F.A.Q.

School doors open at 7:20. Students should be in the classroom by 7:45. Dismissal begins at 2:50.

We encourage all students to ride the bus. Carline begins at 7:20am. Some parents (especially those who have to be at work early or drop off children at other schools) line up as early as 6:45. However, students are not allowed to be dropped off until 7:20 unless a special event is scheduled with the teacher.  There will be no one to supervise your child until 7:20.  Students should be in their classroom by 7:45. 

Students eating breakfast need to arrive by 7:20.  Students should be in their classroom by 7:40. 

Bus service is available to our JL Newton students. You can sign up at Meet the Teacher or come by the office for bus information. 

We will have two assigned areas for pick-up.  Kindergarten (and siblings of Kinder students) will be picked up in front of the cafeteria.  Students in grades 1-6 will be picked up in the horseshoe area near the service road. Students in grades 4-6 will enter the carline in lanes 3 & 4 and grades 1-3 (with their older siblings) will enter in lanes 1 & 2. 

CARS MUST HAVE CAR NUMBERS DISPLAYED from the mirror. Anyone without a number may be asked to circle in order to not slow traffic flow. Once cars have stopped, students will load, and parents will turn the car tag around. This indicates the student has loaded. Students must sit quietly and “look and listen”. Students will look for their car to arrive and listen for their number to be called. Parents of students who do not load when called several times will have to circle back through carline.

For safety purposes, only students living in the adjoining neighborhoods are allowed to walk home from school. These students will be given a special walking pass. Parents must meet students at the bridge if their child is a walker. If your child is not walking, then he/she should go through car line. 

Consistency in dismissal is very important. Emails, texts, or phone calls will not be accepted for changes in dismissal. If a change in dismissal is necessary, a written note must be sent to the front office for approval.  

 Communication between the teacher and parent is very valuable. You may send a note with your child in the student’s school agenda, send an email to the teacher, or call the front office to leave a message. Email or written note is the preferred method. Please give teachers 48 hours to respond. If there is an emergency situation, contact the front office.

Parents should check student grades on a regular basis through the Inow portal. You will receive your child’s login information at the beginning of the school year. You will also receive a progress report at mid-quarter and a report card at the end of the quarter.  Weekly grades and papers will be sent home in the J. Larry Newton Pirate take home folder.

Please visit our webpage at https://www.bcbe.org/newton and like our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/JLarryNewtonSchool/ .  When registering please provide an email.  We send emails frequently with information and reminders. In addition to the school website and Facebook, teachers will have their own page that includes classroom activities, photos, and other informative items. 

Please plan ahead so that snacks and school items come to school with your child. To protect instructional time, please do not drop off items after 8:00 am. Important items will be taken at the front door.

PLEASE VOLUNTEER!  Please schedule a volunteer time in advance with your child’s teacher or the front office.  The teacher will notify the office when to expect a helper on campus. If you want to volunteer with various school activities, please join PTO.  You can email our PTO President, Rachel Smith, at newtonpto@yahoo.com.

At this time, we will not have lunch visitors. Cafeteria capacity limits the number of individuals we can accommodate.

Please join PTO! We have the most amazing group of parent leaders who partner with administration and staff to make our sweet school thrive.  Be on the lookout for flyers and emails sent home at the beginning of the year with more information. You can also find the membership form on our school website or request one by email at newtonpto@yahoo.com.

Yes! Please send a healthy snack and drink daily with your child to school.  Students have a 10-15-minute break to refuel with snack, restroom, movement, and a brain break.  Those with an early lunch, have an afternoon snack.  Those with late lunch have a morning snack time.  Students have special ice cream snack once a week. Educators are trained to pace their teaching and give students opportunities for engagement, movement, and brain breaks throughout the day during instruction.  Physical Education allows students to engage in interactive play, release energy and develop social interactions through team challenges. Physical education also allows students to have 10 minutes of unstructured play on the playground daily, weather permitting.

Special approved ice cream snacks will be offered once a week for each grade.  Ice cream and water will be sold for $1.00.  Ask your child’s teacher which day the class will have special snack. 

Birthday ice cream packages will be sold again this year. Ice creams are individually wrapped and can be shared during snack on a day approved by the classroom teacher. We are unable to accept birthday treats to be brought to school. Birthday ice cream celebration packages are available for purchase on My School Bucks or through the front office. 

The only vacation days are those on the official Baldwin County Public School System Calendar.  Please schedule vacation days when school is not in session.  Students are allowed nine absences during the school year to be excused by a parent note.  Any absences (other than doctor notes) will be unexcused after this time.  Any missed work during absences will be assigned once the student returns to school.  Attendance procedures through the Baldwin County court system will be followed. For attendance questions, please contact our school registrar.