Beginning of Year
Cork Elementary
Procedures and Information
2025-2026
Dear Parents/Guardians,
This letter has been prepared to help you understand our operating procedures and to make you aware of some changes for the upcoming year.
Drop off begins in the morning at 8:25am at the front entrance using the front loop to drop off. Use the South entrance to the drive directly in front of the building. We are going the opposite way but this area gives us the most space to keep waiting cars off of the road. The side drop off loop will be blocked as buses will drop off next to that location. Staff will be outside to monitor and assist. When dropping off your child please pull up between the cones before you let your child exit the car. This is important for safety.
Students may not be dropped off early to wait outside the building (before 8:25am). No car is to be parked and left unattended in the drop off zones. Please do not leave your vehicle running while unattended. Students may not be dropped off in the parking lot to walk unescorted to the building.
Breakfast is served from 8:25-8:45 AM. The tardy bell rings at 8:45 AM and morning announcements at 8:45 am will signal the start of the day.
It helps everyone if students understand their day before they leave for school. With over 300 students in attendance, it can be very confusing to our office, classrooms and your children to make changes in transportation during the day. We do not take phone calls to change transportation arrangements. Classroom notes to teachers provide the best and safest communication for your child.
We require all changes be in writing.
Send a note to your child’s teacher when normal schedules or routines are changed due to: • Change in transportation home. (Pick Up vs. Bus)
Release from gym class, recess or another activity.
Change in medication.
Absence or tardiness. (if a note or medical excuse is not sent, your child will be considered truant)
Change in, living arrangements, or babysitter.
Final Forms: Student registration and information. Parents received an email on July 1, 2024 with information to log in/create an account. You need to go in every year and sign off that the information is correct even though you already signed up.
1. To log-in to Final Forms you MUST use the email that we have on file for the primary contact, we sent an email to that email address, if not, your student will not appear in the enrollment screen.
2. If you are using the correct email and you do not see your student (as an enrollment choice) - DO NOT GO FORWARD IN THE SYSTEM. Instead please email roberta.horvath@genevaschools.org for assistance.
3. If your student(s) name(s) does not appear when you log-in the first time and you "create" your student in the system (without Mrs. Horvath's help), everything you enter will need to be deleted - unfortunately.
Final Forms will have the student handbook, field trip permission forms, and photograph permissions.
Visitors: As we begin the year, we want to remind you that safety is always our top priority. For the protection of all students and staff, no one will be permitted to enter the building without first signing in at the main office. )Be prepared to have your driver’s license ready). This helps us maintain a secure environment where students can focus on learning and thriving. Please keep in mind that this policy includes arrival and dismissal. Geneva Area City Schools has clear policies and procedures regarding visitors that can be reviewed through the following links: Policy 9150 - SCHOOL VISITORS LINK and Administrative Guidelines- 9150 SCHOOL VISITOR LINK.
Thank you for your support and help in keeping our school safe and focused on learning.
Morning: The buses will pull in the parking lot and park up against the sidewalk median for students to depart or board the bus. * They can not use the typical drop off lane as it is too tight. The buses will pull into parking spaces by the North entrance. Cars are not permitted to pull into the lane that goes along the building during drop off or pick up times.
Car drop off/pick ups will pull into the front of the building you will pull in the SOUTH exit/entrance driveway (not the drive by the sign). This avoids a bottleneck at the main entrance to the parking lot. Once you turn into the drive, you will pull up by the main entrance of the building where you will see 4 cones. Do not let your child exit your vehicle until you are in the cone area to avoid students walking between cars. Note: the morning drop off is less congested than afternoon pick up. Stay in the lane closest to the sidewalk. In the morning have your child prepared to exit the vehicle on the left side of the car. Staff will be out to assist your child. Please be respectful of other families and have everything ready for your child to exit the car quickly. Students will enter the building at the main entrance. If you still choose to drop off your child in the parking lot, you must walk them to the main entrance of the building. Staff will be busy with getting students out of their cars and or bus. We would appreciate it if you would use the drop off lane and not walk your child in.
Pick up procedures –Students who are picked up after school will be dismissed at 3:00PM and will report to the gymnasium and wait for their pick up number to be called. ** If you do not want to wait in a long line, arrive between 3:00PM and 3:15PM. This prevents a long line that can back up onto RT 534. Bussed students will be dismissed at 3:05 by announcements when their bus arrives at school. This allows buses to depart by 3:15 PM.
Our staff will supervise students who report to cars for pickup. Numbers will be called as soon as students are situated in the gym. Due to the nature of the day, not all students arrive at the gym at the same time. Your student will be sent out as soon as we can. It is important that you remain in your car through this process. Please have your students practice getting into the car and buckling their seat belt independently in order to expedite this process. Also, have your child enter and depart the vehicle on the left. There will be no office pickups. Please do not walk up to the dismissal area to retrieve your child. In the event of an emergency, parents may call the office to pick up at 2:30pm.
You will follow the same procedure as the morning BUT staff will walk out students from the gym. Pull up to the main entrance for the extra space. DO NOT stop at the gym doors if you are first to arrive- pull up. Continue to keep your car tag in the front window. Again, we are asking that you are diligent in watching for adults and students crossing to get into their car. We call numbers as they arrive but sometimes some students take longer to prepare to leave and might run behind schedule or they are not paying attention to their number being called. Practice having your child memorize their car number.
Breakfast/Lunch: School breakfast and lunches are free to all students for the 2025-2026 school year.
Morning Announcements- Every morning at 8:45am, we have morning announcements. This is a time to remind students of building activities, PBIS characteristics, recite pledges and a question or joke to start the day. Our 5th grade students help as announcers.
The K-5 Student Handbook is available online and in Final Forms. Pay particular attention to dress code guidelines and the conduct code. Teachers will be reviewing the handbook with the students the first few weeks of school. Please let us know if you require a paper copy.
Drills: By law public schools are required to perform monthly safety drills: Fire, Tornado and Lock Down. A Lock Down does not mean there is an active shooter. There are many different scenarios that require the use of a Lock Down.
Lock Down types:
LEVEL 1
(Called when a situation outside the building may have an impact on the school)
Secured in the building- no admittance to or exit from the building
Students and Staff outside the building return immediately
Entry/Exit only with admin or police approval
Continue with normal schedule inside the building
LEVEL 2 (soft lockdown)
(Called when a situation inside or outside the building may have an impact on the school)
Secured in classrooms- no movement in hallways
LEVEL 3
(Called when a situation inside or outside the building threatens the safety of students and staff within the school)
Secured in place- no movement within the classroom
Cell Phone usage: Students are to keep their phone in their book bag turned off. If they get their cell phone out during school time- including waiting in the gym for pick up, their phone will be confiscated as per district policy.
Medications are distributed by prescription only and require the signature of a parent and physician on a Geneva Schools Medication Form. Medications may not be transported by bus. Parents or guardians will need to check in their medicine with the nurse or office staff.
Information Outlets: prepared to inform you about news and events as we move through the school year. Hard copy, sent home, Final Forms ,Geneva/Cork Website, PTO Facebook page,
PBIS- PBIS is an initiative in which we teach characteristics in making positive choices and helping fellow students. There is a committee that meets monthly to plan activities promoting positive behavior. You might also hear your student talk about PAX. PAX is one tool which helps students make positive choices during the school day. If you see a teacher blowing a harmonica, it is to get everyone's attention and it works!
Discipline: Sometimes we do not make the best choices. If this occurs, the situation is discussed along with how to avoid making the mistake again as well as how your choices can affect others around you. We provide time for the student to correct their behaviors. However, if a student is choosing not to correct their behaviors, a pink conduct referral will be given to the student and sent home for you to sign. 3 Conduct referrals will result in a detention. You will be notified of the detention and a detention slip will be sent home with your child. The day when detentions will be served on Wednesdays from 3:15pm-4:00pm. The pink conduct referral is how communication will be handled. You will not always receive a phone call when there is a behavior issue.
Party Dates:
Fall - Friday October, 31st
Winter - Friday, December 19th
Valentine's - Friday, February 13th
Food Service Information:
Digital Menus- Online and Mobile App: http://genevaschools.nutrislice.com
Questions: Contact the Food Service Director, Mariah Wilson @ mariah.wilson@genevaschools.org
Specials Classes:
We value the whole child and believe they need experience in Physical Education, Art, and Music.
Classes have a scheduled time for each:
Art: 1 hour every other week. Teacher: Mrs. Simmons: katherine.simmons@genevaschools.org
Phys, Ed (Gym): Two 30 minute classes a week. Teacher: Mrs Sack: janel.sack@genevaschools.org
Music: 30 minutes a week. Teacher: Mrs. Stowell. lisa.stowell@genevaschools.org
Bookmobile: The Ashtabula County Library will be sending the Bookmobile to Cork the second Tuesday of the month. Grades 3-5 will visit the Bookmobile.
Multi- Tiered System of Support: Every year, we use a Universal Diagnostic Screener: NWEA MAP to identify or predict students who may be at academic risk. The diagnostic is given 3 times per year to check progress. Beginning of the year, mid year, and end of the year.
RIMP-Districts and schools must annually assess the reading skills of each student in grades K-3. If students are found to be reading below grade level a Reading Improvement and Monitoring Plan (RIMP) must be created and interventions must be implemented. Parents are involved in this process.
In closing, thank you for your cooperation in the enforcement of school procedures. Please check the Geneva Area City Schools website at geneva schools.org. We will have information under Live Feed, News and Events.
Thank you for understanding our requests. We want to operate in the most efficient, effective and safe manner. Your child is very important to us. We know they are your everything.
Sincerely,
Mrs. Melissa Doherty
Principal
Melissa.doherty@genevaschools.org