Jesse Stuart

Elementary School

Student and Family Handbook

2024-2025 

 

A message from your principal, 

      Mrs. Julie Vaughn

 

Dear Families,

 

Welcome back to another exciting school year at Jesse Stuart Elementary School!

 

I hope you all had a restful and enjoyable summer, filled with fun and family time. As we embark on this new academic year, I am thrilled to see our hallways come alive with the energy and enthusiasm of our students.

 

Our dedicated teachers and staff have been busy preparing for the year ahead, and we are committed to providing a safe, nurturing, and stimulating environment for your children to learn and grow. We have many exciting programs and activities planned, and we can’t wait to share these experiences with you and your children.

 

This year, we are especially excited to see our students soar to new heights. The Eagle symbolizes strength, courage, and a soaring spirit—all qualities we aim to foster in our students. Let's embrace the Eagle spirit and work together to make this a fantastic year!

 

We are also thrilled to announce that we are celebrating the 30th anniversary of Jesse Stuart Elementary School this year! For three decades, our school has been dedicated to providing quality education and fostering a strong sense of community. We have special events and celebrations planned throughout the year to commemorate this milestone, and we look forward to sharing these moments with all of you.

 

Please know that our school is here to support you and your children every step of the way. Communication and collaboration between home and school are key to a successful educational experience, so we encourage you to stay in touch, ask questions, and get involved in our school community.

 

Thank you for entrusting us with your children's education. Together, we will make this school year one of growth, achievement, and joy.

 

Welcome back, and let’s make this year truly memorable!

 

Warm regards,

 

Julie Vaughn

Principal  

Jesse Stuart Elementary School

 

 

 

School Overview

  

 

1710 Anton Road

Madisonville, KY 42431

270-825-6033

 

 

K (P1/P2) Teachers Related Arts Teachers Food Service

Jaclyn Howard Megan Durbin-Library Christina Chandler

Kristi Patterson Melanie Hofmann-Art Dana Conrad

Brooke Stuart Jill Southard-P.E Susan Dame Rick Guck,  Manager

1st (P2/P3) Teachers Student Resource Officer Sherri McDowell

Amanda Herring Officer Mark Conrad Vacant

Jada O’Leary

Taylor Ruth Sp. Ed. Building Coach Custodians

Ashton Wheatstine Cristin Maxberry Renea Crabtree Missy Jarvis, Head Custodian

2nd (P3/P4) Teachers School Psychologist Gayle Perryman

Jessica Benham Angie Cunningham

Kim Hallum School Nurse

Courtney King Speech Language Pathologist Deena Crick

Debra Hartley, SLP Loretta Love

3rd (P4/P5) Teachers Shelby Pleasant, SLP

Taylor Goodman Lindsey Moore, CIA Mental Health Counselor

Marissa Offutt Angela Bryant

Donna Potts Instructional Assistants

Sandra Ball-Kindergarten School Secretaries

4th Grade Teachers Sandra Cook-FMD Judy Lacheta, Financial

Ashley Durbin Jennifer Curneal, Kindergarten Miranda Sharp, Attendance

Alaysha Scott Cayce Duvall-Kindergarten

Tara Woodall Brenda East-FMD Family Resource Center  

Ashlee Zimmer Carey Lipford, CIA Charles Yarbrough

Tabatha Cinnamon -Computer Lab

5th Grade Teachers Teresa Sisk Instructional Leader

Emma Phelps Detra Stafford-SOS Jenny Haw

Laura West                      

Title One Guidance Counselor

Special Education Julie Coursey Laura Poindexter

Emily Beeny (3rd) Ann Moss

Seth Cook (2nd) Janice Arndt Assistant Principal

Vickie Dickerson (5th) Stephanie Knott

Heather Lindsey (FMD)        Preschool/Head Start

Rebecca Smith (4th) Cassie Schneider, Teacher Principal

Amy Thomison (K) Mallie Turnier, Teacher Julie Vaughn

Kaity Young (1st) Tara Glaysbrook, TA

McKenzie White, CIA

Jayla Gaither, CIA

 

 

Encouraging, motivating, and challenging each student 

to meet the opportunities of the future.

 

Reaching proficiency and going beyond.

 

 

 

Jesse Stuart Elementary operates under policies and guidelines set by the School Based Decision Making Council in accordance with Kentucky State Law and Hopkins County Board of Education Policies, Parent council members are elected annually and serve one year terms. 

The council meets the third Wednesday of each month. Parents are encouraged to attend council meetings and be involved in decision making which directly affects students of Jesse Stuart Elementary.

The SBDM Members elected for the 2024-2025 school year are: 

 

General procedures information

 

 

Kentucky Compulsory Attendance Laws

KRS 159.010 Parent or custodian to send child to school; limit for compulsory attendance

Except as provided in KRS 159.020, each parent/guardian or other person residing in the state and having in custody or charge any child between the ages of six and 18 shall send the child to regular public school for the full term that the public school of the district in which the child resides is in session, or to the public school that the Board of Education makes provisions for the child to attend. A child’s age is between six and 18 when the child has reached his sixth birthday and not passed his 18th birthday. Beginning with the 2015-2016 school year, students between the ages of six and 18 shall enroll and be in regular attendance in the schools to which they are assigned and shall be subject to compulsory attendance. No written permission for withdrawal shall be required after the student's 18th birthday. The residence of the child is the governing factor rather than the residence of any of the relatives. When the child’s residence is within the same district as his/her guardian during all the school year, then the child is required to attend school in this district. (1955 OAG 37.765)

 

Starting with the 2024-2025 school year, Kentucky HB 611 requires the director of pupil personnel to report the following to the county attorney for determination of appropriate court intervention:A minor in kindergarten to grade five (5) whose parent/guardian is in violation of KRS 159.010 by allowing the child to be absent without excuse for fifteen (15) or more days A minor in grade six (6) through twelve (12) who is habitual truant as defined in KRS 600.020 and has been absent without excuse for fifteen (15) or more days

 

The first bell rings at 7:40 am and the tardy bell rings at 7:45 am. The car rider doors will close promptly at 7:45 am. If you arrive at the school in the mornings and the car rider doors are closed, please come inside and check your child in at the office. Students are allowed 8 parent notes. If you are late because of an early doctor’s appointment, please bring a note from your doctor when you sign your child in. Leaving early also counts as a tardy for attendance purposes. If you are checking your child out early for a doctor’s appointment, please send a doctor’s excuse the next day. The school day ends at 2:35pm. 

       

Schoolwide Discipline Plan (by Grade Level)

Discipline Behavior Contracts:

K

1

2

3-5

 

Dress Code

Jesse Stuart Elementary School has adopted the dress code set forth by Hopkins County Schools Code of Conduct. The excerpt below is taken from Hopkins County Schools Code of Conduct.

*Specific dress prohibited at JSES include no wearing of hoods (keep hoods on hoodies down while in the building) and no Heelys (wheeled shoes).

 

Electronic Devices/Cell Phones

Students should not bring electronics such as iPods, Nintendo DS, and other electronic devices to school. If cell phones need to be brought to school, they must remain off and in the student’s backpack during the school day (or in a basket that the teacher keeps locked up).  Smartwatches are allowed as long as they are not a distraction to the learning process or students are using them to communicate like a cell phone. The school will not be responsible for the phone if it is broken, lost, or stolen. If there is an emergency during the school day and you need to communicate with your child, you may call the school office at 270-825-6033. If your child has it out during an inappropriate time, they will receive a warning. The next time it will be brought to the office and the parent will have to come and pick it up.

 

Smoking

All Hopkins Co. Schools are smoke free campuses. This includes vaping. Any student who is found with any type of smoking device/product will receive counseling. For repeat offenders, in school and out of school suspensions could be given in addition to counseling.

Celebrations 

Birthdays

Student birthdays are announced each day on the morning announcements. Classroom Birthday celebrations will no longer be held each month. Instead, the school will provide each student a Dibby’s ice cream bar in the month of his/her birthday. Summer birthdays will also be celebrated during May and August. For example, all students with a birthday in August will join in a birthday celebration and receive an ice cream this month. *No homemade or store bought food will be allowed for student birthday celebrations.

 

Holiday Celebrations                                                                                                                                  

We will have classroom parties for Halloween, Christmas and Valentine’s Day. For Halloween, families are welcome to attend our Trunk or Treat with their child. Christmas & Valentine Parties will be held in the classroom, where you are welcome to attend.  A room parent will coordinate these events. If you’re interested in being one, please contact your child’s teacher.  If you are asked to bring in food, please have it at the school the day prior to the party. *No homemade food will be accepted.

Water Bottles

Water bottles should hold water, not soda or sugar based beverages.

Change of address/phone numbers

Please notify the office immediately if your address or phone number changes. Up to date information is vital to keeping your child safe. It is important for the school to be able to reach parents in the case of an emergency. 

 

Lost and Found

If your child loses a jacket, gloves, or some other item during the school year, it will be put in the lost and found if it is turned in or found by a staff member. The lost and found tub is found near the playground door. Students may also ask our custodian, Mrs. Jarvis (Miss Missy), if they cannot find the missing item. We also put all of the lost and found items out on tables near the lunchroom 2 or 3 times a year so students can see if any of their belongings are there. The most important thing you can do is put your child’s name in their coats, backpacks, lunchboxes and other items. If we find an item that has a name, we return it to the student right away. Please do not call the office and ask them to search lost and found for you. Parents are welcome to come after school to help their child look in Lost and Found if necessary. 

 

Releasing of students

We cannot release students to anyone that you have not listed on your parent portal as a person that may check out your child. Please carefully consider who may need to check out your child in case of an emergency and list their name and phone number.  When checking out students, please bring your photo identification so we can ensure your child is leaving with someone you have authorized to pick him/her up from school. 

 

School Hours

School begins each morning at 7:45 am. School ends at 2:35 pm. 

School Office hours are 7:00 am until 3:30 pm. 

 

Telephone Use

The office telephone is for business calls. Students may use the office telephone only in the case of an emergency and with permission from the teacher/principal. Also, parents should avoid calling the school requesting to speak with students, for this interferes with instruction. Please use Parent Square to communicate with your child’s teacher.

 

Valuables

Please do not allow your child to bring large amounts of money and/or other valuable items to school. Jesse Stuart Elementary School is not responsible for lost or stolen items. 

 

Visitors

All visitors must have a valid government issued ID when entering the school building. You will not be able to enter the building without it. If you are staying, please leave your ID at the office. When you leave, stop by and get your ID. This is so we know who is in our building at all times for the safety of our students and staff.  

 

Food Restrictions 

ALL food brought into the school should first go through the office so it can be checked for specific food allergens that might be in the classroom that the food is supposed to go to. The teacher/cafeteria manager is also responsible for double checking to ensure students do not consume foods that contain ingredients they are allergic to.  Please make sure we know of any food allergies ASAP.

 

The parents of students with medically documented food allergies will be contacted and provided with the option of an alternative eating location for their child on Fridays. This is the only day of the week our school cafeteria serves fish and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Nut and seafood-free tables have been established in the cafeteria. 

 

Medications

Medication of any kind, prescription or over the counter, may not be sent to the school with children.  

Procedures for dispensing medication are outlined in the Hopkins County Schools Students Code of Conduct. Briefly stated, the following procedures will be followed at JSES. A medication card must be completed by the parent/guardian and on file in the 

office; medication must be brought by parent/guardian to school in a container provided by the doctor or pharmacy; medication will be dispensed in the presence of a school employee; all medication will be kept securely in the office or in a secure place in the school. *Any over-the-counter medication (e.g. Tylenol) brought to school by the parent must be in a new sealed bottle; if it is not, we cannot accept the medication nor dispense it. 

 

School Nurse

We have a nurse in our school through the Hopkins County Health Department. Please make sure to fill out and return the Nurse Consent form, (yellow paper), or she will not be able to see your child if he/she becomes ill or is injured.

 

Parent Teacher Association (PTA)

The Parent Teacher Association at Jesse Stuart is active and makes a significant and positive contribution to the school. Please “LIKE” their FB page, Jesse Stuart Elementary PTA, join PTA for $5, sign up to volunteer for various events and activities, and participate in fundraisers. Your time and talents are needed and much appreciated! 

 

Volunteering

Be a Jesse Stuart volunteer!!!  Contact Jenny Haw, Instructional Leader at (270) 825-6033 if you are interested in becoming a volunteer. She will be happy to explain our volunteer program to you and help you to find the jobs that are best suited to your interests and schedule. You can also contact any PTA officer.

 

Click here for our Volunteer Handbook.

Calendars

And

Schedules 

 

 

Lunch 

Both breakfast and lunch are served each day to students and teachers. ALL students are served breakfast and lunch free of charge. 

Faculty, Staff, Parents, Guardians and Visitors meals will be served at a reasonable price. The school lunchroom accepts cash or checks only. 

A nutritious school breakfast and lunch will be served each day of the school year. We welcome you to participate in our program. If you wish to decline, your child may bring his/her own lunch.  All liquids, milk, punch, juice, or water are to be brought in unbreakable containers. 

 

Lunch periods are 25 minutes in length. Students are expected to use good manners, be courteous and adhere to instructions from cafeteria monitors. 

 

Parent Lunches & Student Lunch Schedule

Parents are invited beginning September 6th to eat with their child. Different grades are invited on different days. We have a designated “visitor’s table” in the cafeteria reserved for parents and guardians who would like to eat lunch with their children. This will allow us to continue to welcome lunch visitors while ensuring our students have adequate space for lunch. The visitor’s table will be limited to you and your child. Due to confidentiality, other students will NOT be allowed to join as guests. If you are bringing your student food from an outside location, please have it in an unrecognizable bag. We have a bag in the office if you need one.  Immediately following lunch, parents should return to the office and check out. We would ask that you do not follow your child to recess or class after lunch.

 

transportation

 

Bus Transportation

Students who ride buses are under the authority of the driver while on the bus or the authority of the teachers and principals of our school system while waiting to board or get off their bus at school or at sponsored activities. 

Riding the school bus is a privilege, conditioned upon the student obeying all rules, regulations, and procedures as outlined in the Hopkins County Transportation Responsibilities of Students form given to either you or your child by your child’s bus driver or teacher. Please go over these rules with your child and return the signed form promptly. 

Only in emergency situations may a student be dropped off at a home other than their own. If a student needs to change his/her bus stop due to an emergency situation, the request must be made in writing by the parent or guardian, verified by school personnel, and passed to the bus driver via a signed note by the principal. The student must present the driver with the note, signed by the principal, permitting the change. These requests will be honored only if the bus has room for extra riders and only if the desired stop is already on the established route. 

Car Riders

The car rider drop-off begins at 7:00 am. Students will not be allowed in the building prior to that time.  The doors will close promptly at 7:40 am. This is when the tardy bell rings.  If you are late, you must come in and sign your child in at the office. It is best to drop your child off prior to 7:35, which is when the first bell rings. All students must be dropped off in the car rider line in the mornings.  Please do not drop students off from the parking lot. It is a safety issue with the bus lane.

The car rider line is on the west side of the building. Car riders will be loaded in the designated cul-de-sac area beside the building beginning at 2:37 pm. Teachers will be on duty to help your child. Please pull all the way forward to the furthest available spot. This enables us to load as many children as possible at once and keeps the car rider line moving quickly. 

FOR SAFETY REASONS, DO NOT PARK AND COME IN TO PICK UP YOUR CHILD. THIS WILL CREATE SAFETY HAZARDS, AS WELL AS PROBLEMS IN PARKING AND TRAFFIC CONGESTION. 

You must sign up for a car tag each year, last year’s tag will not be valid. You will receive 3 tags, if you need more please send a note to the office staff and we will send extra home with your child.  If you lose your car tag and need a replacement, please come into the office before dismissal time and then proceed to the car rider line.  Due to safety reasons, you MUST have a car tag to pick up a student, even if the teacher knows you, if you don’t have a tag, we will not release your child to you.  

Please make sure that you pick up your child in the car rider line prior to 2:55 p.m. 

 

Limit picking up students in the office after school for Doctor’s appointments or emergencies only. 

 

Change of Transportation

It is in the best interest of your child to have a consistent way of going home. However, we know that situations arise and that may need to be changed. The preferred way to communicate transportation changes is through ParentSquare. Please feel free to send a written note as well. We will not honor word of mouth from your child because safety is very important to us. This enables us to safely arrange your child’s way home.  In case of an emergency you may call the office no later than 1:00 p.m.