Policies & procedures

All our policies and procedures are put into place to ensure that our students and staff are able to make the most of our instructional time. We strive to include as much information here as possible. Please don't hesitate to contact us if you have questions or suggestions for how we can improve the way we serve our students and families.

Arrival and dismissal

  • Our building opens to students at 7:30 a.m.
  • 4th and 5th grade students will report to the cafeteria.
  • Kindergarten, 1st, 2nd, & 3rd grade students will report to the gym.
  • Any child who eats breakfast reports to the cafeteria.
  • Students arriving before 8:00 will need a book or something quiet to study until 8:00.
  • Students arriving after 8:10 a.m. are considered tardy.
  • Students are dismissed at 3:30 p.m.

Student drop-off and pick-up safety procedures

Whether your Kimberlin Knight gets picked up or dropped off at school daily, twice a week or only on occasion, you will need to know the rules and procedures for keeping all of our students safe.

Morning drop-off

  • All cars and daycare riders need to pull up in the drop-off area on the south side of the building that circles the staff parking lot. Students enter through the doors located just past the outdoor tables under the covered patio.
  • Please leave the cross walk area open for staff members to use when they cross between the parking lot and the covered patio.
  • If you need to walk your student into the building or come into the office, park across the street on Cumberland Drive. Then cross with the crossing guard who is on duty at arrival and dismissal times each day. Do not park or leave your car unattended in a fire lane. Parking tickets for this violation are issued by the city of Garland.
  • Our doors open at 7:30 a.m. and lock at 8:10 a.m.. Students and visitors who arrive after that time need to come to the front doors and ring the bell.

Afternoon pick-up

  • Our dismissal begins at 3:30 p.m.
  • Walkers are dismissed through the front entrance to parents waiting outside the building, to walk home or to walk to the recreation center.
  • All car riders need to be picked up in the circular pick-up lane at the south side of the building.
  • Have the sign with your child’s name and grade clearly visible on the dashboard of your car or window. Our staff will see it and call your child’s name out in advance. This helps us to move the line as quickly as possible. If you need a sign, please let us know.
  • Please pay attention when you are pulling up to pick up your child. Cell phone use is prohibited in all school zones and can result in a ticket by Garland police.
  • Never leave your car parked in the pick-up lane or exit your car to pick up your student. This creates an unsafe situation for those trying to cross to the parking lot.
  • All students should be picked up by 3:45 p.m. Any students not picked up by that time will be brought into the office. Parents will need to come in and sign them out.
  • We do our best to limit the wait time in the car line. Please be patient at the beginning of the year while we get to know the students and the cars.

Attendance

Students are expected to attend every class, every day on time.

Research shows that missing just two days of school a month can negatively affect a student's overall academic performance.  Absences also disrupt learning and make it hard to keep up with the lessons being taught.

Consequences for multiple absences include:

  • Behavior plan
  • Student and/or parent conference
  • Loss of class credit
  • Referral to truancy court

No More than 4 Challenge

Attendance makes the difference.  Be present at school with no more than four absences during the school year.  Attend for better experiences, better achievement, better career options, and better opportunities.

Monitor attendance

Students and parents can monitor attendance records in Skyward.  Please see the Student attendance in Skyward page on the GISD website for details on how to access.  If you have questions about a specific absence, contact the attendance office.

Absences

If your student is absent from school due to illness, send a note to the campus within three days of the absence.

Students or parents should turn in an absence note to the attendance office within three days of returning to school that includes:

  • student name and I.D. number
  • a written statement giving the date and reason for the absence(s)
  • parent/guardian signature
  • parent phone number

Absences for some activities and events such as religious holy days and documented health-care appointments will be excused if the student makes up all their work.  More information about which activities and events are excused by state law, details about attendance policies as well as excused and unexcused absences are available in the Student Code of Conduct and Handbook.  

Partial day absences

Students are required to attend school from the time the school day begins at 8:10 am until the time the school day ends at 3:30 pm.  A partial day absence occurs when a student is not present for a part of the school day.  A student who arrives late or leaves early will receive a partial day absence.  The school will decide whether the partial day absence is excused or unexcused using the same standards for determining the status of full-day absences.

Attendance law

The Texas State Compulsory Attendance Law requires students aged 6 through 19 to attend school.  Section 25.085 requires students to go to school each school day for the entire school day unless exempted by law.  This requirement includes students who have voluntarily enrolled in prekindergarten or kindergarten and students who are nineteen years old or older.  

Students who violate this law may get referral(s) for court proceedings against the parent, guardian or student.  Violation of the law occurs when students get unexcused voluntary absences for 10 or more days or parts of days within a six-month period.

Cafeteria

Students may purchase breakfast, a plate lunch, or a la carte items in the cafeteria.  Parents may deposit money in their student's account in person in the morning or by using the School Cafe online system. Students may also put money in their accounts in the morning or at lunch.  Parents will be notified when the account is low.  Parents are welcome to join their children for lunch, but be sure to check in the front office for a visitor's badge before going to the cafeteria.

Parties

We are limited to two parties for our students for the year - one in December and one in February. Food for the parties will be restricted to follow COVID-19 guidelines.

Volunteers

We love our volunteers at Kimberlin Academy. Unfortunately, during this time we are not allowed to have visitors on campus. We look forward to when we can have lots of volunteers in our building on a regular basis to assist our teachers. All volunteers are required to complete a background check each year and present a current photo ID upon entering the school. GISD and Kimberlin Academy are dedicated to doing everything possible to ensure the safety of our children.

For a volunteer application, background check form or additional information about volunteering in GISD, visit the Volunteer Opportunities Overview page on the District website.

Parent communication

Important school information goes out each week in the Kimberlin Connections, an online newsletter. It is sent out via Skyward email.

Emergency updates

It is vital to keep emergency contact information current. Please report any changes to the school immediately. We must be able to contact you if your child has an emergency.

School visitors

During this time of COVID-19, we are not allowing school visitors.

All visitors are required to come to the school office upon entering the building. On a first visit, your driver's license will be scanned into our visitor system. Every guest will receive a visitor's badge to be worn at all times while in the building. On your way out, please return your badge in the front office, and we will sign you out of our visitor system. To ensure the safety of our students, teachers and staff have been instructed to question anyone not identified as an authorized visitor. If it is necessary to contact your child or their teachers during the school day, the office staff will be happy to assist you.

Messages to students during the school day

There are times when parents may need to contact the school to send a message to a child. Please be ready to give the student's identification number to our staff when you call so we can verify your connection to the student. We suggest you memorize this very important number and have it written down in several places.

Student medication

All medication brought to school by a student must be prescribed medication in a properly labeled prescription bottle. All medication will be kept in the clinic in a locked cabinet. We encourage students to take responsibility for reporting to the clinic for medication. Students will not be allowed to take over-the-counter medications unless accompanied by a doctor's note.

Campus Improvement Plan

A Campus Improvement Plan serves as the blueprint for how a campus will address performance objectives and other campus needs that have been identified from a Campus Needs Assessment.

Campus Improvement Plan

District policies

To support our mission of providing an exceptional education to all students, we have created policies designed to help your student have the best possible education experience.

Visit the Policies page on the district website for additional polices and related information.