Student Handbook

Welcome to Genesis School! This handbook is provided to acquaint students and parents with the policies and procedures of our school and to provide other pertinent information.

GENESIS SCHOOL is a independently owned coeducational day school for students two years of age through Grade 5. At the heart of the philosophy at Genesis is our deep commitment to the development of the unique qualities of each child in an atmosphere of respect and understanding. We believe that an important goal of the school is to promote the excitement of learning and the development of independent thinking. We seek to help students achieve excellence in academics and to develop traditional virtues such as honesty, good manners and respect for others. Small class size and the wealth of talent and academic experience of the faculty enables students to receive individual attention and allows each child to develop to his or her full potential.

Mission Statement, Philosophy and Purpose

Mission Statement:
The mission of Genesis School will be to instill in each student a lifelong love of learning while providing a strong foundation for further education in a safe and nurturing environment.

The Philosophy of Genesis School shall be that:

Notice of Non-discrimination Policy

Genesis School admits students of any race, gender, creed, and national or ethnic origin.

History

Genesis School was founded in August of 1977. The school began as a preschool serving 30 children in the downtown New Port Richey area. Since then, we have added three buildings, including an elementary wing, a library building, and a separate office, and in 1988 we opened the East Campus, educating children from age 2 through fifth grade.

Accreditation

Genesis School is a fully accredited member of The Florida Council of Independent Schools and the Florida Kindergarten Council.

Health Requirements

Physical examinations and current immunization records must be on file at the school for all returning students. Physical examination and immunization records for new students must be on file before the student begins the school year.
Please advise the office of any allergies or on-going medical problems that may affect your child’s daily activities.
Please do not send medication, including Tylenol and/or cough drops to school with your child. Children who are ill or who have a fever should not be sent to school. A parent or authorized person must be available to pick up a sick child. If you have any questions, please call the office.

Dress Code

Students are expected to be well groomed and appropriately dressed for school. For safety and health reasons, flip-flops and open toed shoes are not acceptable. Students should avoid extremes in dress. Faded or torn jeans, tank tops, tight fitting clothing, bare midriff shirts, and clothing with improper slogans are not permissible.
Spirit day at Genesis School is held on Friday. Students are encouraged to wear shirts, and/or other clothing with the Genesis logo.

School Hours

Half-day and full-day programs are available for students in the preschool. The preschool is open from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at the West Campus, and 7:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. at the East Campus.
All classes start promptly at 9:00 a.m. The primary grades (Kinder through Second) are dismissed at 3:00 p.m. The upper grades (Third through Fifth) are dismissed at 3:15 p.m.
After School Kid’s Clubhouse activities include sports, art, music, gymnastics and crafts. The Clubs meet Monday through Friday from 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Extended care is available to elementary school students from 7:30 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. before school, and from 3:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. after school. (East Campus open until 6:00 p.m.)
Students who stay for extended care must sign out with the teacher on duty before leaving school. Students will be released only to those people whose names appear on the registration forms. If someone else is to pick up a student after school, parents must send a note to the office before 3:00 p.m. with a name and description of that person. Those authorized persons must be prepared to show a driver’s license as proof of identity.

Items from Home

For health and safety reasons, as well as to avoid distractions and arguments, please do not send stuffed animals or toys to school with your child. Students are encouraged to bring books, videos, or other educational materials with pre-approval from the teacher.

Tardiness

Punctuality is a MUST! Students should be on the Preschool campus or in the Elementary classrooms no later than 8:50a.m. Tardiness is a very serious matter and will be handled accordingly. Students arriving after 9:00 a.m. must report to the Main Office for a Tardy Pass.

Absences

Students who are absent from school are required to bring a note of explanation from home on the day they return to school. We strongly urge that doctor and dental appointments and family vacations be scheduled to assure that students do not miss valuable classroom instruction. A minimum of 2-3 hours of our teachers’ valuable time is required per day of absence to prepare assignments in advance, then grade and record them separately upon the student's return. Unfortunately, many students return with work not completed, or completed incorrectly because of missed classroom instruction. If you MUST take your child out of school for an extended period of time, please let the administration and the teacher know at least a week in advance. If a child must leave school during school hours, parents need to sign him/her out in the office.

Genesis Parent Group

Genesis School has an active and effective Parent Group that sponsors many activities during the year. The Fall Festival, Thanksgiving Celebration and Teacher Appreciation Week are three of the highlights. The Parent Group also supports our school in many other ways such as coordinating the Room Parents who help with Book Fairs as well as various class activities.

Discipline

Discipline helps children learn how to live in a social world and to take responsibility for their own behavior. At Genesis children are encouraged to solve their problems verbally rather than physically, and to practice self-control.

Genesis School expects its students to maintain an attitude of respect and cooperation at all times. The following are examples of behavior that will not be tolerated:
1. Deliberate, continual disregard of school and/or classroom rules.
2. Defiance of authority; disobeying or showing disrespect.
3. Using profane, obscene, or abusive language.
4. Defacing and/or destroying school property.
5. Aggressive behavior resulting in injury to another person.
6. Cheating and lying (dishonesty).

The following procedures are used in matters of discipline:
1.Conference between teacher and student to encourage positive action to correct problem.
2."Time out" for student to reflect on his responsibility in the matter.
3. Conference with Principal, teacher and student.
4. Conference with Principal, teacher and parents.
5.Suspension or expulsion of student for period of time deemed appropriate.

Disciplinary procedures will be handled both immediately and in a positive manner.  School personnel will never administer corporal punishment.

Conferences

Formal documented Parent Teacher Conferences are required, one per year for Preschool and two per year for Elementary. Elementary teachers are available for conferences until 4:00 p.m. Parents or teachers may request a conference as the need arises.

Grading System

Report cards for elementary students are issued four times a year.  Grades will be based on academic performance and classroom participation.  The grading scale for Grades Three through Five is as follows:

Kindergarten through Second Grades are evaluated according to the following scale:

Preschool students will receive written evaluations of their progress twice a year from their classroom teachers.

Standardized Testing 

The Stanford Achievement Tests’ Ninth Edition are given to all elementary school students in the spring of each year. Results are included with Interim IV report cards.

Honor Roll

Fourth and Fifth Grade students who receive all A’s or A’s and B’s will be recognized for the High Honor and Honor Rolls respectively.