School hours are 9:15 A.M. to 3:30 P.M. for students, 8:30 AM to 3:45 PM for teachers and office hours are 8:00 A.M. to 4:30 P.M.  Car riders will be dropped off and picked up at the end of the track in the back by the gym.  Parents picking up students are asked to use the car rider system and to not come to the front office.  You must have your car rider number to pick up your child.   Returning students should have the same number, but will need a new color tag.  The car rider gate will open at 9:05 A.M. and 3:00 P.M.  To maximize our classroom time, car riders K through 5 will not be dismissed from their classrooms until 3:05 P.M.  Please judge your time of arrival to OKES accordingly.  Keep in mind that the first few weeks always go a little slowly.  You can help us by memorizing your child’s number with him/her.  Do not get out of your car.  We will make every effort to get your child to your car efficiently keeping the children’s safety as our first priority.  Please read the car rider brochure to familiarize yourself with any new procedures.   

To maintain a secure campus and avoid disruption of academic time, we will not be dismissing students from the main office.  All parents must use the car rider area except for special appointments or emergencies.  The office gate is closed from 2:45 P.M – 3:15 P.M. to secure the campus as students move around. 

Bus riders will start to dismiss at 3:15 P.M.  Parents/Guardians or authorized persons of Kindergarten students must be at the bus stop five minutes before the bus arrives for morning pickup and afternoon drop off.  If a parent of a kindergarten student is not at the bus stop, the child will be returned to school.  It is important for your child to arrive at school on time and not be picked up early unless it is an emergency.  Doctor appointments and after school activities need to be scheduled after school whenever possible.  There is no supervision for students dropped off at school.  The front gate is locked from 8:45 AM until 9:15 A.M.  If you need childcare before or after school, Extended Day (446-6717) is provided for you at a fee.  You must sign up in advance for this program for children brought to the school prior to 9:15 A.M.   

This year we will be providing breakfast on the go.  Students will eat in their classrooms.  Children arriving to class after 9:25 A.M. will be considered tardy. 

Please inspect your child's head at least once a month if not more often.  As in all schools in warm climates, we constantly battle head lice and do not want to send children home to miss school.  All students sent home with lice and/or nits must be treated and returned the following morning to be rechecked.  If the student fails to come in, this will be counted as an unexcused absence.  If they come in to be rechecked and they are not cleared, it will be counted as an excused absence.  The student will then be instructed to go home with their parents and be re-examined the next day. 

We need your help with our students’ absences.  Our sick line is available to you 24 hours a day at 517-2062.  Please call every day your child is absent.  This year, according to State Law, a child must be reported for unexcused, excessive excused absences, or excessive tardiness.  Remember that medication cannot be sent to school with children and must be brought in with the original container and the proper forms filled out in the nurse's office. 

Every student has been provided a School Planner. The planner is a wonderful tool for communication between you and the teacher.  Your child’s teacher will instruct him/her in the proper use for short and long term planning.  Please make sure your child brings his/her planner to and from school every day.   If your child loses his planner, he will need to purchase a new one.  Please read the student/parent handbook in the front of the planner and look for comments or notes from the teacher by the date. 

See all that our PTO is doing to enhance our learning experiences here at OKES.