Elementary Family Handbook
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Notice of Non-Discrimination: The Margolin Hebrew Academy/Cooper Yeshiva of the South admits students of any race, color, national or ethnic origin to all rights, privileges, programs and activities generally accorded or made available to students of the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color or national origin in the administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, hiring practices, scholarship programs or other school administered programs.
| Rabbi Dr. Gavriel Brown | Head of School |
| Mrs. Ruth Samuels Wurzburg | Elementary Principal |
| Mrs. Michelle Katz | Judaic Studies Programming Coordinator |
| Mrs. Rivki Wiener | General Studies Curriculum Coordinator |
| Brandy Flack | Executive Director |
| Erica Stoltz | Assistant to the Dean |
| Sandra Osdoba | Kitchen Manager |
| Shmika Stigger | Kitchen Assistant |
| Danny Love | Maintenance |
| Noam Davidovics | Director of Technology |
The administration of MHA-CYOS is deeply appreciative of your decision to enroll your child in our 1–6 program. We are proud of our exceptional program and we look forward to facilitating your child's social, academic, and religious growth over the coming year. Achieving maximal student growth is predicated on a strong partnership between both the home and school. Neither can work effectively without the understanding, support, and assistance of the other. Guiding the development of the child is a cooperative endeavor.
Therefore, it is very important that there is open communication between teachers, parents, and the administration. The purpose of this handbook is to develop a better understanding of the Margolin Hebrew Academy Grades 1–6.
Every student is greeted by members of our Administrative team each and every morning beginning at 7:45 AM. Class begins at 8:00 AM daily. Please note that students are expected to be in class, ready to learn, at 8:00.
The school day ends with dismissal at 3:45 PM, Monday through Thursday. Friday dismissals are as follows: Short Friday 2:00 PM dismissal will begin on the first Friday after the clocks are changed. 3:00 PM Friday dismissal will resume after clocks are changed in the spring and will extend to the end of the school year. The newsletter will remind you of these changes.
Please Note: There is no supervision of students before 7:45 AM or after 4:00 PM (2:15 PM/3:15 PM on Fridays). Please do not drop off your children before 7:45 AM, or leave them at school after 4:00 PM (2:15 PM/3:15 PM on Fridays).
If your children walk to school or ride their bicycles to school, please make sure that they have a designated route. Bicycles must be stored at the school in designated areas. Bicycles may not be brought into the building or ridden during school hours. Please make sure your child has a lock and helmet for his/her bike.
If you need to park your vehicle for any reason, please park in the designated parking areas only. Please do not park in front of the building.
If you arrive with your student(s) after 8:05, please escort them into the building and sign them in at the office. No child will be dismissed from school or leave campus prior to the regularly scheduled time unless a parent (or authorized person) signs the child out in the office. Upon return, please sign the child back into school.
Grades 1–6 have General Studies for half the school day and Judaic Studies for half the school day. General Studies include English Language Arts, Social Studies, Science and Math. Judaic Studies include Ivrit, Chumash, Dinim, and in older grades Navi and Torah she Be'al Peh.
Specials are divided as evenly as possible between morning and afternoon classes in order to preserve the integrity of the academic program.
These classes augment and enhance our school program, providing a more enriching and holistic educational experience for all our children.
If a student has more than 30 absences in an academic year, his/her situation will be reviewed by the Principal before determining if the student can be promoted to the next grade level.
If a student becomes ill during school hours, the student will be sent to the office and placed in an isolated area until they are picked up, to prevent the spread of illness. If a fever of 100.3 degrees or higher is detected, if the student has vomited or has persistent diarrhea, parents will be requested to take the student home.
A child whose ailment is contagious will not be allowed at school with or without medicine. Children must be fever free for 24 hours, without fever-reducing medication, prior to returning to school. If a child vomits or has diarrhea, please wait 12 hours to determine that there is no recurrence.
Children are not allowed to have prescription or non-prescription medication in their possession, including Tylenol, Motrin, or other non-prescription medications. The office will only dispense non-prescription medication to those that have medication forms on file in the office. Medication must be provided by the parent in its original bottle with the child's name, address and phone number.
If a student must receive prescription medication during the school day, it must be brought in its original container by the parent. It must include the child's name, prescription number, medication name and dosage, times of dosage, physician's name, and pharmacy information.
Please inform MHA-CYOS of any allergies or diagnosed medical conditions your child may have.
Communication between parents and teachers is one of the most important parts of our partnership in educating the students. At the beginning of the year, teachers will notify parents how they can best be reached. If you have a concern that involves the classroom, please contact the classroom teacher first.
Please give teachers until the end of the following school day to respond to your message. The email address for every teacher and administrator follows the same formula: firstname.lastname@mhafyos.org.
General classroom communication — including weekly updates and homework notifications — will be sent through email. Communication regarding individual students will come via phone calls and/or emails.
The school will make an independent decision regarding the closing of school due to inclement weather or hazardous driving conditions. If possible, we will open late rather than cancel the school day.
Decisions will be publicized via email and remind text message, made by 6:30 AM. In the event there is a need to close school early during the school day, you will be notified by text or email.
As committed Jews, we teach our children the moral imperative of "Derech eretz kodmah la-Torah" – "Appropriate conduct is a prerequisite to Torah study and living." The following conduct is expected in all areas of our school:
Students who consistently do not uphold these expectations may be subject to disciplinary action, including detention or another response that helps a child understand the consequences of their actions. If a student continues to struggle, teachers and administrators will request a parent conference.
The Torah tells us, "mi-dvar sheker tirchak" — "distance yourself from dishonesty." Honesty and integrity must go hand in hand with academic achievement and are central to the type of education our school embodies.
The following actions constitute violations of the MHA-CYOS academic integrity policy:
The mission of the Margolin Hebrew Academy is to give each child the best education possible. We are very aware that children differ in their learning styles and academic ability. The Administration is available to meet with parents and proactively work towards their child's success in the school.
While our classrooms endeavor to meet the needs of all learners, there are times when students will need remediation beyond what is provided in the classroom. In these situations, teachers, parents and students will work with the academic support staff to help meet their individual learning needs. All student support services are monitored and guided by the Principal and Director of Academic Support.
Should the need for individual testing or counseling arise, we will meet with the parents and carefully explain our concerns. Toward the end of the academic year, parents will be notified if their child is at risk of needing to repeat a grade.
If there's a need for teachers to fill out any forms, please submit them to the Principal. When the forms are completed, the school will email them to the requesting professional. Please be sure to leave contact information for the doctor when dropping off the forms.
Teachers will assign relevant homework. Homework serves to reinforce, review, or enhance what has been learned in class. It provides the student with an opportunity to work independently outside of school and to develop a sense of responsibility.
In general, homework should not exceed approximately grade level × 10 minutes for all homework, Judaic Studies and General Studies inclusive. Time management is an important skill; students should begin working on projects and reviewing for tests well in advance of deadlines.
Teachers are instructed that no student should be given more than two tests in one day. Quizzes are not included in this policy.
When school is closed for a religious holiday or for an extended break, teachers will not assign written homework or major projects, nor will they schedule tests or quizzes due the day classes resume after the holiday.
In grades 1–6 there are 4 report cards issued each year at the end of each quarter. Each report measures the progress and achievement of the student for that period. Teachers assess students using a variety of methods: unit tests, projects, writing samples, one-on-one evaluation, standardized testing, and work samples.
| Code | Meaning |
|---|---|
| BG | Beyond grade level expectations |
| OG | On grade level expectations |
| AG | Approaching grade level expectations |
| Grade | Range | Grade | Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| A+ | 97–100 | C+ | 77–79 |
| A | 93–96 | C | 73–76 |
| A− | 90–92 | C− | 70–72 |
| B+ | 87–89 | D | 66–69 |
| B | 83–86 | F | 65 or below |
| B− | 80–82 |
| Code | Meaning |
|---|---|
| E | Always meets behavioral expectations. |
| G | Usually meets behavioral expectations and corrects behavior with minimal redirection. |
| S | Shows age-appropriate behavior and needs occasional support to follow rules and manage emotions. |
| N | Frequently needs redirection, not always responsive to redirection. |
| U | Disruptive and does not respond to teacher redirection. |
| Code | Meaning |
|---|---|
| E | Excellent on-time arrival record and participates with the class, following teacher instructions. |
| G | Good on-time arrival record and usually davens with the class, following teacher instructions. |
| N | Frequently tardy, and/or frequently needs redirection from the davening teacher. |
| U | Frequently tardy, and/or disruptive/fails to respond to davening teacher's redirection. |
Grades will be available on RenWeb on a regular basis and parents are expected to monitor their child's progress. Contact Rabbi Hauser for RenWeb login information.
The business office reserves the right to withhold report cards, transcripts and diplomas until all financial matters have been resolved (including payment of lost/unreturned library books).
Parent/Teacher conferences are scheduled in November. All parents should avail themselves of this opportunity to further the home/school educational team. Parents or teachers may request additional conferences during the school year.
A second conference will be offered for grades 1–6 in March. Parents can elect to have a conference in March if they choose. In some cases, teachers will notify parents if they believe a conference is necessary.
Standardized tests will be administered to all students in grades 1–6. Results of the tests, along with explanatory materials, will be sent to you as soon as the school processes them from the scoring center.
Students should keep their textbooks neat at all times. Each student's name should be written in his or her textbooks. The cost of replacing any books that are lost, not cared for properly, or rendered unusable will be the family's responsibility. The school cannot issue a replacement for a lost book until payment has been received.
Each year some parents request additional copies of texts and workbooks to have at home. There is a rental fee for textbooks and consumables must be purchased. Requests for additional books should go through the Administration rather than through the teacher.
Students are assigned summer work. This information is sent to all parents at the end of the school year.
All food brought from home must be certified Kosher with proper Rabbinic supervision.
The school offers a lunch program. The office sends out monthly menus. Please adhere to the deadlines as instructed by the school office.
We have children with severe food allergies in the school. Absolutely no food from home can be shared.
If you send lunch with your children, please send it with them in the morning. Lunch boxes or bags should be clearly labeled. Please send spoons, forks, and paper products when needed. Please do not send food that needs to be heated in a microwave.
If your child has forgotten lunch, please take it to the front office and it will be delivered to your child.
The academic success of youth is strongly linked with their health. Research has shown that what a student eats can affect their performance in school. Healthy students eating healthy lunches are better learners. Healthy lunches should include proteins, fruit, and vegetables each day.
As the school is deeply committed to the safety and well-being of every child, all staff is trained in Tennessee Child Abuse policies. Staff who have "reasonable cause to believe" a child is being abused or neglected are mandated by law to report that suspicion to the state Department of Children's Services.
If an employee or staff member of our school is accused of sexual or physical abuse, the parents of the child should immediately report such to the Head of School. In the event the alleged victim is not comfortable reporting to the Head of School, the report should be made to the President of the Board. In response, the staff member will be immediately suspended and removed from the premises until an investigation is conducted and concluded. The school shall maintain the confidentiality of the investigation to the extent possible but shall abide by all applicable regulations and laws.
At the Margolin Hebrew Academy one of our goals is to create a family atmosphere in which all members feel safe, appreciated, and respected — understanding that we were all created b'tzelem Elokim (in the image of G-d). MHA prohibits any form of bullying.
Bullying includes three components:
The MHA community takes the issue of bullying seriously. We engage in classroom discussions, student training, parent training, and ongoing efforts to create a climate and culture whereby all students feel safe and secure.
Research has shown that students who split their attention between a learning task and their cell phones perform poorly compared to students who are not dividing their attention. Further research suggests that having cell phones — even those that are silenced and stored out of sight — might undermine the ability to focus.
A student with a cell phone or other internet-enabled device not belonging to the school should store the device in the principal's office. Students may not use these devices (smartphones, Apple Watches, iPods, gaming devices) between the hours of 8:00 AM and the beginning of dismissal.
If a parent must contact their child during the school day, he or she should call the school office. If a cell phone or any other electronic device is out during school hours, it will be confiscated and given to an administrator. It will be returned to the student at the end of the school day. Parents will be notified via email if this occurs. The third time a phone is taken away, the parent will need to come to the school office to pick it up.
MHA utilizes Chromebooks for our 2nd–8th graders. This agreement must be reviewed by a parent/legal guardian of each student prior to the student being given his/her Chromebook. Chromebooks are designated for educational uses only. Any usage deemed inappropriate or distracting may result in immediate termination or restriction of Chromebook use.
Chromebooks require proper care. Students should exercise caution in handling their Chromebooks, as dropping them can lead to permanent damage. MHA will be providing a case and a charger with the Chromebook. The case, charger and Chromebook must be returned to the school at the end of the school year.
If a student is able to keep the same Chromebook through 8th grade, they will be allowed to keep it upon graduation. If they break it or lose it, they will get one replacement, after which the parent must purchase a replacement. If the Chromebook is lost or stolen, the replacement cost is $250 if purchased through MHA.
Students at MHA-CYOS will use a variety of information sources including libraries and computers with approved software and the Internet. The primary function of these resources is to support and extend students' learning experiences.
Please remember that students have no privacy while using school computers. At any time or place on campus, the computer activity can and will be observed for improper usage. The school will provide a personal laptop computer for each student in grades 4–8 to use during the school day. No personal computer is allowed to be brought to school.
Please see Appendix A for the full Computer Use Policy.
The Margolin Hebrew Academy maintains the confidentiality of all student records. Any information collected will be used to benefit the child's school experience. Only authorized school staff have access to student records. Our teaching staff and administrators must have written consent from the child's parent in order to speak to anyone outside the school.
State law mandates that we have complete immunization records for each student. These records must be on file in the school office before a child can be admitted to class. The school may need to deny admittance to any students whose records are incomplete.
New Students: We require a health record/certificate of immunization that includes all required vaccinations. Contact your child's pediatrician for the necessary forms.
The school requires that all students be checked for lice before returning to school after each long vacation. Any student who does not attend a mandatory lice check will be asked to sit in the office until they are checked.
In the event a student has either nits or lice, his/her parents will be notified so that they can appropriately treat the student. The student will be readmitted when found by an approved school lice checker to be free of lice. Students returning from a trip to Israel need to be checked prior to their return to class.
In order for a student to attend a field trip, a signed permission slip must be returned to the school. Only certified kosher food may be brought or purchased on the field trip. Booster seats are required by State law for all field trips involving children through 9 years or under 5 feet tall.
All students are assigned lockers. The student is responsible for keeping his/her locker neat and in good repair. Please do not put private locks on lockers — they are considered school property. Students are not permitted to go into another student's locker for any purpose whatsoever. Students may not put anything on the outside of their lockers, nor may they put stickers inside the locker.
In-class birthday parties for children are permitted only through first grade. We ask that students do not leave class for in-school birthday parties, classroom celebrations, or other performances for their siblings.
For all other grades, with prior approval from the teacher, parents may bring treats such as cupcakes (with proper Kashrut certification only — no home-baked items) during lunch or recess.
We cannot allow any in-school deliveries of balloons, etc. Teachers, with approval from the Principal, may request food be sent in for in-class celebrations — please be sure packages are sealed and have approved kosher certifications.
We request that when you plan a party for your child outside of school, you do not send invitations to school. We strongly encourage that all students in a class be invited to parties.
Children may use the office phone or be called to the phone in cases of emergency. Please do not call your child's cell phone to arrange pick-up or for any other reason during the school day. Students are not permitted to call home for forgotten papers, books, or assignments.
The school uniform is required for regular school days. The uniform is obtainable from Lands' End and Fraylich School Uniforms. There is a link on the school website with order and contact information.
In the event of a special day calling for clothing outside the dress code, girls should wear blouses or tops with sleeves the same length or longer than the uniform blouse and skirts the same length or longer than the uniform. Boys are never allowed to wear shorts and girls are never allowed to wear pants.
Children are encouraged to wear the school uniform at all after-school and evening events. Students should dress in modest clothing at all times on our campus. Some after-school events will require uniforms.
For safety purposes, all visitors must sign in at the front desk and receive a Visitor's Pass before entering the school. Parents and other visitors are asked to confine their business to the Front Office and not go into the classroom wings or the lunchroom without a Visitor's Pass.
Parents visiting the school should remember that their dress also sets an example for our children — we ask that they adhere to the school's standards for appropriate dress. Kippot are available in the school office.
At Margolin Hebrew Academy, we deeply value the partnership between home and school. We strive to keep families well-informed and involved, but it is equally important that we maintain a learning environment that is safe, secure, and conducive to the success of all students.
Parent classroom observations are restricted for the following reasons:
We encourage parents to stay engaged by collaborating with our educational professionals. Should you wish to discuss your child's classroom experience or have specific concerns, we are happy to arrange meetings with teachers or explore other avenues of engagement.
Therapists are welcome to observe classrooms, as they are able to assess the learning environment in a way that supports the individual needs of the student.
All visitors, including tutors and therapists, must sign in at the front office upon arrival and wear a visitor badge while in the building. They should be escorted by a school staff member if required.
Any exceptions to this policy must be approved by the school administration. Requests must be made in advance with detailed justification. In cases of prolonged illness, extended tutoring support, or urgent mental health needs, an 8-week plan with proper medical documentation must be submitted for review and approval.
The purpose of the Internet at MHA-CYOS is to facilitate communication and research in support of educational objectives.
The use of MHA-CYOS computer equipment is not a right, but a privilege. Violations of school policy may result in a loss of access to electronic resources.
The Margolin Hebrew Academy is committed to fostering a positive learning and working environment for all students and staff. This policy serves as a statement on appropriate conduct and relationships between students and staff and is meant to help both staff and students understand and appreciate the delicate balance that exists between them.
Definitions: For purposes of this policy, "staff" refers to MHA full-time and part-time employees, contracted service personnel, and any volunteers working on school property. "Student" refers to all MHA individuals in grades PreK-3 through 12, including a one-year window post-graduation. "School property" includes all places on the school campus, along with any place where extracurricular activities and/or events may take place.
All staff must be aware that students of all ages and intellect are susceptible to influence. Staff must be cognizant of the imbalance of power that exists in relationships between staff and students. Accordingly, staff is prohibited from engaging in any romantic, sexual, or physical relationship with students.
Any question by staff as to the appropriateness of an activity, relationship, or interaction with a student may be directed to the Principal or Head of School. All staff who suspect an inappropriate relationship exists between a staff member and student are required to immediately notify the Principal or Head of School.
This agreement must be signed and returned by a parent/guardian before a student may be given a school-issued device. By signing, the parent and student agree to abide by all policies outlined in this handbook regarding computer use, internet access, and Chromebook care.
For questions about the Technology Usage Agreement or device policies, please contact Noam Davidovics, Director of Technology at noam.davidovics@mhafyos.org.