Student Handbook

Misty Williams, Principal

Victoria Shirley, Assistant Principal

Kristie Alexander, Counselor

Karissa Chapman, Secretary

Crimson Tyson, Nurse

Tammy Sprawls, Attendance Secretary

Catherine Thomas, Receptionist

• No administrative office or employee of the Atlanta ISD acting in his/her official capacity may discriminate on the basis of a person’s sex, race, religion, color, or national origin regarding personnel practices, including assigning, hiring, promoting, awarding contracts, and participation in programs.
• No student shall, on the basis of sex, race, religion, or national origin, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity sponsored by this school district except as specifically provided in the Title IX Implementing Regulations.
• No qualified handicapped person shall, on the basis of handicap, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or otherwise be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity sponsored by this school district except as specifically provided in the Sections 504 Implementing Regulations

INQUIRIES REGARDING ANY OF THESE POLICIES SHOULD BE DIRECTED TO:

Nancy Rinehart

Executive Director of Instructional Programs

903-796-4194

Attendance

The first bell rings at 7:45 a.m.  The tardy bell rings at 7:50 a.m.  Students arriving after 7:50 a.m. will be considered tardy. They will need to stop by the office for an admit slip to class. Supervision does not begin until 7:25 a.m. Because instruction begins at 7:50 a.m., parents will not be permitted to escort students to classrooms after the tardy bell has rung. Any student accumulating more than four tardies within a six-week grading period may be subject to disciplinary action.

Absences

The first bell rings at 7:45 a.m.  The tardy bell rings at 7:50 a.m.  Students arriving after 7:50 a.m. will be considered tardy. They will need to stop by the office for an admit slip to class. Supervision does not begin until 7:25 a.m. Because instruction begins at 7:50 a.m., parents will not be permitted to escort students to classrooms after the tardy bell has rung. Any student accumulating more than four tardies within a six-week grading period may be subject to disciplinary action.

Dismissal Time

3:30 p.m. Parent Pickup/ Bus Pickup

Cafeteria Prices

For school year 2026-2027, Atlanta ISD meets the requirements for the USDA’s Community Eligibility Provision, and all students will be served breakfast and lunch at no cost. This eliminates the need for applications to be completed to qualify for free or reduced-price meals. However, the socioeconomic forms in the registration packet must be filled out. This information is needed for other income-based programs and benefits for AISD students. The District participates in the Nations School Breakfast and Lunch Programs and offers students nutritionally balanced meals daily in accordance with the standards set forth in state and federal law. According to USDA guidelines sharing food is prohibited. This includes students sharing food with each other and parent providing food for anyone other than their own children.

Other fees include

Celebration T-Shirt / Events: $11.00

For safety and emergency contact purposes, changes of address or telephone number should be reported to the school office and to the student’s teacher immediately.  A card for each student enrolled is on file in the school office.  Cards provide parents’ home and work addresses, telephone numbers, name of the student’s physician, and the name of a person to be contacted if parents cannot be reached. The school nurse will have a pink information card to fill out with medical information.

Upon arrival, students who are eating breakfast report to the cafeteria. Students who are not eating breakfast will report to the gym until the 7:45 a.m. bell rings. Students will be dismissed to their classrooms at that time. For the safety of your child, do not leave him/her at school before 7:25 a.m. Supervision does not begin until 7:25 a.m.

Students are expected to follow campus rules and guidelines during assemblies.

Students are required to conduct themselves during assemblies as they do in class. Students who are tardy or who do not abide by District rules of conduct during an assembly shall be subject to disciplinary action.

The Four Rules for Audiences:

1. Do not enter the performance area once it has begun.
2. Show respect for the performer/speaker.
3. Applaud according to the dictates of the performance.

Remain in attendance during the activity.

Attendance will be taken at 9:30 daily. Regular school attendance is essential for the student to make the most of his or her education. To benefit from teacher- led activities, to build each day’s learning on that of the previous day, to grow as an individual, and for exposure to the activities that make learning come alive, students need to be in class every school day. Absences from class may result in serious disruption of a student’s mastery of the instructional materials; therefore, the student and parent should make every effort to avoid unnecessary absences.

Absences

Your progress in school depends greatly on punctuality and regularity of attendance. Personal sickness, sickness or deaths in the family, emergencies or unusual causes (acceptable to the Principal) are the only acceptable reasons for absence. When parents are in doubt, they should contact the Principal before the absence occurs. If a student is absent for ten or more days or parts of days within a six-month period in the same school year, or if a student is absent on three or more days or parts of days within a four-week period the student’s parent is subject to prosecution under the Compulsory Attendance Law. Even if absences are deemed excused, a student must attend school for at least 90% of the days class is offered. For a student to receive a perfect attendance award they must be in attendance from bell to bell. If a student is checked out during the day and does not return with an excused absence from the doctor/dentist, this will count as missing part of a day. Students arriving late after 7:50 a.m. will not be considered for perfect attendance.

Tardies

Prompt attendance is essential for academic success. All students are expected to be in class and ready for the day by 7:50 a.m. Arrival to class after 7:50 a.m. will be counted tardy. If your child arrives to school after the tardy bell has rung (which is 7:50 a.m.), the parent MUST escort their child to the office and sign them in.  For the safety of your child, please do not drop off your child without notifying the office after the school day has begun. Students accumulating more than four tardies during a six-week grading period may be subject to disciplinary action. Unless the principal has granted approval because of extenuating circumstances, a student will not regularly be released before the end of the instructional day. Please reference the compulsory attendance law notice. Four (4) tardies are allowed per six-week grading period.

It is the goal of Atlanta Primary School to provide the best educational experience possible in order for your child to reach his full potential.  We also strive to provide more immediate help to struggling students in order to reduce inappropriate identification of disabilities.  We want to provide high-quality instruction designed specifically to meet students' needs.

• This process includes the principal, teachers, parents, and specialists in order to define the problem/establish baseline data
• Develop the intervention plan
• Implement the intervention plan
• Multi-tiered models of instruction/intervention
• Evaluate the intervention plan

For school year 2026-2027, Atlanta ISD meets the requirements for the USDA’s Community Eligibility Provision, and all students will be served breakfast and lunch at no cost. This eliminates the need for applications to be completed to qualify for free or reduced-price meals. 

Breakfast will be served each school day starting at 7:25 a.m.  Students eating breakfast must go directly to the cafeteria when they arrive at school.  Breakfast will not be served to students arriving after 8:00 a.m. unless there is a late bus.    Instruction will begin at 7:50 a.m., and the cafeteria must be cleared at that time. 

According to USDA guidelines, sharing food is prohibited.  This includes students sharing food with each other and parents providing food for anyone other than their own children.

School telephones may be used by students only in case of emergency as determined by the principal or secretary. Except in case of emergencies, classes will not be interrupted to deliver messages to students or to call them to the telephone.

Parents should make a sincere effort to meet with the teacher upon the teacher’s request for a conference. Parents wishing to have a conference with the teacher should call the school office to make an appointment or contact the teacher via ParentSquare.

The school counselor is able to help students with a wide range of personal concerns. The counselor is familiar with community resources and may direct students to other sources of information and assistance. Students who wish to discuss academic or personal concerns with a counselor should make arrangements to see the counselor. In case of custody disputes, please make sure the school receives appropriate court documentation.

Atlanta Primary School students are always treated respectfully, fairly and equitably.  Discipline will be based on the careful assessment of the circumstances of each case, reviewing factors such as:

1. the seriousness of the offense
2. the student’s age
3. the frequency of the misconduct
4. the student’s attitude
5. the potential effect of the misconduct on the school environment.

When the student is sent to the office, the following discipline management techniques may be used, alone or in combination, for misbehavior that violates the Student Code of Conduct or campus or classroom rules:

1. Oral correction
2. Cooling-off time
3. Counseling by teachers, counselor, or administrator
4. Parent phone call
5. Temporary alternative placement
6. Behavioral contracts
7. Temporary confiscation of items that disrupt the educational process
8. Denial of recess or any fun activity for a specific amount of time
9. Other discipline as determined based on the communication by the administrator and parent

Dress Code—See District Policy.

Water or products that meet federal nutritional guidelines will be allowed in classrooms or hallways only in non-glass containers that do not have a removable straw. Containers must be able to be closed completely unless a special event is designated by the teacher or principal. Food will only be allowed in hallways and classrooms during special events designated by the teacher or principal.

BELL TO BELL AWARD

For a student to receive a perfect attendance award, they must be in attendance from bell to bell. If a student is checked out during the day and does not return with an excused absence from the doctor/dentist, this will count as missing part of a day. Students arriving late (after 7:50 a.m.) will not be considered for perfect attendance. Every six weeks we reward the grade level class with the highest attendance rate. Students with perfect attendance all year long will be recognized with an award at the end-of-year ceremony. Medical notes must be turned in to the office within three days of an absence to be considered for this award.

Persistent misbehavior may result in loss of all field trips for that semester.

There will be no deliveries allowed for Valentine’s Day or Homecoming.  There will be a charge of $1.00 for any other delivery for your child.

The gifted and talented program is available for students in grades K-2.  The selection is based on teacher nomination, cognitive skills, test scores, parent nominations, achievement scores, and end-of-year grades from the previous year. Additional information about the G/T Program is available from the counselor.

Kindergarten

• Excellent
• Satisfactory
• Needs Improvement
• Unsatisfactory
• Mastered
• Introduced

First Grade

Second Grade

Citizenship grades will be indicated with E - excellent; S- satisfactory; N- needs improvement; or U- unsatisfactory. Teachers will take a minimum of two grades per week.  There will be a minimum of three major grades per six weeks.  Grades should be updated weekly by Tuesday mornings at 8:00 a.m. Due to extenuating circumstances, the number of grades may be reduced based on principal discretion.

Report card grades are determined as follows:

Independent practice 50%

Tests (weekly, unit) 50%

Daily grades may consist of the following:

• Daily work
• Homework assignments
• Quizzes
• Participation
• Performance assessments

Major grades may consist of the following:

• Formal assessments
• Projects
• Term papers
• Extended assessments
• Performance assessments

To ensure that grading reflects a student’s relative mastery of an assignment, in accordance with grading guidelines, a student may be permitted a reasonable opportunity to redo an assignment or retake a test for which the student receives a failing grade. (refer to policy EIA(LOCAL))

A student who earns below a 70 on two graded assignments will be given the opportunity to redo after re-teaching has occurred. The student will be assigned the higher of the two grades, but that grade may not exceed a 70.

Each six weeks and each semester, students making the “A” Honor Roll or the “A-B” Honor Roll will be recognized.  In order for a student to qualify for the “A” Honor Roll, he/she must make all “A’s” and at least a satisfactory in conduct.  In order for a student to qualify for the “A-B” Honor Roll, he/she must make only “A’s” and “B’s” and have at least one “A”. 

An “N” or “U” in conduct in any class will disqualify a student for Honor Roll.

Parties are allowed at Fall Festival, Christmas, Valentine’s Day and Easter.  Parents are asked to contribute $5.00 to cover the cost of the parties.  Birthday treats can be shared with your child’s class after 2:30 p.m.

INDIVIDUAL STUDENT BIRTHDAYS

• In accordance with the Texas Department of Agriculture’s Public Schools Nutrition Policy effective August 1, 2004, parents may only offer cupcakes or cookies to be distributed for student birthdays after lunch period has ended.
• Please make arrangements with homeroom teachers before bringing store-bought or catered cupcakes/snacks for birthday celebrations. Birthday treats can be shared with the class after 2:30 pm.
• Birthday invitations may NOT be passed out during school hours.

Individual and group pictures will be made during the school year.  Please watch for notices and advertisements in your child’s folder.

EXPECTATIONS:

Follow directions the first time given.

Keep hands and feet to yourself at all times.

Use equipment properly.

No teasing, bullying, foul language, harassment, or physical abuse (i.e. shoving, pinching, hitting, or kicking).

No tackle games, play fighting, dog piling, wrestling, or scuffling.

ENFORCEMENT:

The child will be taken to the principal if he/she misbehaves in a severe manner such as:

1. Causes bodily harm to another person
2. Destroys property
3. Acts disrespectfully towards the supervisor
4. Involved in fighting
5. Is a continuous discipline problem on the playground

SEVERE CLAUSE

Immediate referral to the administration will occur for the following infractions: fighting, overt defiance, leaving school grounds, and weapons.

Please see AISD Board Policy for information concerning Promotion and Retention. This information can be found on the AISD website.

Atlanta Primary School utilizes a three-tiered teaching plan in order to assist students who are struggling academically.  Each tier consists of targeted approaches/programs in order to assist the student.  They consist of the following:

Tier 1

Primary Classroom Intervention (PCI)

(Screening tests, whole-class instructional techniques, school-wide systems for all students, whole-classroom systems for all students)

• mCLASS
• STAR Literacy
• Reagan Tunstall /Sharon Wells
• HMH Houghton Mifflin
• UFLI Foundations
• Heggerty
• Benchmarks
• Differentiated Instruction
• Accelerated Reader
• Blended Learning
• Progress Monitoring/Checkpoints
•  ESL
• MAP Testing

Tier 2

Secondary Intervention

(Targeted short-term interventions, Specialized Group Systems for students at Risk, small group techniques, methodologies, targeted strategies)

• CIT (Campus Intervention Team)
• Math/Reading Support: low ratio accelerated instruction
• Content Mastery
• 504 Interventions
• ESL
• Accelerated Reader
• Blended Learning
• Oral reading with certified teacher
• Progress Monitoring/Checkpoints

Tier 3

Tertiary Intervention

(Intensive instruction, specialized individual systems for students with intense needs)

• Behavior Intervention Plans
• 504 Interventions
• Math/Reading Support: low ratio accelerated instruction
• Content Mastery
• Oral reading with certified teacher
• ESL
• Accelerated Reader
• Computer assistance for instructional needs
• Dyslexia

A student’s performance on district testing will determine if the student is in need of literacy support.  A letter will be sent home notifying the parent of the child’s participation in these intervention programs.

OPTIONS AND REQUIREMENTS FOR PROVIDING ASSISTANCE TO STUDENTS WHO HAVE LEARNING DIFFICULTIES OR WHO MAY NEED SPECIAL EDUCATION:

If a child is experiencing learning difficulties, the parent is encouraged to contact the school to learn about the district’s overall general education referral or screening system for support services. This system links students to a variety of support options, including referral for a special education evaluation. Students having difficulty in the regular classroom should be considered for tutorial, compensatory, and other support services that are available to all students.

If evaluation is needed, the parent will be notified and asked to provide consent for the evaluation. The district must complete the evaluation and the report within 60 calendar days of the date the district receives the written consent. The district must give a copy of the report to the parent.

If the district determines that the evaluation is not needed, the district will provide the parent with a notice that explains why the child will not be evaluated. This notice will include a statement that informs the parent of their rights if they disagree with the district. Additionally, the notice must inform the parent how to obtain a copy the Notice of Procedural Safeguards Rights of Students with Disabilities.

The designated person to contact regarding options for a child experiencing learning difficulties or a referral for evaluation for special education is the counselor at 903-796-8115.

Every Friday is Spirit Day at Atlanta Primary School. Children and staff are encouraged to wear their Rabbit shirts.

Summer school may be recommended for students who need additional reinforcement and/or small group remediation.  The Campus Improvement Team (CIT) will review all data to determine whether a child should be recommended for summer school.  A student may be placed at the next grade level by a grade placement committee made up of the principal, teacher and counselor.  This conditional agreement must specify the terms and conditions of the student placement. If a student accumulates more than 18 unexcused absences, they will be required to attend summer school.

To ensure the safety of students, ride changes are required to be submitted through the PikMyKid app no later than 3:00 p.m. daily. This policy helps to coordinate transportation effectively and ensure that students are safely accounted for during pick-up times. If the office does not receive proper notification of ride changes, the student will follow his/her normal routine.