General Information

24-25 Calendar

The Tupelo Public School District serves the community by engaging each
student in an excellent education that develops skills and citizenship
needed for success in a global society.
 

                                                               1. Increase student achievement across the district.
                                                         2. Provide a safe, secure and orderly environment in all schools.
                                                                          3. Attract and retain all stakeholders.
                                                                          4. Maintain Sound financial stability.

The mission of the Early Childhood Education Center
is to uphold the TPSD mission statement by developing a risk-free
and nurturing environment that provides children with a maximum opportunity
to learn by providing a developmentally appropriate setting.
In an effort to provide children with this environment,
our overall goal is to provide an atmosphere of respect where
children and adults demonstrate respect for themselves, others, and their properties.

Board Members: Mr. Paul Mize, Mrs. Amy Tate, Secretary,  Mr. John Milstead,
Mrs. Sherry Davis, President, Dr. Rob Picou, Superintendent, Mrs. Hope Huey, Vice President

The Tupelo Public School District does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, or age in its programs and activities.  The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding the nondiscrimination policies:  

Director of Human Resources/TPSD Administrative Office Post Office Box 557  
Tupelo, MS  38802  
662-841-8850

Expectations

BE RESPECTFUL
BE RESPONSIBLE
BE POSITIVE
BE YOUR BEST!

Mission in Action

Each classroom is taught by a highly qualified licensed teacher and qualified assistant.
Children are randomly placed in a classroom. Requests for specific teachers are not accepted.
The principal provides on-site management of the program. The Early Childhood Education Center’s curriculum is based on appropriate practices and our activities are designed to meet the MS Dept. of Education’s Early Learning Standards.

Beliefs

College begins at Pre-K!
All children can learn.
Children have different learning styles.
Children are unique individuals with different abilities and interests.
Children can develop self-discipline and strategies for conflict resolution.
Chidlren can become lifelong learners. Schools can produce good citizens.
Families are our valued partners.

The Tupelo Public School District places value and emphasis on the earliest stages of literacy development by providing a high-quality Pre-Kindergarten program partially-funded by Title I and TPSD funds.

In an effort to provide children with this environment, our overall goal is to provide an atmosphere of respect where children and adults demonstrate respect for themselves, others, and their properties.

We place an emphasis on parent involvement which includes parent volunteers, classroom activities, take-home projects, parent conferences, workshops, and field trips.

Children living within the Tupelo PublicSchool District who are 4years of age on or before September 1 are eligible to attend the Early Childhood Education Center. Selection is based on academic need. To identify those needs, we use a developmentally appropriate measure of child development called the Brigance Early Childhood Screening Tool. Remaining slots will be filled on a first come, first served basis.

Parent must be able to provide the following documents for your child to attend ECEC:

• Child must live within Tupelo Public School District

• Child must be 4 years of age on or before September 1

• Child must be completely potty-trained

• Child must be screened by ECEC

• Copy of birth certificate

• Updated MS Immunization Compliance Form 121

• 2 current proofs of residency

Arrival and Departure from School: Car Riders & Daycare

• School begins at 7:40 each morning.

• A staff member is on car duty from 7:15 to 7:40 each day.

• Children will need to be accompanied into the school when a staff member is not on car duty and you must sign your child in.

• Due to safety concerns, we request your child enter and exit the vehicle on the right side.

• We ask that all car riders in the mornings and afternoons stay in the car-rider line for drop off and pick-up.

• An orange car tag, issued by the school, must be visible in the vehicle’s windshield in order to pick up your child in the car rider line.

• Breakfast is served each morning from 7:15-7:40 in the cafeteria.

• Any student arriving after 7:40 will be considered tardy and will need to be signed in at the main office by a parent or guardian.

• Dismissal is at 2:25 each afternoon.

• In the afternoons, we will walk your child outside the main entrance.

• Daycare vans and buses will pick up from the back of the school.

• We will dismiss at 2:25.Please make sure your child is picked up at this time.

Arrival and Departure from School: Bus Riders

• Bus transportation is provided by TPSD. The buses for Pre-kindergarten have a driver and two monitors.

• The buses also have safety belts. Students must remain in their safety belts at all times.

• Students must be picked up and dropped off at the same stop.

• You or someone on the transportation list filled out by the parent will need to meet your child at the bus.

• The bus driver will not leave your child at your residence without adult supervision or someone who is approved by the parent or guardian.

• Parents who are not home will be responsible for picking up their child at the Transportation Department and may lose after-school bus riding privileges if this occurs on three different occasions.

Every student at ECEC must have an emergency card on file indicating the names of people who are authorized by the
parent(s)to pick up the child. We must have a written note from you telling us of any changes in plans
for pickup of your child, and the person picking up the child will need to show valid identification. Your child’s safety
is our utmost concern, and we will not allow your child to leave school with someone that we do not know!

Attendance – JBD TPSD Board Policy

School Attendance Policy

When students are absent from school, the parent or legal guardian must inform the school of the reason for the absence. Failure to notify the school will result in the absence being classified as unexcused. Absences due to personal illness, illness in the family, death in the family, or medical and dental appointments will be excused with proper documentation only. Absences for other reasons will be unexcused.

If the student is going to be absent from school, please send a note with the student’s name and your signature explaining the absence upon the return to school. Students will be allowed three parent notes. A doctor’s excuse will also be accepted for absences. All excuses must be received within two days of student's return in order to be considered an excused absence.

Attendance is extremely important and any absence hampers a student's progress.

Excessive absences (15 or more days) will result in dismissal from the program.

To be considered as having attended school for a full day, a student must be present for 63% of his/her instructional day as fixed by the Board for each individual school (JBD TPSD Board Policy). A parent or guardian must sign out a student that is leaving school during school hours. Instructional time is valued and protected by the staff. Please avoid tardiness or checking students out early. Only people listed on the student’s emergency card will be allowed to check the student out.
 

Important Reminder
The school office is extremely busy from 2:00pm until dismissal time. Safety and security are our major concern. Therefore, checkout for students after 2:00 is not permitted unless the student has an appointment outside the school or there is an emergency. We have many parents call from their cars to pick up children early. We cannot call for children to come to the office until a parent or approved adult is physically in the office to sign them out.

A money envelope will be sent home in the BEE Folder. Please fill it out, put the money in the envelope, and return it to school the next day. This ensures that your child’s breakfast and lunch money will be kept up to date. It can cause problems if your child falls behind with his or her payments.

Please make your check out to the ECEC cafeteria. On-line payments for meals can be made through www.myschoolbucks.com
You may create an account in order to have an email sent or phone call to notify of low balances. A very small fee is charged when parents prepay money into their child’s meal account.
Parents may apply for free or reduced meals. Forms may be obtained from the office or online at A money envelope will be sent home in the BEE Folder. Please fill it out, put the money in the envelope, and return it to school the next day. This ensures that your child’s breakfast and lunch money will be kept up to date. It can cause problems if your child falls behind with his or her payments.
Please make your check out to the ECEC cafeteria. On-line payments for meals can be made through www.myschoolbucks.com
You may create an account in order to have an email sent or phone call to notify of low balances. A very small fee is charged when parents prepay money into their child’s meal account.
Parents may apply for free or reduced meals. Forms may be obtained from the office or online at  www.myschoolapps.com. Payments for breakfast and lunch are due until the application has been processed and approved.. Payments for breakfast and lunch are due until the application has been processed and approved.

The following meal prices for breakfast and lunch will be in effect for the Tupelo Public School District:
Pre-K Lunch
Paid $3.00
Reduced $0.40
Guests $4.50

Pre-K Breakfast
Paid $2.00
Reduced $0.30
Guests $2.75

Food Allergies
Please notify us of any known food allergies. Your doctor will need to complete a form regarding your child's allergies.

Safety Information

In the event that our school is under a Tornado Warning, ECEC will be in lock-down in our safe area until the warning is lifted. For the safety of students and staff, students may not be dismissed or checked out during a warning without the parent signing a release form.

Fire and Tornado Drills

Fire and tornado drills are held once a month throughout the school year. The instructions and routes areposted in each classroom and throughout the building. They also will be discussed with all students.

Enrollment Procedures:
Enrollment Policy

Withdrawal Procedures:

• A withdrawal form needs to be completed by ECEC in order to enroll your child in another school.

• Your child must be cleared by the media center having turned in all textbooks, and library books belonging to the school.

Cupcakes, Cookies, etc.: These may be brought for the ENTIRE classroom to celebrate your child’s birthday. Only store bought treats are allowed. Per nutrition guidelines, cupcake, cookies, and outside food items cannot be served in the cafeteria. You can work with your child’s teacher to set up a time during the day other than lunch.

Birthdays & Deliveries to Students: In the interest of safety and well-being of students and to avoid interruptions during classroom instructional time, deliveries of balloons, flowers, gifts, etc. will not be accepted at school. The Tupelo Public School District’s policy prohibits children from carrying balloons or other gifts on the buses.Please have deliveries made to your child’s home.

Tricycles in the Gym: Students have the opportunity to ride trikes in the gym. Helmets are not provided. You are welcome to send your child’s helmet to school. If you are interested in your child not participating in riding trikes, please be sure to notify your child’s teacher.

• Students at ECEC go outside daily, weather permitting. Please be sure your child is dressed appropriately for the weather.

• Shoes and/or sandals shall be worn.

• Shoes with cleats, house shoes, and flip flops are inappropriate.

• We prefer sandals to have a back strap for the safety of our children as they move throughout the day.

• Tennis shoes/sneakers are the number one choice for safety in Pre-Kindergarten.

• We also request a seasonal change of clothing for your child to be stored at the Early Childhood Education Center in case of an emergency. Please label your child's clothing including jackets and coats with her or her name.

Board Policy Code JCDB Dress Code for Students

Asbestos Notification

In  accordance  with  the  Asbestos  Hazard  Emergency  Response  Act  (AHERA)  regulations  established  by  the  EPA,  all school  districts  are  required  to  provide  an  annual  notification  to  all  parents,  teachers,  and  employees  regarding  our asbestos  management  program.  This  annual  notification  informs  all  persons  of  the  option  to  review  the  Asbestos Management Plan for our school district. To provide continuing management of the asbestos in our schools, all asbestos-containing materials (ACM) are inspected every six months by an accredited asbestos inspector. Any changes to these materials are recorded in a surveillance report as part of the management plan. Additionally, an accredited Asbestos Management Planner conducts a comprehensive inspection of all ACM’s every three years. This 3-year re-inspection has been performed as required and a copy has been filed with the Mississippi Department of Education. A copy of the Asbestos Management Plan is located in the principal’s office at each school. In  addition,  copies  of  all  Asbestos  Management  Plans  for  the  district  are  maintained  in  the  Superintendent’s  office located at 72 South Green Street. If you are interested in reviewing this information, please contact the Central Office at 662-841-8850 to schedule an appointment.

Family Education Rights and Privacy Act

The Tupelo Public School District routinely makes public certain directory information regarding students. This directory information includes the student name, address, telephone number, picture, height and weight of athletes, extracurricular activities, awards, honor rolls, electronic listings, Internet web pages, and other information that is typically found in school yearbooks,  programs,  bulletins,  and  student  newspapers.  In  addition,  the  District  discloses  names,  addresses,  and telephone  numbers  to  military  recruiters  upon  request.  Parents  and  eligible  students  shall  have  from  July  15  until September 1 to review this notice and request in writing that all or any part of the directory information not be disclosed without prior written consent.

Non-Discrimination Policy
The Tupelo Public School District does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, or any other classification protected by law in its programs and activities. The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding the non-discrimination policies:
Director of Human Resources TPSD Administrative Office PO Box 557
Tupelo, MS 38802
662-841-8850

Parents Right to Know/Title 1
Upon parent request, the qualifications of teachers and assistants employed in schools or programs funded by Title 1 will be provided. The Early Childhood Education Center is partially funded by Title 1. For further information, please contact the Early Childhood Education Center’s Principal at (662) 840-5237 or the Director of Federal Programs at 841-8850. In addition, a parent may request information on the level of achievement of the parents’ child on each state academic assessment,  and/or  a  timely  notice  that  the  parent’s  child  has  been  assigned  or  has  been  taught  for  four  or  more consecutive weeks by a teacher who is not highly qualified.
Tupelo Public Schools strives to ensure that students who meet the criteria for McKinney-Vento Homeless Act of 2002 are  placed  at  ECEC  upon  arrival.  To  ensure  their  placement,  slots  are  left  open  should  a  student  arrive  at  any  time during the school year.