Procedures

Students are offered a nutritionally balanced breakfast and lunch daily.  The cost is listed on the monthly menu which can be found on the food services webpage. Extra milk, juice or hot meals may be ordered at an additional cost.  Students may also order items a-la-carte.

Forms to apply for reduced or free breakfast and lunch are available in the main office or on-line under the food service department.  Students whose family income falls below a federally designated level are eligible.

Please be advised that the district’s food service department has implemented a PIN system for student lunch accounts.  You may contact the food service department at (845) 878-2094 X 225 with any questions. 

All students will have an hour lunch and recess.

Our school day begins at 9:00 and ends at 3:35  **Please do not drop children off at school before 8:50 AM**

1. Please drive slowly while in the parking lot and adhere to safety directions.
2. No child should be dropped off at school before 8:50 A.M. because there is no one to supervise your child.
3. At 8:50 a Custodian will be available to open your car door and greets your child at the Kindergarten entrance.
4. If you arrive at school and no one is outside to supervise your child, please park your car and walk your child into the main entrance of the school. Please do not leave your car running outside by the entranceway.
5. Please do not park in the spaces designated as reserved or handicapped.

According to the Board of Education policy, students can only be released to authorized adult(s). This includes parents and those listed as emergency contacts. If your child is to go home with someone not listed as an emergency contact, please send a note, or contact the office to give us direction and permission. Children can be picked up in the cafeteria at dismissal. Please be prepared to show identification.

When your child needs to leave school during the day for any reason, such as a Dr.’s appointment, you MUST come to the Main Office to sign him/her out.  If returning the same day, it is necessary to sign in.  It is always helpful to send a note to the teacher with this information as well. 

IMPORTANT: If there is a restraining order or parenting plan that is relevant to your child, we must have a copy for your child's file in order to comply.

If there is an emergency, we will only release students to people listed as emergency contacts/authorized persons, or who a parent specifically authorizes when we contact the parent.

If there are issues involving custody, whether legal or personal in nature, make sure the office is provided appropriate documentation. If you are not the primary residence of the child but would like copies of all school notifications, please send a letter of request to the office.

Matthew Paterson Elementary has a number of practice drills to insure the safety of students.  The following is a list of drills that will be practiced during the school year.  Families are not told when the drills occur.  Be assured that teachers will help children to understand that the drills are practice and that students are not in any danger.

• Emergency evacuation
• Fire
• High wind
• Lock-down
• Sheltering
• Tornado/severe weather

Holiday parties and class celebrations are enrichment to our program.  We welcome parental involvement and participation.  There are guidelines for parties to ensure a safe environment for students and adults.  Guidelines for parties foster a calm, structured, purposeful environment.   Guidelines help avoid over-crowding and parking lot safety.  The guidelines are:

• Parents will be scheduled with the classroom teacher for each party.
• Only parents on a list for the day will be permitted to attend.
• The party is for the children in the class only. Siblings should not attend.
• Every parent is required to sign in and wear an ID tag.
• Please refrain from visiting additional classrooms.

Our school has a lost and found cabinet available during school hours throughout the school year. It is located in the cafeteria. Parents should be sure their children’s possessions are labeled with your child’s name (i.e., lunches, and clothing) to ensure proper identification. Items not claimed are given to charity at the middle and end of the year.

In an attempt to keep the focus of the school on academic issues, we ask that no personal property be brought to school. Personal property is defined as anything that is brought to school by the student that does not directly support a particular lesson or educational activity assigned by the teacher. This includes but is not limited to trading cards (i.e., “Pokemon,” sports cards, etc.) gum, candy and other food (except as part of lunch or classroom snack), skateboards, skate shoes, rollerblades, electronic devices (Walkman, portable C.D. players, Gameboy, virtual pets, etc.) laser devices, pictures, posters, games, toys, and excessive amounts of money. For the safety of students, bicycles and scooters are also not permitted. Cellular phones, electronic pagers, and/or wireless telecommunication devices should not be brought to school. In addition to the distraction of these items to the learning process, they can be a source of conflict between students. They can become lost or damaged as well. For the benefit of everyone, all of these items should be kept at home where they are safe and do not interfere with the school’s focus. The school will not be responsible for lost, stolen or damaged personal property.