VISITORSParents and relatives interested in the welfare of the students are always welcomed although the school administration discourages interruptions which interfere with the operation of the school. Arranging in advance for conferences with teachers will enable parents to better help their children.Visitors must secure a pass from the main office immediately upon entering the building. Anyone found in the building without permission may be prosecuted for trespassing, and is in violation of City of Philadelphia Law (10-824). SCHOOL SCHEDULEOur daily schedule is Monday - Friday 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Children are recorded late at 8:50 a.m. Children should NOT be brought to school before 8:15 a.m. unless they are in the Extended Day Program. There is no one to supervise them before that time. We have Saturday class as listed on the school calendar. We will have at least 4 Saturday classes this year. Please see calender.Attendance PolicyRegular school attendance has always been important. Without it the efforts of the best teachers and the best schools will come to nothing. Students must attend school regularly in accordance with the laws of the state. Students need to attend regularly if they are to take full advantage of the educational opportunities available to them. Irregular attendance undermines the educational process and will lead to educational disadvantage.Imani therefore sees maximizing of attendance rates as one of its key task/responsibilities. We will actively pursue the goals of regular attendance and a high rate of punctuality, both in relation to individual students and for the student body as a whole. Why is good attendance important? 1. Good attendance ensures that students will be able to take full advantage of all the offered educational opportunities.In order to encourage high levels of attendance and punctuality there are a number of things that we will do. 1. We will keep accurate records and notify parents of any concerns.How can parents help? 1. Parents/care givers have a crucial role to play.Together with parents we share responsibility in ensuring that students attend, arrive on time and stay in school. Imani will do everything possible to support and take seriously problems which may lead to non-attendance. Classroom AttendanceAll students must attend all assigned classes and be prompt.The hall pass system is put in place to track students who are out of the class without permission from their teacher. We will not have students wandering the corridors during class time. The following measures will be taken to deal with students who are out of class without permission and who are found wandering about the school. 1. A student who is found in the corridor without permission (no hallpass) will be given a warning and that warning will be recorded in the discipline referral binder.It is important to recognize that students found wandering about the school without permission from their teacher is not only missing valuable class time but also poses a safety concern. Given the focus on safe schools and the need to know where students are in the school at all times, it is absolutely not unreasonable to expect that if a student is in school they must be attending all their classes. LATENESS POLICYThe education of a child should be of utmost importance to all parents. Lateness is an unacceptable pattern that we will not tolerate. In an ongoing effort to maintain a standard of excellence, and to build on our success, we have revisited and revised our current lateness policy.Since some of our students take public transportation to school, there may be an occasion where lateness is unavoidable due to a major traffic delay. It is the chronic latecomer, however, who poses the most serious of problems. To intervene and hopefully prevent any student from becoming a chronic latecomer, the following guidelines with regards to lateness have been adopted. As lateness disrupts the education of your child and the entire school, students are expected to be at school by 8:30 a.m. in order to enter with their class. 1. Students who are late for school will not be able to participate in Harambee. Harambee is the activity that begins our school day. When students are late they before going to class to receive a late pass.Children who are late must receive a late note from the Security Person on duty. As lateness disrupts the education of your child and the entire school, students are expected to be at school by 8:15 a.m. in order to enter with their class. In the event that an emergency occurs, please adhere to the following procedures. 1. A parent may accompany the student to school to explain the lateness. LINESChildren are to report for Harambee every morning at 8:30 a.m. Immediately following Harambee the children form lines in the yard and are supervised into the building by their teachers at 8:40 a.m.Children who are late must receive a late note from the Security Person/NTA on duty. As lateness disrupts the education of your child and the entire school, students are expected to be at school by 8:30 a.m. in order to enter with their class. In the event that an emergency occurs, please adhere to the following procedures. 1. A parent may accompany the student to school to explain the lateness. 2. A written note from home explaining the lateness must be bought in with the child. 3. A telephone call from home explaining the lateness to the secretary may be received. We would rather see a child come late than not at all. DISMISSAL TIMEAll children are escorted to the Harambee area (school yard) by their teachers at 3:30 p.m. Parents and older siblings are to pick the children up from that area. CHILDREN ARE NOT TO RE-ENTER THE BUILDING EXCEPT IN AN EMERGENCY. Please arrange to have your child picked up promptly.Supervision is not available after 3:30, unless the child is enrolled in the Extended Day Program. Children who are part of the Extended Day Program will be held in the cafeteria where they will be met by the sponsors of that program. Children who ride vans/buses will be dismissed to the Harambee area with their classes. They will leave the lines and walk to their respective vans/buses. They will be supervised by the van/bus drivers until they are returned to their respective homes or drop off places. REQUEST FOR EARLY DISMISSALThere may be times when it will be necessary to request an early dismissal for your child (i.e., for medical appointment). However, we discourage taking a child out of school, and if at all possible these appointments should be made after school hours.When this cannot occur and an early dismissal is necessary, two things must happen: 1. The request for early dismissal must be in writing, and 2. The parent, or an adult designated by the parent, must report to the office in order to sign the child out during the school day. Identification will be required. When students do have an early dismissal for medical/dental appointments, there should be a follow-up note from the physician or dentist indicating that the appointment was kept. These procedures have been put in place in order to protect your child. Telephone calls for an early dismissal will not be accepted, and children will not be permitted to leave the building without the adult. INCLEMENT WEATHERStudents should stay at home where it is warm and dry until "the last minute," then leave at a time that will allow them to arrive at Imani at 8:30 a.m. In case of school closing, listen to KYW. Our school number is 130.ELEVATORSThere are two passenger elevators in the building. Children are NOT permitted to use the elevators. They are to use the stairs at all times. Any student who suffers from a permanent or temporary disability and cannot use the stairs must bring a note from a doctor to the nurse who will then issue a pass for elevator use.SAFETY TO AND FROM SCHOOL
SCHOOL BUS REGULATIONSTo have safe buses, the driver's attention must not be diverted by misbehavior on the bus. Only one or two students causing trouble could result in injuries. Therefore, these rules will be enforced.
SCHOOL BUS CONSEQUENCESThe same rules and consequences that apply at IMANI, also apply on the school buses.1st Offense- Warning
STUDENTS' LOCKERSProtection and safety: A locker is provided to students in grades 2 - 8 to protect your belongings. No one else should have your combination. Students are permitted to use their lockers before and after school and their lunch period. Be sure it is locked when you leave it. The school is not responsible for loss from lockers. You are not to share your assigned locker with other students. Use it only for your own possessions, (not money). The school reserves the right to inspect the contents of any locker at any time.Care of locker: Close locker doors carefully. See that locker shuts tightly at both top and bottom. After locking, give dial an extra twirl. Keep combination in a place Separate from your name or locker number. ASSIGNMENT OF LOCKS AND LOCKERS Locks and lockers will be assigned to each teacher. The teacher will give these locks and lockers to the students. All locks and locker adjustments are made by the person in charge of the locks. If locker or locks become defective, report the defect to the teacher. If the student leaves the school the lock must be returned. There is a charge for each lost lock. The charge is to be determined. SCHOOL SECURITYAfter the children are admitted each day at 8:40 a.m. we employ a security program for children and staff. Doors can be set with an electronic device. We may leave the building during an emergency, but outsiders cannot enter when the device is set.Children going to the lavatories, office or infirmary must travel in pairs for their security and carry a written hall pass at all times. This program is in place for the safety of your child and members of the school staff. ILLNESS-ABSENCE NOTESIf your child feels sick before leaving for school, our experience teaches us that you should keep your child home.When a sickness occurs at school, the parents or guardian will be required to take the student out of school. This assures prompt medical attention for your child while preventing the spread of potentially contagious germs. All absences are reported on your child's report card. Unless a valid reason from the parent or caregiver is received, the absence will be coded "unexcused or parental neglect." We encourage parents not to keep the children home, unless they are sick. Regular attendance is a prerequisite for success in school. Regular attendance and punctuality are extremely important in the education of a child. To be in school everyday helps to build good work habits and directly affects pupil progress. VERY IMPORTANT: When writing an absence note, please write the DATE or DATES OF ABSENCE on the note, along with the reason for the absence. NURSE SERVICEOur School Nurse is available to provide health services to students at Imani 5 days a week, Monday - Friday from 8:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. Please call her in advance to schedule an appointment. She may be reached at (215) 713-9240.Our nurse will inform you in writing of routine examinations to be given to your children in school. The School District of Philadelphia requires certain exams and immunizations on each student. PARENTS MUST COMPLY WITH THESE REQUIREMENTS. In some cases, children WILL NOT be allowed in school without meeting these requirements. LOST AND FOUNDPlease label all your child's belongings. The child's name and room number will be most helpful if written on the articles, especially for the young child. The school's lost and found is in the administration area. Personal items left by the children in the classrooms are turned into the lost and found by the teacher.MONEYAll children are responsible for any money they bring to school. Please see that all money they bring is in a container with their name and room number clearly written on it. They are to keep it on them and not leave it in their desk, etc.TOKENSTokens will be sold on Monday - Friday between 2:00 and 3:30 p.m.RECESSThis is to be a HAPPY TIME FOR ALL! Each class has a recess period daily.If any disagreement arises during recess, please boys and girls, do not create another problem by trying to settle it through a fight. Go to the person(s) on duty, give him/her the facts, and a peaceful settlement will occur. When playing during recess, please play safely. Rough games will not be permitted. FIRE DRILLSAt the sound of the fire instrument, the building is to be immediately evacuated. Follow the directions of the teacher. Students are to quickly and quietly leave the classroom, proceed to the proper exit and leave the building. All students from each class are to remain together.LUNCH PROGRAMAll children at IEC will eat lunch at school. Some students will receive a free or reduced lunch, while others may purchase lunch tickets one week in advance, or bring lunch from home.The cost is based on the family's income level and is determined after specific forms, which are sent home, are completed and returned to school. Parents will be notified of their eligibility after the completed form is reviewed by the Archdiocese. Children may bring lunch from home if parent so desires. CHILDREN ARE NOT PERMITTED TO PURCHASE ANY FOODS OUTSIDE OF THE BUILDING DURING THE SCHOOL DAY. Children may not leave the premises during the day following their arrival in the morning. For the safety of all children, no glass bottles may be brought to school. LUNCHROOMWe must all remember that others have to use the lunchroom after we leave. Attention to a few simple rules will help to make the lunchroom a clean suitable place to eat.
FOODHopefully all of our children are receiving a nutritious breakfast. If they are in the lunch program they are receiving a nutritious lunch.We are requesting that you do not allow children to buy "junk" food on the way to school. Research has proven that this kind of food, containing artificial ingredients and much sugar, is detrimental to the learning capability, the emotional stability, and the physical condition of children. Let's all do our part to make our children healthy. DRESS CODEIEC has a dress code for all students without exception. All students are expected to conform to these requirements daily.Male Students: black slacks worn at the waist, white shirts with a collar, IEC's Afro-Centric vest, dark socks, black dress or school shoes. (No athletic footwear permitted), black cardigan sweater.Female Students: black skirt or slacks, no shorter that one inch above the knee, a white blouse, IEC's Afro-Centric vest, black shoes with heel no higher than one inch (no athletic footwear permitted), black cardigan sweater, black or white socks or hose. HOMEWORKIt has been proven that homework is a most important element in determining a child's success in school. Teachers at Imani will give homework at least four times a week, and possibly more. Homework is to be completed, and will be marked the following day. The homework grades will be part of the child's total grades on each report card.In addition to the regular assignments, all children are expected to read each night. Our young children may be read to and, in turn respond to questions about what was read. The older children should read a minimum of thirty (30) minutes each night in addition to their four regular homework assignments. Please consult with your child's teacher for reading list for your child. We want our children to be happy and successful learners. This can only be accomplished with your help. Please take the time each evening to monitor your child's study habits at home. With you assistance, we will help students to become successful, lifelong learners and valuable members of the global community. ACCOUNTABILITY PLANUnder the Pennsylvania Accountability System and the No Child Left Behind Law, Imani is expected to meet the Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) performance targets, just like all other public schools. Imani is a Public School and a School District, and is expected to meet these targets. Districts that do not meet their AYP targets receive designations that follow the same pattern an individual schools, for example:A district that does not meet its performance targets the first year receives a Warning designation. The Pennsylvania Department of Education does not require a formal response from the school; however, the district is encouraged to address the area(s) of concern in a deliberate manner to avoid slipping into the next category. A district that does not meet its performance for two or three consecutive years receives a District Improvement designation. Each district in this category is required to prepare a district strategic plan to address the underlying causes of poor performance. A district that did not meet its performance targets for four or more years receives a Corrective Action designation. Each district in this category falls within PDE's intensive intervention & assistance programs, tailored to address the barriers to achievement. Imani is expected to meet the targets that have been set. We, the staff and faculty of Imani, along with the parents/caregivers of our students are accountable to help our students achieve the targets that have been set for us. PARENT/FACULTY/PRINCIPAL CONFERENCESWe encourage communication between home and school as a vital link in the success of our children. To this end, we will schedule appointments with parents and caretakers, and we encourage parents and caretakers to do the same.We would like to advise parents that conferences may not be scheduled during instructional time. In order that you may not be kept waiting, please call us first to schedule an appointment with the teacher, principal, or other members of the staff. Our number is 215-713-9240. Please remember that upon your arrival at school, you MUST report to the school office first and be given a pass to go to the conference location. PARENT ASSOCIATIONParent Association meetings will be held the second Tuesday of every month at the school. All information regarding these meetings can be found on the Imani website at www.imanicircle.org.EMERGENCY CONTACTIt is very important that the school be able to contact you, or someone you designate, during the school day in case of an emergency involving your child. It is necessary to have this information on file in the school office. YOUR MOST CURRENT TELEPHONE NUMBER AND ADDRESS SHOULD BE ON FILE IN THE SCHOOL OFFICE.The number will be confidential, if you so desire. Our school secretary will check with you from time to time to verify the numbers and update the files. BOOKS BELONGING TO IMANI EDUCATION CIRCLEEach child and parent is responsible for any books taken home for use. Children and parents are also responsible for any books from the Imani library. These books are to be kept clean and well bound for others to use later.Any books defaced to any extent, or lost, must be paid for. Repeated violators will only be permitted to use library books in the library. COUNSELING SERVICE AT IMANIParents may call our counselor to talk over a concern with her, or seek advice regarding a situation. The telephone number is (215) 713- 9240 x17COMPREHENSIVE SUPPORT PROCESS (CSP)If a teacher has a concern about a student, whether academically or socially, that child should be referred to the Comprehensive Support Process. This process is designed to assist teachers, parents and children who show at-risk tendencies in the classroom.It is our desire that once the Comprehensive Support Process has been effectively implemented at Imani that some of the unwanted behaviors and lack of academic achievement will be eliminated. Following is a brief summary of the steps of the Comprehensive Support Process. Please familiarize the steps of this process and understand the procedure.
Top of Page |