Pinecrest Preparatory Academy

Open House 2015 - 2016

Pinecrest Mission & ExpectationsP – Placing emphasis on

I – Individual student achievement by N – Nurturing a positive E – Environment whichC – Causes the R – Rising of E – Expectations and S – Standards T – Through innovative teaching methods designed to achieve success.

First Day of School

• Parents may walk students directly to their classrooms. After the first day, parents must drop students off in the drop off line or in the gym.

• Patrols will be available to escort students to class after the 1st Day.

• All supplies should be labeled and may brought throughout the first week of school. (Individualize as needs)

First Day DocumentsImportant documents sent home the first day of

schoolThese include:• First Day Reminders• Student Data Cards Must be returned with or without corrections-

NEW• Parent & Student Handbook acknowledgement form• P.A.L.S Membership form• Lunch Application form• **NEW Decals -Paper Decals by Grade• Agenda _Sell at Open House• Red T-Shirt with New Logo

– (Students can still wear other Spirt T-shirts on Fridays Only.)• School Insurance Berkley Accident and Health Insurance

Company.

What’s New…• New Health & Wellness Programs• New Salad Bar (Coming Soon)• Healthy Snacks in our Friday PAL Sales• Full Time Gifted program & Advanced

Curriculum Education – ACE• New Aftercare Pick-up Procedures

School Improvements Tutoring Opportunities New Bathrooms New Tinting in the Classroom Windows &

Front Office New Recognition Ceremonies and Materials Rock Wall in the Gym Maintain & Upgrade Computer Stations Maintain & Upgrade technology programs

such as Accelerated reader (AR), i-Ready Reading & Math, Reflex Math, and IXL

Teacher Assistants/Interventionists New STAR Program Credit Card payment

options

School Communication• School website www.pinecrestprepacademy.com

• School Calendar• Lunch Menu• Classroom, Special Area, Clubs and Activities• Home learning assignments

• Phone messages• Automated email and phone message system

• Please provide a preferred email address to receive our school wide automated email and phone messages on the parent sign in sheet

Teacher Communication• School website www.pinecrestprepacademy.com

• School Calendar• Home learning assignments

• Teacher Email (dianadiaz01@dadeschools.net)• Phone messages• All phone and email messages should be returned

within 24 hours (excluding holidays and weekends).• Please address questions and concerns with your

teacher first. Once communication has been addressed with the teacher, you may contact the office to meet with administration.

Grading Policy

Include:1. Standards based assessments2. How parents can view grades online3. Retake policy-Math Chapter test 4. Weighted Grades (if applicable for the

grade level)

Homelearning PolicyInclude:1. Expectation for completion (daily/weekly)2. Possible options for missing/incomplete

homework (complete during lunch/recess)3. Policy for repeated missing/incomplete

homework (morning detention, parent meeting with administration,

4. Homework completion will affect effort grades.

Attendance PolicyExcessive Absences/Tardies/Early Dismissals:

Students who accumulate 5 tardies and/or early dismissals will receive a Warning Notice of Excessive Tardies/Early Dismissals. For every 10 tardies/early dismissals accumulated throughout the year, students will be issued a Notice of Excessive Tardies/Early Dismissals and a Student Case Management Referral (SCM) indicating excessive tardies/early dismissals.

Students exceeding the School's maximum allowed tardies/early dismissals/absences will be referred for a meeting with the School’s Attendance Review Committee. Maximums are as follows:

• 5 unexcused absences• 10 excused absences• 20 tardies and/or early dismissals

General Procedures Lunch Procedures Arrival / Dismissal

New Aftercare Pick-up Procedures Conferences / How to contact me. Volunteer Hour Requirement (30 Hours per Family) Field Trips Birthday Celebrations

Although birthdays come only once a year, there may be 25 or more celebrations ”n class during the school year, plus celebrations of Halloween, Thanksgiving, and other holidays.  In order to minimize the disruption to our learning environment and avoid possible health concerns due to specific food allergies, we will no longer allow birthday party celebrations during the school day. 

Dress Code 

Uniform Policy Shoe/socks/laces requirements

Shoes in Solid Colors Black, White, or Blue (No accents, logos, or décor)

ApprovedNot Approved

Lunch Criteria• Free/Reduced Lunch eligibility continues

from the previous year for the 1st 28 days of school

• Don’t forget to turn in your new application for this school year!

Lunch PricesBreakfast Prices

$3.25 $2.00Reduced $0.30 Reduced $0.45

(Menus will be posted on the website weekly)

CurriculumPinecrest Prep Academy will follow the Florida Standards in: - Language Arts / Reading - Mathematics - Science - Social Studies - Special Areas• Pinecrest will be offering a combination of advanced and

gifted services though our A.C.E classes. Students can be considered for these classes if: – 1. they have been referred and are eligible for

gifted services –or-– 2. their assessment data indicates that they are

working significantly (at least 2 years) above grade level in all subject areas.

Please notify me if you would like to have your child considered for participation in this program.

Pinecrest A.C.E. CurriculumAcademically Challenging Environment

• Pinecrest Prep will be implementing a combination of advanced curricular offerings with gifted education in grades 1-5 (A.C.E. Curriculum).

• The level of gifted services is expected to increase as the number of students who are identified increases.

• Regardless of their gifted identification status, all students who participate in our A.C.E. classes will be provided with an advanced curriculum.

• These classes will be taught by teachers who are currently in the process of obtaining “Gifted” certification.

• Placement for A.C.E. is selected upon review on a yearly basis. Your child has been selected for participation in this program based on standardized test scores and teacher recommendation. If you feel that this setting may not be appropriate for you child, please notify the administration immediately. (Delete this slide if you DO NOT have an ACE class.)

P.A.L.Parents As Liaisons

What is a PAL? Parents as Liaisons (PAL)• Pinecrest’s PAL Association supports the faculty and

administration in their efforts to improve educational and extracurricular activities in the school.

• Class PALs are chosen by each individual teacher. A – Class PALs assists in organizing class

celebrations, activities and recruiting volunteers. – Class PALs serve as a liaison for class parents and

PAL organization.All parents and students are encouraged to become

involved in our PALs organization. 

Parent Portal: New Accounts In order to volunteer or view your child’s

grades you must create a Parent Portal Account on the M-DCPS website.

Parent Pin numbers will be issued by the main office. Please bring identification for verification.

Please visit the www.dadeschools.net website for detailed instructions on how to create a parent portal account

Parent can complete the Volunteer Hours in a variety of ways. (Give examples of how they can complete these hours in you specific)

Parent Portal: Old Accounts Parents who have a Parent Portal

Account from a previous year must log on to the Portal after the first day of school to renew their account for the current school year.

If you forgot your username or password, click on “forgot username/password” to reset.

For questions regarding this process, please see the front desk clerk.

Dismissal ProceduresGrade Levels School Hours Dismissal Line-up

*Wednesday Dismissal*Kinder to 1st Grade 8:30am - 2:00 pm 1:55 pm 1:30 pm 1:25 pm2nd to 3rd Grade 8:30am - 3:00 pm 2:55 pm 2:00 pm 1:55 pm4th to 5th Grade 8:30am - 3:30 pm 3:25 pm

2:30 pm 2:25 pm •   Each student will receive color coded car decal. • All vehicles entering the school driveway must display their car decal(s) on the right

side of the vehicle dashboard. • Vehicles will only be allowed to lineup and enter the school driveway five (5)

minutes prior to their child’s scheduled dismissal time. • Vehicles may only enter the school using the right lane.• Parents are discouraged from picking up students enrolled in the aftercare program

during regular dismissal times.• The following acts are prohibited and may jeopardize student safety and the

continuance of our Charter School contract:•  Parking along Bird Road or Dropping students off along Bird Road

• Blocking the entrance/exit of any residential home or shopping center• Stopping or standing on eastbound or westbound of Bird Road

   

 The Reception Palace Banquet Hall & Shopping Center parking lots are NOT for parentdrop off/pick-up use & any unauthorized vehicles may be towed away at the

vehicle owner’s expense. The shopping center & the banquet hall are private property and the school has NO jurisdiction within these parking lots.

  

Arrival Procedures• Arrival time is from 7:45am to 8:30am. • All vehicles must enter the school through the entrance driveway, drop off

students in the designated drop off/pick up areas only.• Staff members will be available to assist with drop off and patrols will be

available to escort our younger students to class. • Under no circumstances will parents be allowed to park or leave their

vehicles unattended in the drop off/pick up areas.

The following acts are prohibited and may jeopardize student safety and the continuance of our Charter School contract:•  Parking along Bird Road or Dropping students off along Bird Road• Blocking the entrance/exit of any residential home or shopping

center• Stopping or standing on eastbound or westbound of Bird Road

The Reception Palace Banquet Hall and Shopping Center parking lots are NOT for

parent drop off/pick-up use and any unauthorized vehicles may be towed away at the

vehicle owner’s expense. The shopping center and the banquet hall are private property

and the school has NO jurisdiction within these parking lots. 

Fundraising Several fundraising opportunities will be

available throughout the school year. New Healthy Snacks will be sold

throughout our Friday Sales These funds are essential to maintain

continuous improvements in our school. We are confident that our Pinecrest family

will continue to support our school through participation in these events.

**Please sign up with our P.A.L.S organization

to see how you can help!

Student Recognition Pinecrest students will be recognized for various

accomplishments in the areas of Academics and Character Development.

Pinecrest students have the opportunity to earn recognition for the following accomplishments: Honor Roll Assemblies – Quarterly* Accelerated Reader Panther of the Month* Participation in clubs and activities sponsored

by Pinecrest staff.

• *Parents will be invited to select ceremonies.

Testing InformationFlorida Standards Assessment-

FSA **Assesses the NEW Florida Standards**• Writing Component for Grades 4th and 5th February • English Language Arts (ELA) & Mathematics for Grade 3rd

March-April• Mathematics for 4th Grade March-April• Science for 5th Graders April• Computer Based Testing for 4th & 5th Grade ELA April-May• Computer Based Testing for 5th Grade Mathematics April-May

Stanford Achievement Test (SAT 10) – Grades K – 2nd – April

**All testing dates are tentative and subject to change**

School Website• The following information will be posted on

our School’s Website www.pinecrestprepacademy.com Monthly Calendar Lunch Menu School events, activities and

fundraisers Photo Album School Supply Lists Educational Links

Class Website• Our class website is updated weekly

and will include:• Weekly learning objectives• Home learning assignments• Assessment dates• Field Trip and Event information• Educational Links• Classroom Wish list

Class WishlistStudent of the Month Poster

Bulletin Borders (any)Sentence strips (white)

White shipping labels 1 1/3 X 4” (AVERY 5162) Letter size Manila & colored Folders

Individually packed candy (MM’S, Starburst, Smarties, Hershey’s kisses

Small toys for treasure boxStaple remover

http://www.amazon.com/Trend-System-Trimmer-Storage-TEPT1024/dp/B0017DCLYW

Bulletin Border storageClassroom electric sharpener

www.officedepot.com/a/products/595511/X-ACTO-Powerhouse-Electric-Pencil-Sharpener

/Children Stools (5)

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/70267562/

*Great way to complete 30 Volunteer Hours.

Questions

• Please stop by our Gym to meet our Special Area Teachers

• Various school vendors will be in the Cafeteria

Together we look forward to a Paw-sitive 2015 – 2016 School Year!