Kindergarten Round Up Q & A
When does the school day start and end? The elementary school day officially starts at 7:40. Students must arrive in the classroom between 7:10-7:40 so as not to be considered tardy. The elementary school day ends at 2:20.
When is my child considered tardy? Students who arrive after the 7:40 bell. If your child rides the bus to school, he/she will never be considered tardy. Students who arrive by carpool that arrive later than the 7:40 bell must be escorted into the building by an adult/guardian and signed in before going to the classroom. These students are considered tardy. Students who are tardy are given five unexcused tardies before being referred to the school social worker. Students who arrive after 7:40, but are tardy due to a doctor/dental appointment, he/she will be considered excused with documentation.
How do I know where my child’s bus stop is and what bus my child rides? You and your child will attend Open House prior to the first day of school. At this time, you will find out the location of the bus stop and the bus number/animal. You may also visit fultonschools.org and click “Transportation” then “Bus Stop Information”.
Should my child ride the bus on the FIRST day of school? It is imperative to establish routines the first week of school to promote confidence and a strong, positive attitude towards school. It is in the best interest of your child to begin routines and expectations right away. Your child will be less anxious when he/she knows what to expect in the morning and in the afternoon. The routines established during the first 10 days of school are critical to your child’s emotional and social success.
How will my child know where to go the first day of school? You will be made aware of your child’s assigned kindergarten teacher at Open House. At this time, you and your child will visit the classroom and meet the teacher. The teacher will provide your child with a nametag that your child will need to wear to and from school each day for the first 10 days. The tag will have your child’s name, address, phone numbers, teacher’s name, and transportation arrangement printed on the front. The teaching staff will help facilitate your child’s way to his/her classroom using this name/identification tag. Students are never left alone to find the classroom. Mentor students and staff members are always present to direct students to the classrooms.
How will my child ride or find his/her daycare van? Students who are riding daycare vans are asked to report to the gym at the end of each day. Students are escorted by a kindergarten teacher to the gym for the first two weeks to establish the routine. Ms. Hanning, our P.E teacher, will facilitate this dismissal. There are designated areas in the gym for each daycare group to sit together until dismissal. The daycare students will board the vans via the gym doors located in the back of the school on the play pad.
Can I drive my child to school? Students who arrive at school via carpool have a carpool routine. To promote safety for our carpool students, we strongly ask that students and parents strictly adhere to our carpool policies and procedures. Parents who opt to provide carpool transportation for their child must register for a carpool number at Open House. This number will be your child’s carpool number for the remainder of the time that he/she attends Cogburn. This number must hang from the rearview mirror of your car in the afternoon. It is not needed in the morning.
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Morning Drop Off: Parents who drop off their child in the morning will need to proceed in the carpool lane, located at the front of the school building, and always remain seated in their vehicle. When approaching the drop off area, a staff member will ask you to stop your vehicle, open the car door, and allow your child time to walk safely into the building. Please know that the parking lot closes at 7:30, so all vehicles must go through the carpool line thereafter.
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Afternoon Pick-Up: Parents who pick up their child in the afternoon will need to proceed in the carpool lane and have the assigned carpool number visible on the rearview mirror of the car. A staff member will communicate your arrival via a walkie talkie to a carpool staff member inside the building, where all the carpool students report. The student will be asked to dismiss out the front entrance of the building when his/her number has been called. After your child is safely in the car, a staff member will ask that you pull forward slowly and depart the carpool area with caution. Under no circumstances should a parent/guardian park or exit his/her vehicle in the carpool lane. Nor should he/she park his/her vehicle in the parking lot and walk across the carpool lane to enter/exit with a child during carpool dismissal. This is extremely dangerous for members in the carpool lane and students. Furthermore, it prohibits the safety and efficiency of the carpool dismissal.
When and where does my child eat lunch eat day? Each class is assigned a lunch time. Your classroom teacher will make you aware of your child’s time the first day of school. All students eat in the cafeteria. Students who purchase a lunch from the cafeteria will go through the lunch line and select his/her lunch, with staff assistance. Each student is given two main course meal options. They are also given fruit and vegetable options to add to the main course. Chocolate milk, orange juice, and 2% white milk are also included as part of the student lunch meal. Water is made available, however it does cost extra.
How does my child pay for lunch? Fulton County has provided a means of monitoring and managing your child’s lunch account with ease using the following website: www.My.PaymentsPlus.com . You may add money to your child’s account via this site. You will need your child’s Fulton County ID number which you can get from your child’s teacher.
How can I create an account using mypaymentsplus?
Step 1: Go to the Fulton County website: https://www.fultonschools.org/
Click on the tab titled Students & Families
Step 3: Create an account!
Can my child bring a lunch from home? Students have the option to bring a lunch from home. It is best to pack lunch items in kid friendly containers that the student can manage. This helps to promote cleanliness at the lunch table and student independence. The lunch staff will assist students with lunch boxes and sealed containers that are difficult to open, however please discuss how to open/close items and consider practicing at home so your child feels less frustrated and overwhelmed.
What if my child has a peanut or food allergy? School lunches are peanut free meals however, students that bring a lunch from home may have products that contain food allergens. As to not limit any student from being unable to enjoy his/lunch choices, we prohibit students from sharing food at school. Please notify the classroom teacher of any food allergies the first day of school.
Can I eat lunch with my child? It is important that daily lunch routines are established the first 10 days of school. These habits help to promote the health and safety of your child while eating lunch at school. We ask that parents join their child for lunch after the first two weeks of school. After this time, parents/guardians can sign in and receive a name tag from the front office and join their child in the cafeteria. Parents, wait in the atrium and join your child when the class reports to the cafeteria at the scheduled lunch time. We ask that parents/guardians eat on the stage area. Due to limited space, only students with a parent/guardian eat on the stage.
Can my child bring a snack to school? Each kindergarten teacher provides a snack time in the morning. Students are responsible for bringing a healthy snack from home each day. Candy, cookies and sugary snacks are strongly discouraged. Students need healthy snacks in order to promote concentration and academic success.
How do I contact my child’s teacher? The classroom teacher will provide your child with a daily folder for students to use each day. This folder will contain school information, flyers, and school promotions. You can also email the classroom teacher. The teacher will provide you with the email address, or you can find the staff emails via the CWE website. Parents are also encouraged to use a parent/class communication app titled, “Talking P”. This app allows your child’s teacher and the classroom room representatives to post updates, announcements, reminders, and photos. This app also allows parents opportunities to volunteer, make donations for specials events, schedule conferences and communicate with the teacher directly.
How am I aware of upcoming events at Cogburn? The school website is a terrific resource for students and parents. This site has upcoming events posted on a calendar, school news and websites that are made available to support your child’s curriculum needs. We encourage our community members to use it as a reference and a resource. Parents are also strongly encouraged to read the weekly Cougar Chronicle and the PTO website to stay well informed of upcoming activities and events.
How safe is the school? Safety is a priority at Cogburn. All exterior doors are locked during school hours. Anyone wanting to enter the school must do so at the double doors located at the front of the school. Visitors must use the call button upon entering the building. The call button area is equipped with a camera for inside viewing. Visitors must call in and state the reason for the visit. After entering the building, all visitors must sign in, and receive a visitor’s badge. This badge must always be worn during the visit.
How can I find answers to school policies and other questions I might have during the year? The Handbook includes detailed information regarding absences, tardiness, dress codes, discipline, the grading policy and much more. We encourage all parents to review the handbook on our website and keep it as a resource.
What do I need to volunteer at my child’s school? You must complete the volunteer training online before you can visit or volunteer your child’s classroom. Please visit https://www.fultonschools.org/volunteer.
How do I join PTO or get involved? At Open House, families can see the many ways you can volunteer. Please make a strong effort to attend this day and to see what is of interest to you! We appreciate the support and dedication of the many organizations that help promote learning and success at Cogburn.
How are children identified for the Talented and Gifted Program (TAG)? All students are screened in January.
Our hope is to provide you and your child with the best educational experience possible. We understand that starting a new school experience can be overwhelming. We welcome any questions or concerns that you might have and are eager to put your mind at ease. The kindergarten team makes a strong effort to connect with you and your child. We value your child and want him/her to feel content, safe and comfortable. We will make every effort to make this possible.
Please visit the Fulton County website to view the 2024-2025 school calendar. www.fultonschools.org