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Welcome, Parents ::.. A child’s education is one of the most important concerns parents have, and good information about schools is important to parents living in the community and those relocating to the area. The School System offers numerous information sources, including the System Web site, which is designed to provide timely, factual information about the System and schools. Parents are encouraged to visit the Web site frequently and take advantage of the other information sources mentioned throughout the site. Good communication is an important component of that partnership. School and School System officials welcome questions and input from parents and offer many opportunities for parents to become involved in decision affecting schools. New Attendance Guidelines for 2010-2011State Department of Education guidelines for how many days a student may be absent have changed for the 2010-2011 school year and parents should review how those changes will affect excused and unexcused absences. The Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) revised several attendance policies. While previously students were allowed 20 absences each school year, beginning in August, High School students will be allowed five absences per semester, and Elementary through Junior High students will be allowed ten absences each school year. A letter explaining the changes was sent to St. Tammany Parish parents and caregivers last spring. It is important that parents understand the new rules governing absences up front, particularly as they make travel plans for next year so that they use school holidays rather than taking students out of school. The new rules state that absences of two or fewer consecutive school days attributed to personal illness or serious illness in the family may be validated by a parent or caregiver by a written excuse note. The excuse note will allow a student to make up any missed work, but the absence will still count against the cumulative absences allowed under the new policy. If a student is absent for three or more consecutive days, a student must present a note from a physician, nurse practitioner, or dentist to be excused. This type of absence will not count against the cumulative absence days. The new guidelines will not allow students to be excused for vacations or other family trips. As a result, parents should schedule vacations and necessary appointments during school breaks. The 2010-2011 School calendar includes ample breaks for travel plans. Extenuating circumstances will be considered but must be approved by the Supervisor of Child Welfare and Attendance. The circumstances must be verified by a physician, nurse practitioner, or dentist in order to be considered as an official excuse from the attendance regulation. State law also allows exceptions based on the observance of special and recognized holidays of a student’s faith. The only other exception to the law will be absences that are verified by the principal for the purposes of school system approved travel for education, a death in the family, or a natural catastrophe or disaster. Students who are participating in school-approved field trips and other instructional activities such as College Spring Testing and approved college visits will be considered present at school.
Communications Services OfferedAn instant emergency alert notification service is available to parents and employees of the St. Tammany Parish Public School System. The alert notification service offers instant communications through text messaging or voice call alerts for any emergency situations which may develop at a school or Systemwide. Parents and employees may sign up for the service by going to the Emergency Alert Sign-Up button at the top of the right-hand column on this page. Registering for the service means that, in emergency situations, parents and employees will be sent special alerts to the phone numbers and other means of communications they choose. Specific alerts will be sent out for the individual school sites checked by the person registering during the sign-up process. This will be used only for emergency situations and unscheduled school closings. Also available is an informative e-newsletter that will be sent out periodically. The e-newsletter service will offer up-to-date information about events and programs of interest to the St. Tammany Parish Public School System parents and employees. Scheduled to be sent out quarterly, the news articles will focus on exciting programs happening within our schools and important dates and information for parents and community members.
Northshore School of the Arts Offers Programs The St. Tammany Parish Public School System and the Northshore School of the Arts (NSA) of Southeastern Louisiana University are continuing to work together to provide additional opportunities for high school students who want to take part in university-level advanced arts studies. Students participating in the program are able to receive advanced instruction in the performing and visual arts while still attending public high school in St. Tammany Parish. Students earn college credits in the program, and, if desired, they can advance in pursuit of a degree in the arts when they graduate high school. The Northshore School of the Arts aims to help high school juniors and seniors who are committed to the arts make a smoother transition to college as well as earn credit for courses in basic drawing, theatre, music theory, and applied music. The NSA seeks to bring to life the talents of our “artists of the future,” whose creative abilities in music, visual arts, and theatre are nurtured, inspired, and guided by experienced Southeastern faculty and staff, according to Charlotte Collins, the program’s first permanent director. The NSA has portfolio, interview, or audition entrance requirements and is offered to high school juniors and seniors only. Classes are designed to reinforce instruction available in the public schools. CLICK HERE for course and contact information and for an application to enroll in the Northshore School of the Arts. Please click on the Subscribe button to get updates on the growing list of opportunities available through the NSA. For current course offerings and tuition/fee information, please visit the NSA Web site at http://www.selu.edu/nsa or contact: Charlotte Collins, Director
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In St. Tammany public schools, we value the confidence and support parents give us in our efforts to provide students a high-quality education in a caring environment for learning. We also value the tremendous parental involvement in our schools, which underpins the success of our students and School System. Parents are encouraged to take an active role in the partnership between home and school. 
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St. Tammany Parish Public School System 321 N. Theard Street, P.O. Box 940 • Covington, LA 70434-0940 985-892-2276 (Telephone) • 985-898-3267 (Fax) Webmaster 985-898-3244 Email webmaster ©Copyright: 2009, St. Tammany Parish School Board |
