Edison Parent Handbook
2023-2024
Edison Family Handbook 2023 - 2024
Leadership Team
Edison has a leadership team composed of the Elementary Principal, the Middle School Principal, the Director of Development and Enrollment and the Arts Coordinator and the Director of Operations. The purpose of the school leadership team is to uphold the vision and mission statement, provide support and direction to staff and students and ensure ongoing collaboration with families and community members.
Edison School Board
Edison’s School Board is responsible for ensuring that the academic program of Edison School of the Arts is successful, that the school's program and operation are faithful to the terms of its agreement with IPS, and that the school is a viable organization. The board meets bi-monthly and the agendas and minutes are posted on Edison’s website and updated monthly.
Parent Group
Edison has a Parent Group that supports enriching and challenging opportunities for all students. This group is open to all parents, guardians, and staff members, and you are encouraged to join and to give of your time and talents to support classroom instruction or extracurricular activities and help raise funds. The Parent Group welcomes volunteers to chair committees and to plan and work events, fundraisers, and festivals. For more information on ways to get involved with the Parent Group, contact the school office Penny Guthrie at 317-501-4888.
School Calendar
A listing of the school year’s events is included in your opening school packet. Calendar updates and additions will be communicated through the weekly newsletter, school website, Facebook page Instagram and Twitter. A calendar containing start and end dates, report card dates and vacation days can be found at the end of this handbook and here: Edison's School Calendar for 2023-2024
**Media Coverage**
Reporters from the local television stations, radio stations, and newspapers often come to Edison for stories, film footage, etc. They photograph students involved in school activities. They also may request to interview students. If for any reason you do not want your child photographed, filmed, or interviewed, please be sure to communicate that in writing to the front office. If we do not hear from you, we will assume that you do not object to your child being interviewed and/or photographed for publication in a newspaper or radio/television broadcast.
Stay Connected
Families will also receive reminders, notices, and any emergency messages via telephone calls, emails, and text messages through the automated PowerSchool Messenger system. It is important to keep your general and emergency phone numbers up-to-date. Please contact the school or CLICK HERE immediately if your phone number and/or address change.
School Hours
7:15 a.m. Buses unloaded, walkers and car riders enter; breakfast served; students not eating report to designated area
7:35 a.m. Students proceed to their classrooms
7:36 a.m. Tardy Bell – students must be signed in by an adult and get a pass from the office
2:15 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday Student Dismissal
1: 45 p.m. Wednesday Student Dismissal
School Entry/Exit Doors
All doors are kept locked for your child’s safety. Please ring the school doorbell at the front door for entry and report to the office for a visitor’s badge before proceeding to classrooms.
Before and After School Care
Edison offers after-school care through the YMCA on site. This service is available from the end of school to 6:00 p.m. Before-school care is only offered if there is sufficient interest. To inquire further or to register, please contact an account specialist at the YMCA Youth Enrichment Branch at 317-887-8788 or visit www.indymca.org
Inclement Weather
Variable weather conditions are to be expected in Central Indiana. If school needs to be closed or delayed, this will generally be announced with an early morning notification through local television, radio, and social media. If you are signed up with School Messenger through Power School, you will also receive a notification via your telephone, cell phone or email.
Illness or Injury at School
If a student becomes ill or injured at school, the child will be sent to the school office, and if warranted, the parent or guardian will be called to pick up the student. We do not have adequate resting space at the school for sick children to stay all day when they are ill. If we cannot reach a parent, the person listed as the emergency contact will be called.
If there is a life-threatening emergency, we will call 911 and transport the child to the hospital. A staff member will accompany the child in the ambulance and wait at the hospital until a parent/guardian arrives. Parents will be contacted immediately.
Please remember to keep all telephone numbers current in case of an emergency.
Immunizations
Please check the table below to ensure your child’s vaccinations are up to date as required. The law says the school cannot allow your child to attend more than 20 days without proper vaccinations unless the child is exempted for religious or medical reasons or if a doctor has provided documentation that your child is scheduled to be vaccinated. If your child does not receive shots due to medical reasons we must have a doctor’s statement. If your child does not receive shots for religious reasons a written statement must be submitted to the school each year. More information is available from the IPS Nursing Director, from the Indiana State Department of Health at 1-800-701-0704, or at https://www.in.gov/isbvi/health-services/immunizations/
Address/Phone Number Changes
Changes to your address, phone numbers, and/or email should be communicated to the school secretary as soon as possible so that records may be up to date at all times. If an address change is given, proof of the new address will be required. Click on this LINK to update digitally.
Not to worry, a change of address does not necessarily require a change of school or district.
Breakfast and Lunch Service
● Edison participates in a universal free lunch program. All students may eat breakfast and lunch at no charge. Students may choose to bring a lunch from home; there is a $0.40 charge for milk or juice purchased separately from a school meal.
● Students may not bring soda pop or candy in their packed lunch. If students bring chips in their sack lunch, it should be a small quantity that can be consumed in the cafeteria during lunch. Please supervise the food choices students bring to help promote healthy eating habits.
● Students are not to share or trade any food items in the cafeteria.
● If your child has a medically documented dietary need, please contact the food service for information on modified meals.
● Adults may also purchase a school breakfast and/or lunch (Breakfast: $2.25 Lunch: $3.75). Please let us know in the morning if you are going to be at school and want to order lunch.
● If you plan to bring lunch to school for your child, you must arrive prior to the beginning of the lunch period or your child will be provided a school lunch.
● Lunch is a 20 to 30-minute period. Menus are included in the Sunday at 6 and on the Edison website.
School-Wide Positive Incentives
LiveSchool creates a positive learning environment. Teachers reward points for positive behavior and hard work, as well as document challenging behavior and comments for you as the parent to stay connected. By working hard on a regular basis, your child will be able to earn rewards and participate. Students then receive a “paycheck” that they will bring home in their weekly folder on the weeks that the LiveSchool store is open. Students can cash in their points to purchase different rewards or tickets to participate in fun events. Be sure to log in as a parent to keep current on your child’s successes and challenges.
Awards Day
Students who earn honor roll, perfect attendance, and student of the month will be recognized at awards days. Honor roll will be awarded to students who achieve A’s and B’s in all academic and arts courses.
Recess
All K-5 students have a daily recess period. Recess is generally scheduled before lunch and is supervised by staff members. Parent assistance at recess is greatly appreciated. Call the office to volunteer in this area. Additional recess time may be provided in grades K-5 during the school day. If a child needs to stay in at recess due to illness, a note must be sent to the office. Students will not be kept inside for more than 3 days without a doctor’s note. Children are expected to bring hats, gloves, and warm coats so that they may enjoy a bit of fresh air, even in the winter. Recess is held inside if snow, ice, wind chill or actual temperatures make it unsafe to be outdoors. Generally, we do not go outside if temperatures and/or wind chill is below 20 degrees Fahrenheit or above 90 degrees Fahrenheit.
The play area consists of a blacktop and a mulched area with playground equipment. Tennis shoes are the recommended footwear for school. Closed-toe shoes with a back strap are always required at school. Recess can contribute to the physical and social well-being of students. However, recess privileges are sometimes restricted or lost if a child is playing unsafely on the playground.
Books
Lost Books
Textbooks and library books are furnished to students on a loan basis. Parents/guardians will be charged for lost or damaged books.
Book Rental
Book rental is due during the beginning months of school. If you need assistance in paying the textbook rental, please make sure you fill out the necessary assistance forms HERE by the September deadline communicated on the form. Questions regarding the assistance application form may be directed to the Director of Operations of Edison School of the Arts. Unpaid book rental fees are turned over to collections at the end of October. Fees will be shared at the beginning of each school year for elementary students; book rental fees for middle school students are dependent upon class assignments and will be shared
with parents in August. Book rental payments may be made through cash, check, money order, or online. At the printing of this document, the 2021-2022 book rental rates were not yet available. New rates will be communicated through the school newsletter and on the Edison website.Homework
Student Report Cards, Portfolios, and Parent Conferences
Student Promotion and Retention
Grading
Withdrawing
Field Trips/Educational Field Experiences
English as a Second Language (ESL)