Mission Statement
Nazareth Academy Grade School is a private co-educational school founded in 1941 by the Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth. We are committed to promoting academic excellence by creating an environment of love which motivates each student to grow and develop to his/her full potential. We seek to accomplish our mission by providing a challenging curriculum while focusing on the acquisition and practice of true Christian principles in imitation of the Holy Family of Nazareth.
Parent Association
The Nazareth Academy Grade School Parent Association (NAGSPA) is instrumental in providing the additional involvement needed for a successful school program. The Parent Association assists the Administration in fulfilling the mission of the school by modeling Christian service for the children, providing financial support to the school, and encouraging parents to work hand in hand for the welfare of the children.
Two major fundraising events which the Parent Association sponsors this year are the Monte Carlo in the fall and a Social/Auction in the spring.
All parents are required to give their full support to these two fundraisers. In addition to the two major activities mentioned, the Association sponsors an annual Christmas at NAGS, a Lottery, pizza sales, and fun family events such as Bingo, Roller Skating, and a Family Social.
Parents also work with the school in implementing its Middle States Project--
"Faith in Action: Rooted in Catholic Values." Helping students prepare lunches for the St. Francis Inn Brown Bag Lunch Program, and providing transportation and supervision for various in/out-of-school service projects are just a few of the countless ways parents assist with this undertaking and provide example.
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Enrollment Procedures
No child shall be denied admission on the basis of color, race, creed, or nationality.
Admission into Nazareth Academy Grade School is based on the agreement of the parents that they:
*Agree to pay the stated annual tuition and fees
*Actively participate and support our NAGS Parent Association
(NAGSPA)
*Cooperate with the faculty in supervising home study habits
*Uphold all school regulations
*Foster in their child a respect for all persons and property
*Permit their child to study religion as prescribed by the school
*Sign and uphold a Contract of Agreement
Admission into Grade One
Admission to the first grade is acknowledged by:
*Application for the waiting list
*Pre-registration and Testing Fee of $75.00
*Satisfactory performance in a Pre-admission Test
*Group Dynamic with the primary grade faculty
*Birth Certificate
*Baptismal Certificate (if applicable)
*Custody Papers (if applicable)
*Updated Immunization Card
*Payment of a non-refundable Registration Fee of $200.00 if accepted
Admission into Grades Two through Eight
Admission to grades two through eight is acknowledged by:
*Copy of the current Report Card, as well as the previous two years
(if applicable)
*Copy of the most recent Standardized Test scores
*Completion of the Application Form
*Birth Certificate
*Baptismal Certificate (if applicable)
*Certificates for Reconciliation, First Communion, and Confirmation
(if applicable)
*Custody Papers (if applicable)
*Letter of Recommendation from the student's current teacher
*Payment of a non-refundable Registration Fee of $200.00 if accepted
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Student Development
To ensure order, to safeguard the rights of others, and to promote academic honesty, cooperation and understanding, a school needs certain rules and regulations.
Given the changing morals and values in our society, the administration and faculty see the need to encourage honesty, honor, and integrity in the daily life of each student. Therefore it is deemed necessary to implement policies regarding cheating, inappropriate language, relational aggression and cyber bullying. Bullying is far more serious than just name calling and teasing. It also includes all forms of harassment, physical injury, and even death threats.
Major Violations
Bullying, cyberbullying, using inappropriate language, plagiarizing assignments, forging another's signature, being disrespectful in any way, cheating on a test or copying homework from another student will be perceived as major violations. The consequence for a major violation will be automatic detention, or in some extraordinary instances, an automatic suspension.
Minor Violations
Being negligent in the Personal and Social Growth and Effort and Study Skill areas will be perceived as minor violations. Codes will be given to students in grades 3 through 8 for not having homework completed, not hav ing tests signed, not obeying the dress code, disrupting class instruction because of talking, etc. Any student who receives three codes in one week must serve detention. Detention is held every Thursday after school until 4:00 p.m.
Three (3) detentions in a trimester will warrant an in-house
suspension at the student's expense ($60.00)
PLEASE NOTE:
Situations may arise that will warrant review of a student's conduct or behavior.
These matters will be reviewed on an individual case basis.
Due process will be provided for parents and
students in cases which may result in suspension or expulsion.
The Administration has the final say in all disciplinary matters.
Any student who receives a suspension is subject to losing the right to
receive honors at report card time.
Student Development Calendar
The Student Development Calendar is a way for the school to communicate with parents regarding each student's on-going progress on a weekly basis. It is the parents' responsibility to check this calendar on a regular basis each week, to affirm/challenge their child's progress, and to sign and return the calendar each week. Teachers, parents, and children all need to be accountable for this means of communication!
The first and second grades make use of the calendars to keep parents informed of student growth in personal skills and study habits. Please note that each teacher adapts this recording and reporting process to a developmentally appropriate one. The methods used for determining accountability and consequences in these two classes are shared with families at the Back to School Night meetings.
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School Hours
Regular School Days
The school building is open at 7:00 a.m. daily. No child should be
DROPPED OFF at school BEFORE 7:00 a.m. or dropped off and LEFT
UNSUPERVISED.
As the children arrive at school they assemble in the multipurpose room and are supervised by a faculty member. The day begins at 7:55 a.m. with morning prayer prayed together as a faith community in the multipurpose room.
Recess:10:00 a.m. - 10:15 a.m.
Lunch: Grades 1, 2, 3, 4:11:20 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Grades 5, 6, 7, 8:12:00 p.m. - 12:40 p.m.
First Friday of Each Month
Most First Fridays of the month will include liturgy and noon dismissal, followed by a Faculty meeting.
Liturgy:10:30 A.M. in the Chapel
(or in school due to inclement weather)
Dismissal: 12:00 p.m. ~ Faculty Meeting
School Year
The academic year begins midweek after Labor Day and usually extends through the first full week of June. Short vacations occur at Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter. A mid-winter break is held in February. Other holidays are specified in the yearly school calendar.
Lunch Schedule
The students of our school are able to participate in the food program sponsored by the Nutritional Development Service (NDS) of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. The program is operated by staff who are supervised and trained in food handling and safety by NDS. The staff serve balanced, prepared meals to those children who elect to purchase them. The hot lunch program is offered for all children beginning with the third week of September and continues until the end of the school year.
> Children not purchasing lunches bring their own to school.
> Special lunches ARE NOT to be delivered to school.
> Soda or other caffeinated beverages may not be a part of the child's lunch; only
milk or juice is permitted.
> Glass containers are never permitted.
> Water bottles are not permitted outside of lunch time.
> All children are required to have a towel/placemat everyday for lunch and
recess.
> Neither parent volunteers nor students are permitted to use the microwave in the
kitchen to heat individual lunches.
Soft pretzels are sold at recess time.
Milk, juice and ice cream are sold during lunch.
Lunch Volunteers
Parents who volunteer for lunch duty will be responsible to:
> supervise an assigned grade of students and stay for BOTH lunch periods.
> be available to supervise children in the Multi-purpose Room, in the school yard,
and/or in the lobby as the need arises.
All Volunteers
All volunteers in any of our school programs or activities must participate in the
PROTECTING GOD'S CHILDREN program for adults, which is sponsored by the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. This program consists of a three to four hour session that instructs adults who interact with children how to be continuously aware and vigilant so as to protect children from harm of any kind.
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Attendance
Regular attendance is expected of all students in order that they make progress in their studies. A student who is not present for Morning Prayers at 7:55 a.m. is considered late for school. When a child is absent the parent is asked to call school before 8:30 a.m. to report the absence. Request for homework is to be made at this time. Upon return to school, a student must present an absentee note explaining the reason for absence. Absentee notes are provided by the school, or you may use a 3" x 5" index card.
An absence in excess of three (3) consecutive days
must include a physician's note.
Please note: In order to receive a Perfect Attendance Certificate at the end of the year, a student must be present and on time for each instructional day.
Make-up work is the responsibility of the student. It must be completed within a reasonable amount of time after the child returns to school.
No child is allowed to leave the school building or premises during school hours without written or verbal request of the parents/guardians and permission of the principal. When a student leaves school during the day for any reason, a parent/guardian or other authorized adult must report to the school office to sign out the child.
Routine medical and dental appointments should not be scheduled during school hours if possible.
Family vacations should never be taken when school is in session, but rather be taken during extended weekends, over the Christmas and/or Easter holidays, and/or mid-winter break.
Note well: Excessive absences and lateness hinder a child's educational growth
and can be detrimental to High School admittance.
Medication
In order for the school to administer any medication to your child, the school must have your written permission. Should your child experience symptoms such as fever, nausea, stomachache, etc. you
will be notified immediately. Prescribed and over-the-counter medications may be sent to school (with clearly marked dosage instructions). These medications are to be taken to the vice principal at the start of the day. The vice principal will administer all medications.
School Photographs
Each year individual student pictures are taken in the Fall. Group pictures of the classes are taken in the Spring. Parents / Guardians have the option of purchasing these pictures. Graduates also have a special photograph taken in cap and gown in the Spring.
Change of Address
Parents / Guardians are requested to notify the school immediately whenever there is a change in address or telephone number. Telephone updates enable parents/guardians to be contacted when necessary.
Emergency cards given to students at the beginning of the school year should be completed accurately and updated when necessary.
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School Visits
All visitors must first report to the secretary's office. This is imperative for the safety of all within the building. Classes are not to be interrupted by anyone unless authorized to do so.
All doors are locked to ensure the safety of all. A doorbell is available at both the front and back entrances. Children are never permitted to answer the doorbell.
Only a designated adult may answer the door.
Parent-Teacher Conferences
Parent/Teacher Conferences may be arranged at any time of the school year. These conferences may be held before or after school hours by appointment. Parents are never permitted to visit a child's classroom without the permission of the Principal.
Teachers are not to receive phone calls from parents/guardians or children at their residences.
Please adhere to these requests!
Transportation
Free school bus service is provided by the School District of Philadelphia for our students living within an eight to ten mile radius in the city. Several of our neighboring townships provide bus service for our students residing in those areas.
Please Note:
School bus drivers are permitted to transport only
those children listed on their route. Students not
listed on the route may not ride the bus to another
student's home. Notes from parents requesting this
service will not be accepted.
Satisfactory behavior is expected at all times on the bus and at the bus stop. Incidents of misbehavior will be reported to the administration.
In order to maintain bus safety, all children must adhere to the following bus regulations:
*Students must remain seated on the bus and talk in a normal tone of voice.
*There is to be no eating or drinking on the bus. (If a child has a lengthy drive home
after school, he/she may eat a snack in the classroom before dismissal.)
*Responsible students in Grades 7 and/or 8 will be assigned to assist the bus driver in
enforcing the rules of the bus. These students will report to a designated faculty member
on a regular basis.
*Students may not throw anything inside the bus or from the bus.
*Students will respect all property, i.e., bus property and student property.
*Students must cooperate with the directives of the bus driver, or they will not be
permitted the convenience and privilege of riding the bus.
Students who are reported for disobeying
bus rules may be suspended from riding
the bus for a determined length of time.
Arrival and Dismissal
All students are driven to school by bus or car. To ensure the safety of the children, drivers are asked to remain in the car and drop the children off in the back of the school building. Bus drivers are required to do the same. When all cooperate, the arrival system works, thus ensuring the safety of the children.
Students who ride the bus are dismissed first followed by students who go home by car. To secure the safety of all children, drivers picking up the students are to wait behind the busses. The faculty will direct the movement of all cars and the movement of children. Please follow their instructions.
Each driver of a car should display
a sign with the last name of the child(ren)
who is / are to be picked up.
The printing of the name in LARGE
bold letters should be legible from several feet away
to facilitate the movement of the car line in an orderly manner.
* Children need to be picked up promptly at dismissal! Parents who are continually negligent in picking up their children will be assessed a fee.
* Children may not ride bycycles to school.
* Children may not walk to/from school unless the written permission of their parents
is on file in the Principal's office.
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Progress Reports
Progress Reports are sent to parents/guardians in the middle of each trimester. Classroom performance, test marks, quiz marks, quality of homework, and projects are used by the teacher to determine progress. This allows a student sufficient time to improve before the next report card. Conferences may also be requested by either teachers or parents/guardians at this time.
Emergency School Closing
The school closing emergency number as announced on KYW
is 142. Listen to KYW early in the morning and/or
check its web site when a snow storm threatens the area.
KYW is the best source for school closing information.
Please do NOT call the school for information regarding closings.
If all public and parochial schools are closed, NAGS is closed
as well.
School REACH Program
School REACH is a program designed to assist with readily available "school to parent" communication. School REACH will be used to make calls dealing with cancellations, early dismissals, and any type of emergency situations. School REACH will enable the school to provide timely and adequate communication to alll parents/guardians.
Please have an optional "home" or "pick-up"
plan in place in the event the school
needs to close early due to inclement
weather or any kind of school emergency.
Faculty Meetings and In-Service Days
Five half day faculty meetings are held each year with students being dismissed at noon. One in-service day and one retreat day is held for the faculty during the year. On each of those days students do not attend school.
Cell Phones
No student is permitted to have a cell phone unless there is written permission from the parent on record in the office. Cell phones will be collected in homeroom each morning, held in a secure place during the day, and be distributed at the end of each school day. Any student having and using a cell phone in school without permission will be subject to an automatic detention and/or suspension.
Homework Policy
Homework is assigned daily in all grade levels because it reinforces material learned in class, prepares students for upcoming lessons, teaches responsibility, and helps students to develop positive study habits. Homework may include written assignments, oral review, projects, book reports, assigned reading, study and memorization and should be written in the Homework Assignment Books each student must have. Study and review is always a part of each night's homework assignments.
The School expects the parents to oversee their child's nightly assignments. Parents/Guardians should pay careful attention to the weekly Student Development Calendars that are sent home each Friday. Parents can ascertain if their child is neglecting assigned homework by checking the calendar, as well as becoming aware of their child's overall progress in effort, behavior, and study skills.
Fire Drills, Lock Downs, Shelter-in-Place Drills
Safety drills are held periodically and a record of these is filed in the office. Fire drill instructions are posted in the classrooms and each child is taught the proper evacuation procedures.
Graduation
The awarding of diplomas takes place after the Eucharistic Liturgy which is offered for the graduates' intentions. Graduation takes place on the first Monday of June. Graduation awards are determined by the Administration according to designated guidelines. It is at this time that the school honors a Distinguished graduate from among the alumni, a person who has been graduated ten years or more from Nazareth Academy Grade School.
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Grading System
Grades 1 - 3
Personal and Social Growth; Effort and Study Skills
Marking Code: The number indicates the level of performance the student has demonstrated.
3-Developing Appropriately
Academic Progress
Marking Code: Marks are determined by tests, class work, homework, class participation, independent projects, and a variety of assessment practices.
O -Consistently produces work of high quality and applies learned skill.
VG -Regularly produces work of high quality and applies learned skill.
G -Frequently produces quality work and applies learned skill.
S -Produces work of satisfactory quality and usually applies learned skill.
I -Produces work of inconsistent quality and needs frequent re-teaching.
U -Produces work of unsatisfactory quality.
Grades 4 - 8
Personal and Social Growth; Effort and Study Skills
Marking Code: The number indicates the level of performance the student has demonstrated.
3-Developing Appropriately
Academic Progress
Marking Code: Marks are determined by tests, class work, homework, class participatioon, independent projects, and a variety of assessment practices.
A numerical grade is the general evaluation for the subject. 70 indicates a passing grade.
An "H" next to mathematics indicates "Honors Mathematics."
Honors
Students in grades 4 through 8 qualify for honors.
First Honors:94 average with no mark below 90: 3 or above in conduct, effort,
art, music and physical education
Second Honors: 90 average with no mark below 86; 3 or above in conduct, effort,
art, music, and physical education.
Honorable Mention:88 average with no mark below 83; 3 or above in conduct, effort,
art, music, and physical education.
Shalom
Shalom, Inc. is a school and community-based private, non-public profit organization which offers a variety of services that range from prevention and intervention services through community based programs. Shalom Prevention Specialists provide classroom presentations on an ongoing, sequential basis. The following programs are prersented at this time:
BABES (Beginning Alcohol and Addiction Basic Education Studies) _ Grade 1
TOO GOOD FOR DRUGS - Grade 2
LIFE SKILLS PROGRAM - Grades 3, 4, 5
For further iformation, go to:
http://www.shalominc.com/GradeSchoolProgram.asp
"Heads-Up" Program
The "Heads-Up" Program was established to attack drug problems from a preventive standpoint. Members of the Police Department along with volunteers from the recovering community and the family members who have lost loved ones to drugs and violence have devoted their time and energy to educate children in order to prevent their involvement in drug use and to give them the tools to build solid character. This program is offered each year to the students in grades 6, 7, and 8.
Archdiocesan Nurse Program
The Archdiocesan Parish Nurse Program provides resources that educate children concerning the changes and development associated with puberty. A parish nurse meets with students in grades 5 and 6 each year.
Generation Life
Generation Life's mission is to build a Culture of Life by spreading the joyful messages of respect for human life and chastity. Generation Life presents a six part chastity/pro-life series to students in grades 7 and 8 every other year. In alternate years, a three part program is presented to both the students and their parents.
Lankenau Hospital Series
Each year, Lankenau Hospital's Health Education Center offers dynamic programs on healthy eating, fitness, and various other topics that allow for student participation
Health Classes
Once a month, students in grades 1 through 8 receive classes on a variety of age appropriate health related topics.
CORA
Counseling or Referral Agency (CORA) provides services in remedial reading and mathematics, speech therapy, counseling, and educational testing. Students are referred by teachers with parental consent. These services are conducted during the day on school property. In addition, CORA provides career counseling for the eighth grade. They also offer guidance and counseling services for individuals, groups, or families, and assist teachers with directions in guiding students.
Sports Program
The Athletic Director is responsible for the sports program.
The philosophy of the NAGS sports program is rooted in learning and playing games in the spirit of good sportmanship. The school holds athletic membership in the Catholic Academy league in soccer, basketball, baseball and softball. An annual Sports Recognition Assembly is held in May to honor all athletes and coaches.
Soccer, swimming and track provide an opportunity for boys and girls to work together as a competitive team. In the spring, the baseball team and the softball team utilize those skills needed to create team spirit and unity of purpose. Invitational swim and track meets are scheduled in the spring.
Team membership and participation in sports is dependent on proper conduct and academic performance.
Separate boys and girls teams exist for basketball, baseball and softball.
Music Program
In addition to weekly music classes, students may participate in a variety of music ensembles. The children in grades 1, 2, and 3 can become members of the Sonshine Kids, who bring the gift of song to the elderly. Students in grades 4 through 8 can participate in the school's Band, Jazz Band, Choir, Handbell or Choir Chime Ensembles.
Participation in any of the school's musical ensembles is dependent on proper conduct and academic performance.
Library
Students come to the library individually or in groups for study and research or to select books for independent reading. The library is an extension of the classroom. Guided by the librarian and their teachers, students pursue topics related to classroom activities by reading, listening to, or viewing the related materials. Late fees apply to books that are overdue.
Technology provides an efficient system for locating books for reading pleasure and for educational purposes such as research projects and reports. Videos are available for the teachers and students to supplement classroom instruction and learning. Children in the primary grades enjoy a weekly story time provided by the staff and volunteers.
Standardized Tests
The TerraNova Test is administered to students in grades two through eight each Spring. The scores are used as a baseline for students' potential and are also used to identify specific strengths and weaknesses for each class.
Assessment of Catechesis Religious Education (ACRE)
The ACRE Test is administered to the students in grades five and eight each Spring to ascertain growth with regard to knowledge of the Catholic faith.
