• Policies

     
    Attendance and Punctuality
    Regular attendance is a basic requirement of any organization involved in training. Poor habits of attendance and punctuality lead to less successful achievement, discouragement and, all too often, actual failure. It is the responsibility of the parent to see that the youngsters develop and maintain good standards of attendance as a part of their overall training for life.

    Elementary Attendance Policy
    1. Absences of 27-54 days will result in consideration of a child being retained in the grade. That consideration will be made based upon teacher evaluation, standardized test scores and pertinent medical information.
    2. Absences of 55 or more days will result in automatic retention in the grade.
    Satisfactory reason for absences include:
    1. Personal illness of the pupil
    2. Serious illness in the immediate family
    3. Death in the immediate family
    4. Official quarantine
    5. Religious holidays
    All absences for other reasons are unsatisfactory. In such cases, students are not permitted to make up lessons for credit. In case of truancy, the pupil may be suspended. Pupils shall be detained from fifteen minutes up to an hour for being tardy without acceptable reason, depending on the age, grade level and the number of times tardy.

    Automobiles
    As part of our school safety program we ask parents to abide by the following:
    1. Obey the Police Department signs when bringing or calling for children. Instruct your child to cross at the corners and then proceed to your car.
    2. DO NOT DRIVE ONTO SCHOOL GROUNDS AT ANY TIME. CHILDREN HAVE A HABIT OF APPEARING OUT OF NOWHERE.
    3. It is ILLEGAL to leave your automobile unattended while the motor is running.
    Student Dress and Grooming Code
    The Bergenfield Board of Education adopts a minimally restrictive policy that sets standards for grooming and dress during school hours and school functions. Students participation in school functions is predicated on compliance with this policy. This policy is applicable from pre-kindergarten through grade twelve.

    The following guidelines are established:
    1. Student dress and grooming will be clean.
    2. Student dress and grooming may not create a health or safety hazard.
    3. Student dress and grooming will comply with State and federal law and guidelines.
    4. Student dress will not be destructive to school property.
    5. Student dress and grooming will not be distracting or disruptive to the school environment.
    The building principal will be responsible for determining if the dress and grooming of students complies with this policy. The building principal's decision will be final.

    Lunch Program
    The Lunch Program will be continued this year for those children who wish to purchase lunch in school. Menus will be sent home in advance on a monthly basis.

    Details about the lunch program will be provided by each school.

    As in the past, children may bring lunch from home and remain at school during the noon hour providing a written request is sent to the Principal. Please note that the school has no facility for cooking or reheating food sent from home.

    Note: Students may be excluded from the lunch program if they do not adhere to the school behavior policies.

    Registration of Children
    Initial registration of kindergarten children is conducted in the spring. Requirements of registration are as follows
    1. The child must be five years of age on or before October 1.
    2. The entrant's presence is required at the time of registration.
    3. A copy of the birth certificate must be presented.
    4. Proof of residency and an affidavit.
    5. Names, addresses and telephone numbers of the following:
      1. Family physician
      2. Local hospital of your choice
      3. Two local persons to be contacted for emergencies.
      4. Physical Examination
    At the time of registration, the school nurse will give parents the physical examination form which must be completed by the family physician. Required immunizations should also be recorded by the doctor. All of the above items must be received in order for a child to be admitted.

    Kindergarten Entry
    It is the policy of the Board of Education to admit to the kindergarten in September children who have reached the age of five years on or before October 1 of the current year. Children who do not meet this age requirement will not be accepted.

    First Grade Entry
    Any child residing in the district shall be admitted to grade one provided:
    1. The child will have attained the age of six years on or before October 1 of that school year; or
    2. He/She has been in the first grade in another public school; and
    3. Proof has been furnished of the immunization against communicable diseases.
    Residency Requirements
    The following rules have been adopted by the Board of Education regarding residence:
    1. Elementary Transfers within Bergenfield - Elementary school pupils whose residence changes after the end of the third marking period to another elementary school in Bergenfield may be permitted to complete the school year in the original school upon written request b the parents, recommendation of the Principal and approval of the Superintendent of Schools.
    2. Transfer from District - All students, except members of the senior class, whose legal residence is transferred outside of Bergenfield cannot be permitted to remain in Bergenfield Schools.
    3. All requests must be submitted in writing to the Superintendent of Schools at least 30 days prior to moving.

    School Nurse
    The nurse is the only school employ permitted by state law to administer medications to your child during school time. Please contact the school nurse for complete Board Of education regulations for medication administration in school. Essentially, a doctor's note stating the name, dosage, time, and route of medication to be given with written parental request is required. No OTC (Over Te Counter) medications such as cough syrup or drops, aspirin, tylenol will be given without a doctor's order and parents request. No "OTC" medication is to be brought to school for self-medication by students. The medication must be properly labeled in the original pharmacy container and brought to school by the parent/guardian or designated adult.

    Telephone Monitoring System
    Telephone and Fax- 201-385-9708

    If your child is going to be absent, parents are asked to call the school before 9:00 A.M. If the child is going to be absent only in the afternoon, calls should be made prior to 12:30 P.M.

    However, if a child is absent an no call is received from the home, the school will call each parent to verify the child's absence. A written excuse, signed by one parent or guardian, is required when the student returns to school. Parents are asked to call their child's school if they have any other questions.