Policies

Behavior

The EXCEL Program will follow the procedures established by the Decatur City Schools Code of Student Conduct. Since participation in EXCEL is a privilege, children who choose to consistently behave in a disruptive or disrespectful manner will be dismissed from the program.

All children are expected to be…S.M.A.R.T.

Be Safe: Remember to follow all the rules.
Be Mannerly: Listen to anyone who is talking and only talk in the appropriate voice level.
Be Active: Participate in all EXCEL Activities with enthusiasm and excitement.
Be Respectful: Respect your teacher, your classmates, and the property of others, including your school.
Be Tremendous: Always do your best and look for the best in others.

The following rules will apply to all EXCEL activities:

• Keep hands, feet, and objects to self
• Listen and follow directions
• Respect self, others, and property
• Remain in assigned area unless given permission to leave
• Use appropriate voice levels

Accident or Illness

The EXCEL Program will follow the procedures established by the Decatur City Schools in regard to accident or injury. The EXCEL staff will be trained to handle all minor injuries and illnesses and parents will be informed when they sign children out for the day. Parents will be expected to pick up children who become ill during after school hours. If the EXCEL staff judges the injury or illness to be serious, appropriate action will be taken and professionals will be called on to care for children. Parents will be immediately informed in the case of these emergencies. It should be noted that medication will not be administered without written permission and instructions from parents.

Food

A nutritious snack will be served each day during the after-school program. Since this snack will be provided by the Decatur City Schools' Child Nutrition Program, there will be no cost to parents. No food or drink may be brought from home. Parents should inform the school's site coordinator if children have special dietary needs caused by a medical condition.

Homework

Each day children attend EXCEL they will have the opportunity for trained tutors to help them begin working on homework.  Please remember that there is no guarantee that they will complete all assignments.  It is still the responsibility of the parent to see that all assignments are completed and checked.

Links for Parents

www.parentsoup.com
www.family.com
www.tnpc.com
www.parentsplace.com
www.familyeducation.com/home
www.parents-talk.com
www.momsonline.com
www.parentsknow.com
www.parentnews.com
www.familychannel.com
www.wholefamily.com
www.family.org
www.familyfirst.org
www.ctw.org

Links for Children

This is a listing of fun sites and activities to do online

www.google.com
www.infospace.com
http://coolmath.com
http://kidsclick.com
http://homeworkhelp.com
http://educationplanet.com
http://themagicschoolbus.com
http://4kids.com
http://nationalgeographic.com/kids
http://comicspage.com
http://scrabble.com
http://funbrain.com
http://yahooligans.com
http://globaleye.com
http://ambleweb.com
http://askjeevesforkids.com
http://kidsconnect.com
http://brainpop.com
http://childrensplace.com
http://www.eduplace.com/tales/
http://nickelodeon.com
www.scholastic.com/harrypotter/

10 Fun and Educational Websites
(Kindergarten-3rd grade)

Between the Lions, http://pbskids.org/lions

Interactive Coloring Book, http://coloring.com/pictures/choose.cdc

Kids Health, http://kidshealth.org

Download-a-Dinosaur, http://rain.org/~philfear/download-a-dinosaur.html

Sesame Workshop, http://sesameworkshop.org/sesamestreet

Tiny Planets, http://tinyplanets.com

Pauly's Playhouse, http://paulysplayhouse.com

Nick Jr., http://nickjr.com

Kids' Planet, http://kidsplanet.org

Math Baseball, http://funbrain.com/math/index.html

Tips for Parents

No Child Left Behind Reading Tips for Parents

1. Read with your child everyday.
2. When reading a book where the print is large, point word by word as you read.
3. Read your child's favorite book over and over again.
4. Read many stories with rhyming words and lines that repeat.
5. Discuss new words.
6. Stop and ask about the pictures and about what is happening in the story.
7. Read from a variety of children's books, including fairy tales, song books, poems, and information books.

7 Super Things Parents & Caregivers Can Do

1. Talk often with your children from the day they are born.
2. Hug them, hold them, and respond to their needs and interests.
3. Listen carefully as your children communicate with you.
4. Read aloud to your children every day, even when they are babies. Play and sing with them often.
5. Say "yes" and "I love you" as much as you say "no" and "don't."
6. Ensure a safe, orderly, and predictable environment, wherever they are.
7. Set limits on their behavior and discipline them calmly, not harshly.

8 Ways To Stop Math Meltdown!
By: Renee Sarnowski

1. Learn the benefits of slowing down. Students wracked with anxiety often speed through math lessons, assignments, and tests. Remind your child to take as much time as needed. Let her work at her own pace and praise her for staying motivated. Taking the time to truly understand mathematical concepts will allow her to work faster in the future.
2. Emphasize learning and understanding rather than memorization. Children experience a great deal of anxiety when they are forced to memorize facts without understanding what they are learning or why they are doing so. If your child doesn't understand a concept, encourage him to go back and review it. This will provide a reliable base of knowledge as she advances to more difficult lessons.
3. Use games to make math practical and fun. Card games, board games, and computer games can help your child realize many practical, interesting applications of math. These great resources can help her practice various mathematical concepts while having fun. Rather than viewing math as intimidating or boring, she will start to approach math with a more positive attitude.
4. Praise instances of success. Math anxiety is often based on past failures. If a child focuses on his negative encounters with math, he will go into his next math lesson with a defeatist attitude. Help him focus on his successes. Perhaps he scored well on a math quiz or has a good understanding of fractions. Praising his hard work and perseverance will give him greater confidence and a higher chance of success.
5. Possess your own positive attitude toward math. A parent's attitude toward math often rubs-off on their children. Help your child by reinforcing that everyone can learn math and that math is used in everyday life. Share your successful encounters with math or how you overcame your fear of it.
6. Encourage your child to discuss her anxiety openly. Talking about her anxiety will help your child confront her fears. With your support, she will learn that it is natural to sometimes become frustrated or to be intimidated by math. You also will learn more about specific concepts with which your child is struggling, allowing you or her math teacher to provide more effective assistance.
7. Be understanding and patient. Developing the confidence to explore mathematical concepts and truly learn advanced material takes time. Your main focus should not be on your child's achievements or lack thereof, but rather the development of his intellectual curiosity. If you demonstrate patience as he struggles with math, he will learn to be easier on himself and more willing to persevere.
8. Communicate the importance of consistent studying. Mastering mathematical concepts is a long process. Help your child understand that cramming the night before a test is not the way to get an A. Have him set aside time each night to review the day's math lesson. Remind him that his comprehension and achievements are dependent on the amount of time and effort he puts into studying.