Forest Hills Flyer

August 2023

A Note from the Principal

Forest Hills Families,

Welcome back! We had an excellent first two days of school, and I'm looking forward to the days ahead! Students have done wonderful learning our routines and procedures while also making new friends and fun memories! Students have begun learning about The Falcon Way...this is our way of life at Forest Hills and Florence City Schools. Ask your child about The Falcon Way!

You will receive this newsletter, The Forest Hills Flyer, from me monthly. This newsletter will have everything you need to know about your child's school for the month ahead!

Please be patient at the beginning of the school year. New parents are learning our traffic flow, and other parents have shifted to different traffic lines--it takes a little time for everyone to learn their route. Offensive behavior will not be tolerated on our campus.

Finally, please know that distracted driving is not tolerated on campus. Cell phones should not be in use when in our traffic flow lines. If seen using your phone, an administrator or teacher will kindly prompt you to put it away. We want to keep everyone safe!

We are looking forward to a great year! If there is any way I can assist you or your child, please let me know!

Thank you,

Mrs. Fowler, Principal

#WeAreFalcons

Orientation Video

The Counselors' Corner

Each month Mr. Bradford & Ms. Tittle (better known as "Mr. B & Ms. T") create an awesome newsletter for students and families focusing on our virtue of the month. Families will also hear from students about what's going on at The Hill!

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Falcon Hub App

Be sure to download the FCS Falcon Hub app! This is a great one stop shop for families (and especially those with students at multiple FCS schools).

Falcon Hub App Video

Transportation Placard Reminders

Please be sure to hang your transportation placard on a coat hanger (see picture below) when picking your child up in the car line. We cannot read the placards when they're laying on your dashboard.
Be sure to take the coat hanger down once your child is in the car--this is how we know your child is in the car and you're ready to exit campus.
Students will not be released to anyone in the car line or at a bus stop without having a transportation placard. If a parent does not have a transportation placard at the bus stop, the student will be brought back to the school.
If you do not have a transportation placard, you must come to our office and show your photo ID.

Traffic Flow Reminders

Kindergarten parents should only enter campus from the South-bound lane on Chisholm--this means you should only be turning RIGHT onto campus. For many of you, this means you will need to drive past campus and make a legal turn somewhere north of campus to enter the kindergarten line. Please do not make illegal U-turns to do this. If a kindergarten parent is coming in from the North-bound lane on Chisholm and turning left onto campus, YOU ARE ENTERING THE WRONG WAY AND BLOCKING 1ST & 2ND GRADE PARENTS. Your route will be much smoother and faster if you enter from the South-bound lane and turn right to pick up your kindergarten student.
Siblings of kindergarten students should be dropped off and picked up in the kindergarten line (even if the kindergarten student is absent). Please be sure older siblings of K students understand this!
3rd/4th Grade parents, if you have no other students to pick up in other grades, stay in the left lane and exit campus after getting your 3rd or 4th grader.
Please review the maps below.

Traffic Flow Videos

Chronic Absenteeism-what is it & why is it something we need to avoid?

Chronic absenteeism is defined by the State of Alabama as 18 absences (including excused and unexcused absences). When students miss 18 days of school, it is nearly impossible to make up those missed instructional days. If students aren't at school, we can't teach them. Please be sure to look at the chart below for how just a few minutes missed each day can have long-term negative impacts.

The Alabama State Department of Education (ALSDE) holds Florence City Schools accountable on the annual report card for students who fall into this category. Chronic absenteeism counts as 15% of the total grade given to Forest Hills Elementary School on the ALSDE State Report Card. The ALSDE recognizes the importance of students not missing instructional time. Perfect Attendance is defined as no absences, no tardies, no check-ins, no check-outs. A student with 20 or more absences may be retained for the school year per FCS policy.

Those students who have maintained a 95% attendance rate will be recognized at our end of year awards ceremonies!

Remember, ATTENDANCE MATTERS!

Attendance Policy in Florence City Schools

Families, I have receive several questions regarding pre-approved absences for family trips. Please know I do not encourage missing school for vacations. I encourage families to utilize the breaks that are built into the FCS calendar for family travel. If you want to request pre-approved absences, you must email me directly at lfowler@florencek12.org. Please read below for attendance policies.-Mrs. Fowler

Regular school attendance is imperative for a successful school year. A student must be present 51% of the school day in order to be counted present. In other words, a student must check in prior to 11:00 a.m. and may not check out prior to 11:00 a.m. in order to be marked “present.” Students are expected to be in school according to the Florence City Schools calendar. Truancy in the state of Alabama is defined as 7 unexcused absences.

All absences are unexcused until a valid written explanation is provided.
All written explanations (parent, doctor, court, etc.) must be turned in to the school within three school days following the student’s return to school. Notes may be provided via email or handwritten note/ to your child’s teacher or our school secretary.

Excused absences based on parent notes may not exceed a total of five days per semester. Should a parent use 5 parent notes for pre-approved vacations, no further vacations will be approved.
Once 5 parent notes have been used, any other absences require a doctor’s note or written proof of required court appearance.
Absences may be excused for the following reasons:

o Student too ill to attend school

o Death in the immediate family

o Legal quarantine

o Inclement weather which would be dangerous to attempt attending

o Emergency conditions as determined by the principal

o Principal’s permission and the consent of a parent/guardian

All other absences, including suspensions, are unexcused.

Parents/Guardians are required to attend an Early Warning session when a student accrues 5 unexcused absences.

Failure to appear at the Early Warning session will result in truancy charges filed in the Lauderdale County Court System against the parent/guardian when the student reaches 7 unexcused absences.

All absences during benchmark testing will be unexcused unless a note from the child’s doctor is received. Absences during testing windows should be avoided.

check-ins

Any student who is walking in the building after 7:30am MUST be accompanied by an adult. This is because teachers begin teaching at 7:30 am. Any student coming in after 7:35 am will be considered tardy and have to be checked in by an adult.