Attendance 

If a student's learning and growth are to take place, parents, students, and educators must acknowledge their responsibilities to assure attendance. Alabama state law requires that students are in school during all days and hours that school is in session. Parents will be notified of student absences by telephone and by letters prepared and sent from the student management program according to the following schedule:

a. A telephone call to each home telephone number as recorded in iNow will be made after each absence.

b. A letter will be sent home to each home address after a student has accumulated five unexcused absences.

c. After the seventh unexcused absence, a petition will be filed by the systems attendance officers with the District Attorney's office.

Excuse notes should be sent to:

lsgideon@madisoncity.k12.al.us

Check Out Procedures

For the welfare and protection of your child, your cooperation in the following procedures will be appreciated:

1. It is important to let your child know how he/she is to get home before he/she comes to school. Please send any changes of transportation to your child's homeroom teacher. Students will be sent home as usual if a note is not received by the homeroom teacher and/or the office by 2:00 PM. Phone calls to the front office about transportation changes should only be made in cases of emergency.

2. Children leaving school during the day for any reason need to bring a signed note from the parent/guardian permitting the school to excuse the child.

3. Any adult picking up the child must come into the school office first. The person requesting the child is to sign in and show a picture ID. This will be verified by the computer to see if the person is allowed to check out the student. If the person requesting the child is not allowed to check out the student, then a call to the parent/guardian is required.

Arrival and Dismissal Times

Students are not allowed to enter the building until 7:10 a.m. Classes begin at 7:40 a.m. Dismissal is at 2:40 p.m.

Parent Teacher Conferences

Horizon teachers schedule conferences with families to discuss their child's progress. Conferences with the teacher develop a mutual understanding of the child and help make his/her time in school a happy, productive experience. It is very important that families attend these conferences. Each teacher will contact families as conferences are needed.

Phone Calls

Parents will be notified of any emergency or serious illness involving their child. Parents will also be called to discuss behavior issues that may result in disciplinary action. The school phone is for business purposes. Students will be allowed to use the phone in emergencies only.

Emails

Items from Home

Toys and playground equipment are not to be brought to school without permission from your child's classroom teacher. Items brought from home may be taken and held until the parents can make arrangements to pick them up. These items may include, but are not limited to yo-yo's, trading cards, electronic games, baseball bats, all types of playground balls, walkie-talkies, tape-recorders, radios, cell phones, pagers, and other items that may be deemed unsafe or disruptive by supervising adults. Toys resembling weapons are not allowed.

Counseling Services 

Our guidance services are varied and comprehensive depending on the needs of the
individual students. They include one-to-one or group counseling for children
with specific behavioral and emotional concerns, developmental guidance
instruction in the classroom and crisis intervention. The counselors also
provide a rich resource for our teachers.

Food and Nutrition 

The Madison City School System is proud to participate in the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program. All City schools offer a complete breakfast and lunch meal each school day. Meals are planned by a Registered Dietitian and comply with standards set forth by the United States Department of Agriculture.

Clinic

We have a minimal nursing service available on campus. We treat minor injuries and attempt to determine the source of the children's aches and pains. Parents are notified when a child's temperature is high or a student has experienced a head injury. It is vital to always have a current home, work and emergency number for your child. Please refer to the Madison City Schools Student Code of Conduct for guidelines of how medication is to be administered to students during school hours.

Dress Code

Dress Requirements for All Grades:

Students shall not wear clothes or decorate or adorn themselves in school such that they display immodesty, unduly attract attention to the human form, or tend to cause disruption. All students must comply with the following guidelines: 

1. Students must be neatly dressed, clean, well groomed, and practice good personal hygiene.

2. Shoes or sandals must be worn and properly laced or fastened. Foot apparel determined to be dangerous or a safety hazard may not be worn.

3. Hair must be clean and sanitary and worn so that it does not impair vision and is not considered unsafe or hazardous and styled and colored in such a manner that would not cause a distraction/ disruption

4. Clothing must not include pictures, writings, symbols, etc., promoting, acknowledging, or suggesting drugs, tobacco products, alcohol, sexual activities or anything of a sexual nature, gangs, groups, individuals, or activities that would be considered potentially dangerous, disruptive, or hazardous to the student, to other students, or to the school environment. Tattoos with pictures, writings, symbols etc. prohibited by this paragraph must be kept covered by the student's clothing, and not otherwise displayed in the overall school environment during any activity.

5. Students in a classroom or participating in other indoor activity will remove outer garments normally intended for outdoor wear. Garments to be removed include overcoats, trench coats, bulky and/or oversized jackets or oversized pullovers. Garments that equate to a lightweight windbreaker or sweater are permissible. Parents and students should assure that student attire provides for adequate comfort indoors without the wearing of outdoor garments.

6. Prohibited items of clothing include, but are not limited to: off the shoulder tops, tank tops, halters, sheer or see through clothing, clothing with holes or other exposure above the knees. Over the -shoulder straps must have a minimum width of one and one-half inches. Generally, the hem or cuff of skirts or shorts should not be higher than four inches above the knee of the wearer, depending on the size and height of the child, and appropriate proportionately, as determined in the discretion of the Principal.

7. Apparel that does not reveal the body in an inappropriate manner must be worn, e.g., clothing must not be too tight, too short, or bare at the midriff or sides. Clothing, trousers, or shorts which are excessively baggy and/or which are worn so as to expose underwear or body above/ below the waist, and/or which drag on the floor will not be permitted.

Oversized shirts are not permitted unless tucked in.

8. Hats, caps, and other head coverings shall not be worn in school.

9. Sunglasses and bandanas shall not to be worn in school or on school buses.

Progress Reports and Report Cards

Report cards for students in grades K through 5 will be sent home every nine weeks.  A progress report will be sent home every three weeks for students in grades 3-6 and every 4 1/2 weeks for students in grades K-2.   

Bus Information

Madison City Schools provide bus transportation for all students. Students are expected to show respect to other students and to the bus drivers at all times.

School Bus Safety

For thousands of students in Madison the school day begins and ends with a trip on the school bus.  The greatest risk is not riding the bus but approaching or leaving the bus.  According to the Alabama State Department of Education, along with the National Safety Council, school buses are the safest form of ground transportation.  In fact they are about 40 times safer than the family car. 

Teaching children how to be a safe pedestrian is essential to school bus safety.  Beginning with their first step as they leave the house, children must learn how to safely arrive at the school bus stop, board the bus, behave during the bus ride and exit the bus.

Tips for a Safe Bus Ride

• Get to the bus stop at least five minutes before the bus is scheduled to arrive.
• When the bus approaches stand at least 10 feet away from the curb and line up away from the street.
• Wait until the bus stops, the door opens and the driver says that it's okay before stepping onto the bus.
• If you have to cross the street in front of the bus walk on the sidewalk or along the side of the road to a point at least 10 feet ahead of the bus and watch for the bus driver to signal that it is safe before crossing the street.
• Be sure the driver can see you and you can see the bus driver.
• Use the handrails to avoid falls.
• When exiting the bus be careful that clothing with drawstrings and book bags with straps don't get caught in the handrails or doors.
• Never walk behind the bus.
• Walk at least 10 feet away from the side of the bus.
• If you drop something near the bus tell the bus driver.  Never try to pick it up because the driver may not be able to see you.

Walkers

Walkers are dismissed through either the front or back entrance. Please do not wait in the parking lot to pick up your student as this poses a safety hazard to your student and to the safety of others.  Students are expected to stay on the sidewalk at all times, respect the property of neighbors, cross at crosswalk and follow the directions of the crossing guard, faculty and staff. This mode of dismissal is for students walking to and from their homes only. 

Bicycle Information

Bicycle Procedures
Students must walk their bikes on school grounds, lock bikes at the rack provide. Helmets are required on school grounds. Skateboards and rollerblades are not permitted on campus.