visitors and Staff
• $6.00 for Special Occasion Meals
  • (Thanksgiving Lunch)

Parents / guests, or those listed on the student’s information card, may come to eat lunch with your child(ren).  Please check in at the office, get a visitor’s badge, and wait in the lobby until your child’s lunch time, at which time you may join them in the cafeteria line.  This procedure will allow the teacher and the students to prepare for lunch following their usual routine.

Students with visitors for lunch will have special seating in which he/she may invite a friend to join him/her as long as seating is available.  Students in Kindergarten eat lunch in their classrooms. Students in 1st and 2nd grade eat lunch in an area designated as the “Pod Café”  in the main pod area. Students in grades 3-5 eat lunch in the gymnasium.

We begin every day with a moment of silence at 8:00 a.m.  During this time all talking and movement will stop throughout the building.

Following the Moment of Silence, Farrar students participate in the Pledge of Allegiance to the American Flag.

Twice yearly, two formal conference days are scheduled for parents.  All parents are highly encouraged to attend. Additionally, if parents would like a conference at any other time throughout the year, you are encouraged to call the school to schedule a meeting during the teacher’s planning period.  (Every effort will be made to protect instructional time for students, therefore teachers will NOT be asked to come out of a class to meet with individual parents.)

Classroom  parties are limited to Christmas, Valentine’s Day, and Halloween.  The parties will be organized by our PTO Room Moms and every effort will be made to make sure that all parties in each grade level are equal and fair for all.

All parents are encouraged to help with room holiday parties by contributing food items, making a donation, or helping with the party on the day of the event.

Birthday treats or snacks are allowed at school and if sent, will be given to children after they have eaten their lunch.  When planning to send in treats, please check with the classroom teacher to see if there are any food allergies of students in the classroom that need to be considered when choosing food items.

Leave toys, trading cards, and electronic devices at home unless approved by the teacher. Any item that interferes with the educational process will be taken from the student.  Parents may come to the school and claim the item.

Policies and procedures are subject to change as policies, regulations, and laws change

The Tullahoma City School’s preschool and child-find program offers free screening for all preschool children living within the city limits of Tullahoma.  Any child, age 3 to 5 years old, is eligible for screening. If you are concerned about your child’s hearing, vision, speech, language, motor, or cognitive development, please call 454-2639 for further information or to schedule an appointment.

Our Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) is an integral part of our school and consists of parents of Farrar students, the principal, and teacher representatives. All parents are encouraged to actively participate in this school support organization, which is led by a board of officers.  If you would like to know more about becoming involved, please contact the school office for more information. You can find PTO information on the Jack T. Farrar Parent Teacher Organization Facebook page.

Report cards are issued following the completion of each nine-week grading period.  

Based on  current TN state law and TCS Board Policy, 15% of your child’s final 2nd semester grade will be based on the end of year TCAP scores (grades 3-5). (Unless scores fail to be returned in a timely manner.)

The grading scale for students in grades 3-5 is as follows:

• 93-100 = A
• 85 - 92 = B
• 75 – 84 = C
• 70 – 74 = D
•  0 – 69 = F

Response to Intervention (RTI) services are provided in math and reading to students who qualify.  These services will be utilized in an attempt to assure that every child is given as much opportunity as possible to perform on or above grade level academically.  A universal screener will be given to all students three times a year. This screener along with other data will determine if a student is eligible for RTI services.

Each teacher has a copy of the school safety plan which was developed by a committee of teachers, parents, administrators, and law enforcement/fire officials. This is reviewed and revised each year to ensure the safety of the students and staff continues. Fire, tornado, lock-down, and other safety drills are held periodically. The plan is available for review by parents or other interested community members.

Parents/Guardians are encouraged to help us keep our children safe by following all safety protocols to include student drop off and pick-up procedures, abiding by the 10 mph speed limit when on campus, visitor check-in procedures,  providing up-to-date legal documentation concerning custody rights (when applicable), etc.

Parents may request information about qualifications of teachers and educational assistants who instruct his/her child.

Student information cards are kept on file in the office.  These cards contain information concerning emergency phone numbers and names of persons who are allowed to pick up a child.

• A student is allowed to leave school only with someone whose name is on the card.
• Parents need to keep the cards current with phone numbers and other pertinent information.  
• The primary number listed on the document will be used to send weekly telephone messages/updates.

Technology plays a large role in our students’ lives. Personal devices can enhance and enrich learning opportunities. We are committed to allowing responsible, learning-centered use of personal devices at school so as to provide as many pathways to understanding as possible for our students.

With parent permission, students in grades 3-5 will be issued an iPad for their personal use during school hours.  The devices will be placed in charger stations and remain at school over night. While TCS has insurance to take care of accidental damage to devices, if/when damage occurs that is deemed intentional or repetitive, parents will be held responsible for the cost incurred to repair the device.

Access to the TCS wireless network is filtered in compliance with the Children’s Internet Protection Act. Access to the TCS network is a privilege, not a right.

Guidelines for use of school-provided or personal devices:

• Use of personal and school assigned devices during the school day is at the discretion of teachers and staff. Students must use devices as directed by their teacher.
• The primary purpose of the use of devices at school is educational.
• The use of a device is not to be a distraction in any way to teachers or students.
• The use of personal devices falls under the TCS Acceptable Use Policy.
• Students shall make no attempt to circumvent the school’s network security and/or filtering policies.
• Students shall not distribute pictures or video of students or staff without their permission.

Students bring their devices to use at Farrar at their own risk. It is their duty to be responsible for the upkeep and protection of their devices. We are not responsible for personal devices that are lost, stolen, or broken while at school or during school-sponsored activities.

The office telephone is a business phone and should only be used by students in an emergency.  Messages to students should be limited to emergency situations. The administrative assistant will deliver messages to teachers.

If you wish to talk to a staff member, the administrative assistant will take your number and notify the staff member to return your call during their scheduled planning time or before or after school.  We make every effort to protect your child’s instructional time.

Jack T. Farrar Elementary School is a Title I school with a school-wide program.  If you have any questions or concerns, or would like to participate in the implementation/evaluation of the Title 1 Program, please contact the school.

Tullahoma City Schools shall provide any student who attends a persistently dangerous school (as defined by State Board of Education guidelines) or any student who has been the victim of a violent crime (as defined by State Board of Education guidelines) while at school, the opportunity to attend a safe school.  Parents of students who meet the criteria under this rule will be notified by the home school of the opportunity for the student to change schools.

Parents are welcome in Farrar School to help in classrooms, help in the office, or visit. In order to maintain safety and to have the most productive classroom learning atmosphere as possible, those wishing to visit are asked to make reservations with the teacher whose classroom you would like to visit.  Upon arrival, visitors will be required to obtain a visitor’s badge from the office, as well as read and sign a confidentiality form before proceeding to any other area of the building. A driver’s license is required to sign-in.

If you would like to conference with a teacher, please call the school to make an appointment in advance so that a meeting time can be scheduled.  Teachers are NOT available for conferences between 7:30 and 8:00 a.m without a prior appointment, as they are preparing for their day at that time each morning.