School fees may be paid online or to your child’s homeroom teacher. To pay online, visit the Infinite Campus website to create an account. Be advised that a convenience fee will be associated with paying fees online.

Instructional Enrichment	$10
Technology	$10
Total	$20

*Infinite Campus can only be used to pay school fees. To prepay for school lunch, visit the LINQ Connect website.

School Communication

ClassDojo

All teachers will utilize ClassDojo. Why should parents use ClassDojo? ClassDojo makes communication with your child’s teachers quick and easy. It also lets the school quickly provide essential updates and reminders.

ClassDojo can be used through your favorite browser or by downloading the app to your Apple or Android device. To join ClassDojo, click the following link, which is unique to Courtney Elementary: Class Dojo Invitation.

The Parent Den

To facilitate access to information, especially forms and other documents, we have created “The Parent Den” as a central location for parent information.

Phone Messages

During most weeks, telephone messages will be sent on Sunday afternoons at 6:00 p.m. Occasionally, messages may need to be sent at other times; however, we will attempt to limit them to Sundays. Weekly updates, whenever possible, will be posted on ClassDojo, social media, and the school website.

If you are still waiting to receive telephone messages, contact the office for assistance. Incorrect telephone numbers or accidentally opting out of receiving messages are common causes of not receiving our telephone messages.

Social Media

In addition to telephone and ClassDojo messages, many announcements will also be posted to our social media accounts:

School Website

We aim to make our school website accessible and valuable for our parents. Announcements made elsewhere will also be posted on the school website. The website is also convenient for links to often-used programs such as ClassDojo, WheresTheBus, Infinite Campus, Titan (pre-payment for school meals), etc. Hover over the “Parents” tab and select “Parent Den” or visit https://panther.link/parent-den.

Attendance

If you have questions about your child’s attendance or feel an error has been made, please contact Mrs. Angie Jester at 336-551-1120.

Attendance is an essential part of your child’s academic success. Excused or unexcused, excessive absences hamper learning, especially in elementary school when students develop foundational skills such as reading, writing, and math. Students who miss even one day a month will lose 77 hours of instruction or nearly half a month over the school year! While illness, injury, and bereavement are all legitimate reasons for students to be absent or tardy, many absences or tardies can be avoided with planning.

Consider the following suggestions:

Have your child observe consistent and early bedtimes,
Create routines for your child, like laying out clothes and backpacks the night before (a little preparation makes the mornings smoother!),
Schedule medical appointments and vacations when school isn’t in session (check the school calendar),
When absences cannot be avoided, contact teachers for resources, homework, and ways to continue learning when your child is absent (use ClassDojo).

Being Counted Present

For a student to be counted as present, the student must be at school for 50% of the day. Currently, the school day for students is 7 hours. Therefore, students must attend from 7:30 am until 11:00 am or, if arriving late, be at school from 11:00 am until 2:30 pm to be counted as present.

Excusing Absences

Parent notes will be accepted to excuse up to 10 days of absences for each school year. Beyond ten days, a doctor or other board-approved excusals will be required.

Communication with Parents

The following table outlines the number of days specific communication will occur for unexcused absences:

Unexcused Days	Communication
3	The teacher contacts the parent(s) through ClassDojo or by phone about budgeting absences. The teacher reminds parents to turn in doctor or parent notes to excuse absences. An Apptegy message will be sent to parents.
6	The teacher contacts the parent(s) through ClassDojo or telephone about budgeting absences. The teacher reminds parents to turn in doctor or parent notes to excuse absences. A letter will be mailed to parents.
10	The teacher refers the student to the school social worker and notifies the principal. The principal makes a parent contact. A letter will be mailed to parents.
14	The school social worker makes a parent contact to inform the parent(s) of the following: Additional absences will require medical documentation, Retention and/or truancy charges are possible. A letter will be mailed to parents.
≥ 18	The school social worker makes a parent contact. A referral to truancy court or a truancy intervention program may be made by principal request. A letter will be mailed to parents.

Communication for unexcused tardies and early departures:

Unexcused Tardies or Early Departures*	Communication
3	The teacher contacts the parent(s) through ClassDojo or telephone about the importance of being at school on time or not leaving early.
6	The parent will receive a Apptegy message about tardies or early departures.
9	The teacher refers the student to the school social worker and notifies the principal of the referral. The school social worker contacts the parent(s). A letter concerning the tardies is mailed to the parent(s).
≥ 10	The school social worker and principal conference with the parent.

*Tardies and early departures will be counted as absences if the student does not attend at least 50% of the day or 3.5 hours.

Educational Absences

Some circumstances provide unique opportunities for students to experience learning outside the classroom. School board policy allows students to be excused from school for such trips for a limited duration and only once per school year with the following stipulations:

An Educational Trip Request Form (español) must be submitted to the principal five days before the planned trip. Please request a copy of this form from your child’s teacher.
The parent must submit a written statement explaining how the experience will enhance the student’s knowledge or understanding of one or more subjects in the North Carolina Standard Course of Study.
The student must agree to write a paper or produce some other product demonstrating the knowledge they gained from the educational experience and complete all makeup work.
Educational absences do not apply to family vacations or students with nine or more excused or unexcused absences. Excessive tardies will also be considered when determining the trip's approval.

School Breakfast and Lunch

Free Breakfast and Lunch

For the 24-25 school year, breakfast and lunch will be free for students. Courtney is one of twelve schools participating in the Community Eligibility Program. À la carte items will still be available for purchase.

You only need to fill out a Free and Reduced Price Benefits form if your students attend other schools that are nonparticipants in the CEP, such as Forbush High.

Prepaying for À la Carte

The LINQ Connect website allows you to add money to your child’s cafeteria account or view purchases from any connected device. This is only necessary if students want to buy extra or à la carte items since meals will be free. By creating a LINQ account, you can add money to your student’s account with a credit/debit card (Visa, Mastercard, or Discover).

Menus

Breakfast and lunch menus are updated monthly and are published online. Parents may also sign up to receive menus monthly by email.

School Bus Tracking

Tracking the school bus has never been easier. With the WheresTheBus app, you can track pickups and dropoffs from your phone, tablet, or computer. To enroll, visit the WheresTheBus website, click “Create Account,” select our school district from the dropdown menu, and then follow the onscreen instructions.

To complete the registration, you will need your child’s date of birth and Student ID number. Your child uses the Student ID number to make purchases in the cafeteria, and it can also be found on report cards. If you do not know your child’s Student ID, please contact our office for assistance.

Afternoon Car Line

The afternoon car line aims to load students safely and efficiently without blocking the main road. To that end, we fit as many cars as possible into the front parking lot. The diagram below depicts the various lines and their eventual flow into the loading area at the front of the school. An overflow area is available across the street on Miller Rd. at the fire department.

After receiving your child, it is essential not to leave the car line and to allow the cars in front to proceed before moving forward. Unless directed by a staff member, getting out of the line can lead to accidents.

State-Mandated Tests and Dates

The following tests are required by law for all public school students in North Carolina. Avoid planned absences for the following grades and dates:

Grade 3	Beginning-of-Grade Reading Exam	August 28, 2024
Grades 3-5	End-of-Grade Test in Reading	May 14, 2025
Grades 3-5	End-of-Grade Test in Mathematics	May 15, 2025
Grade 5	End-of-Grade Test in Science	May 16, 2025
Grade 3	Read to Achieve Retest	October 17, 2024

Parent Involvement

PTO

If you want to get involved, visit the PTO website. We are always looking for parents who wish to improve our school.

Volunteering

We welcome volunteers! Contact the principal if you want to read with students or work with a teacher. If you are not on the volunteer list, you must complete a background check before volunteering.

Please note the school on the form. You will be notified once your form is received and the background check is complete. Typical processing for a background check is one week.

Box Tops for Education

A quick and easy way to help support our school is by participating in Box Tops for Education. Participation is easy: purchase Box Tops products, scan your receipt, and our school will receive 10 cents per eligible item.

Download the app on your Apple or Android device, create an account, choose Courtney Elementary School as the school you wish to support, and scan your grocery receipts.

Recreational Sports

The Courtney Athletic Boosters (CAB) is a parent-led organization that supports recreational sports in the Courtney community. CAB, along with the Yadkin County Baseball League, East Yadkin Softball Association, Yadkin County Recreation Basketball, Yadkin Soccer Association, and Forbush Jr. Falcons, offers the following sports:

Football (Forbush Jr. Falcons)	Fall
Soccer (YSA)	Fall
Basketball (CAB)	Winter
Tee Ball, Baseball, and Softball (CAB)	Spring

We will make every attempt to notify parents of sign-ups for these sports.

Title I

The Yadkin County School System receives Title I funding from the State Educational Agency to ensure all children meet challenging state academic content and student academic achievement standards.

Title I is designed to support state and local school reform efforts tied to challenging state academic standards to reinforce and amplify efforts to improve teaching and learning for students farthest from meeting state standards. The elementary schools in Yadkin County with poverty rates above 35 percent use Title I funds, along with other federal, state, and local funds, to operate a "school-wide program" to upgrade the instructional program for the whole school. The program must be based on effective means of improving student achievement and include strategies to support parental involvement.

For more information, please contact the Title I Director for the Yadkin County Schools at (336) 551-1100. This statement concerns your child if they attend Boonville Elementary, Courtney Elementary, East Bend Elementary, Fall Creek Elementary, Jonesville Elementary, West Yadkin Elementary, or Yadkinville Elementary.

As the parent of a child served in a Title I school, you have the right to be involved in your child’s education. We encourage you to become an active participant in your child’s education. Please ask your child's principal specific questions or express concerns about this involvement.

Please complete the School-Family Compact and submit it to your child’s teacher.

Our Family Engagement Policy 2024-2025

Courtney Elementary School (CES) is committed to ensuring a child’s success in school and beyond. Understanding that, ultimately, a child’s best chance for success depends on creating an environment in which learning is encouraged and is supported both in school and at home, CES believes in the necessity of school/parent partnerships. Parents are their children’s first teachers, and their involvement in their children's education is essential. However, the collaboration between school and home will most fully address all aspects of a child’s needs and impact learning. Frequent contacts with families will be made via email, newsletters, weekly reports, notes, telephone calls, school website, Blackboard Connect messages, ClassDojo messages, classroom planners, family conferences, PTA, and family nights.

CES will help build capacity for strong parental involvement by providing support and/or materials to parents to help them with their child’s education. CES will notify parents as federal, state, and local laws or policies require. CES asks that parents inform the school when there is a change of address or phone number(s) after the beginning of the academic year and to communicate with their child’s classroom teacher as a first response to questions concerning behavior, academics, or other needs. Communication supports our goal to have a strong partnership among the school, parents, and the community.

Updated September 24, 2024