Port Barre Elementary

The vision of Port Barre Elementary School is to develop attitudes, skills, and ideals which will prepare all students for college and careers.

The Leaders at Port Barre Elementary will follow the Three B's--be safe, be respectful, and be

Students return to school on Tuesday, January 7, 2025.

2nd Nine Weeks Open House will be held Tuesday, January 7, 2025 from 4:30 to 6:00 pm beginning in the cafeteria. Report cards and mid year testing information will be given out at this time.

21st Century Tutoring schedule:

January 6 - no school

January 7 - no tutoring due to Open House

January 8 & January 9 - After school tutoring

In order to maintain a safe and secure environment for all students and staff, we kindly ask that all visitors report directly to the office upon arrival. A visitor’s pass will be issued if needed. For safety reasons, no one should walk around campus without a valid visitor’s pass. This policy helps us ensure that everyone on campus is accounted for, contributing to a safer school community. Thank you for your cooperation.

Attendance is critically important for all students, especially in elementary school, where they are building essential foundational skills. Students are expected to be present every school day, as absences can cause them to fall behind and miss vital learning. Even being just a few minutes late can result in missing key information.

School starts promptly at 7:45 AM every day. Students are expected to be in the classroom by 7:50 AM daily.

Our school goal is to maintain a 95% attendance rate each day. Unfortunately, for the month of December, we have only reached 93% attendance schoolwide. We need your help to ensure your child arrives on time and is present every school day. Consistent attendance is essential for their academic success.

Early Checkouts: Please refrain from checking out students early unless it’s for a doctor’s appointment or illness. Leaving early causes students to miss important lessons and disrupts their learning.

Attendance Policy Reminder:

• Unexcused Absences: After five (5) unexcused absences, an LA15/FINS referral will be completed, and you may be reported to the Office of Child Welfare and Attendance. Additionally, any student with more than ten (10) unexcused absences may be retained in their current grade.
• Chronic Absence/Truancy Law: According to Louisiana’s Chronic Absence and Truancy Law (R.S. 17:233), habitual absence or tardiness may lead to a referral to juvenile or family court. A student is considered habitually absent or tardy if:
  • Efforts to correct the issue have been exhausted.
  • There are five unexcused absences or tardies within a month.
  • A pattern of five absences is established.

Compulsory Attendance Law: The State of Louisiana mandates that students cannot have more than ten (10) unexcused absences in a school year. Any student with eleven (11) or more unexcused absences may be retained in their current grade.

We appreciate your cooperation in ensuring that your child attends school regularly and arrives on time. Together, we can support your child’s success and meet our attendance goal.

Thank you for your attention to this important matter.

We kindly ask all car riders to please be respectful of others' property while waiting in the car rider line. This includes refraining from touching or leaning on vehicles that are not your own, as well as avoiding any actions that could cause damage or disturbance to other's personal property.

By showing respect for each other’s property, we help maintain a positive and courteous environment for everyone. Thank you for your cooperation and understanding.

Please click the link to view the Parents Make the Difference January Newsletter.

https://www.parent-institute-online.com/download.php?pCode=PMDRBKE&subscription=elemjan25

With the cooler temperatures in the forecast, please take the time to review SLPSB outerwear policy.

OUTERWEAR – (Outerwear with a hood is not allowed) In cold weather, students will be allowed to wear the following over their school uniform:

NOTE: Outerwear guidelines apply to all students (including athletes) at all school events (including athletic events).

A. SWEATSHIRT (without a hood) - A sweatshirt must be waist length with a tight, ribbed elastic bottom, must be plain, solid colored in black, white, heather gray, or navy with no emblem, logo, or marking. Students can wear a sweatshirt in the optional school color with school logo.

B. SWEATER (without a hood) - Crew neck, V-neck, or cardigan style (those that button or zip from the bottom) sweaters must have sleeves, must be waist length, must be plain, solid-colored in black, white, heather gray or navy with no emblem, logo, or marking. Optional school color with school logo and school-issued sweaters are permitted.

C. LIGHTWEIGHT JACKET/WINDBREAKER/COAT (without a hood) – All outerwear, except for sweatshirts, must zip, button, or snap from top to bottom and must not be longer than upper mid-thigh. Outerwear must be plain, solid-colored in black, white, khaki, heather gray, or navy with no emblem, logo, or marking; however, jackets in the optional school color with school logo and school issued jackets are permitted.

All students have been issued a student ID card. This card is needed for breakfast and lunch. If your child does not have their ID card, they will need to get a temporary ID. Each day they do not have their ID card, it costs $1.00 for the temporary card to be printed. If your child loses his/her ID card, there is a $5.00 replacement fee.

If you attend Port Barre High School Athletic events, the ID card will also allow student discount at the entry gate.

• 7:45 First Bell - Cafeteria closes at this time. All students report to the classroom.
• 7:50 Tardy Bell - Students who arrive after the tardy bell must be signed in and receive a tardy slip
• NOTE: 2:45 p.m. - No early checkouts after this time.
• 3:00 Dismissal Bell - Bus riders are called to the front to board the bus
• 3:10 After buses depart, car rider line begins.

Students are expected to be in attendance every school day scheduled by SLPSB. In order to receive a high-quality educational experience, students are encouraged to be in school each day. When students are absent, they miss a lot. When a child checks in late or checks out early, instructional time is missed.

The St. Landry Parish School Board 2024-2025 Student Handbook states that Pre-K through eighth-grade students will not be allowed to exceed ten (10) absences each school year. The responsibility for a student attending school lies with the parents or the legal guardian. If the student is chronically absent or chronically late (tardy) to school or class, the parent and/or student shall be referred to the Office of School and Home Relations (Child Welfare and Attendance). If attendance does not improve, the parent shall be referred to the St. Landry Parish City Prosecutor and Opelousas City Court. You are encouraged to send in excuses on days when students have to be absent. Communication will make a difference.

Parents will be contacted via telephone, letter and/or home visit on the 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, etc. absence and/or tardy. We are mandated to report every fifth (5th) absence and/or tardy to the St. Landry Parish School Board Office of Child Welfare and Attendance. If attendance does not improve, the parent shall be referred to the St. Landry Parish City Prosecutor and Opelousas City Court.

Louisiana law mandates compulsory school attendance and every parent or legal guardian of a student shall enforce and be held accountable for the attendance of their child for every day scheduled by the School Board until their 18th birthday, unless the student graduates before their 18th birthday. La. R.S. 17:221(A)

Parents have access to the Student Progress Center. You can check your student's current grades at any time. If you need instructions on how to create an account, please contact the office or an administrator.

Monday and Tuesday--students must wear uniform polo shirt and uniform bottoms.

Wednesday and Thursday - students may wear uniform polo shirt or this year's spirit shirt with uniform bottoms.

Friday - Jean Day for $1.00 each Friday. (unless you have paid for the year). Students may wear spirit shirts from prior years only on Fridays. Jeans may not have rips or tears in which you can see skin underneath.

Registration Fee for the 2024-2025 school year is $25.00. This fee includes technology, home to school communication folder, student's initial ID, student incentives, classroom supplies, copier supplies, copy paper, and other various student needs. You may pay online in the parent portal using the link below.

Please click the link to pay online. Online School Payments (OSP) portal is a service provided to parents to facilitate payment for school fees for a variety of products and services.

https://osp.osmsinc.com/SLPSB/

Act 422 of the 2023 Regular Legislative Session mandates that students in traditional public schools must meet specific literacy proficiency standards to be promoted to the fourth grade.