Information & FAQ

Attendance & Tardies: Attendance is extremely important for students to be successful at our school. It is also important that students arrive at school on time, and ready to learn! Parents are encouraged to utilize school bus transportation. Daily drop off begins at 8:00am. If your child arrives after 8:25am, you will need to come inside the school to sign them in.

Absences from School: If your child is absent from school, a parent/guardian must turn in a written signed note or a doctor’s note within 48 hours for the absence to be considered excused, upon the students return to school. Emails and phone calls will not be accepted. If a child has missed more than 15 days of school, only doctor notes will be accepted. Expecting a prolonged absence? Please speak to us in advance so we can help your family through the process.

Bus Stop Reminders: Please log on to your Home Access Center (HAC) account for the most up-to-date information regarding your child’s bus number, bus stop, and pick-up/drop-off times. Please have students at the bus stop 10 minutes prior to the estimated time of pick-up. Also, we ask for your patience when picking up a child from the bus stop. Due to traffic, we ask that you wait 10 minutes before calling us regarding afternoon drop-off. Traffic is unpredictable. Call our Front Office if you have been waiting longer than 10 minutes and Transportation has not already contacted you. Our phone number is 904-547-8440.

Early Dismissal & Dismissal Changes:

➢For the safety of all students, children may not be checked out of school after 2:15pm on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday or Friday and 1:15pm on Wednesday. After this time, preparing our busses is our priority and there is no guarantee that we can check your child out to you prior to dismissal.

➢If you need to change the way your child goes home in the afternoon or for an early dismissal, please complete our Dismissal Change Request Form via Otis Mason Website by 2:10 pm on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday or 1:10 pm on Wednesday.

➢Please Note: Early Dismissals – We do not send children to the front office until you have arrived and shown your photo ID to the front office staff. Dismissal Changes – Can only be accepted before 2:10pm (1:10pm on Wednesdays).

➢We cannot accept phone calls for dismissal changes. Changes in afternoon transportation should only be for emergency situations. Please help us (and your child) by preparing a regular dismissal routine. It is so important that students, teachers, and the Front Office know and expect how the child will be dismissed each day. Please keep changes to a minimum.

Please mark your child’s FULL NAME on ALL belongings. This includes jackets, lunch boxes, water bottles, binders, backpacks, and ANYTHING they would want returned. Items with names are returned daily by Safety Patrol. Items without names are placed in Lost and Found. Lost and Found is located in the Cafeteria. Students may check Lost and Found before or after school, during lunch, or anytime they pass by!

Want to celebrate your child's birthday at school?

Special Celebrations: We love to celebrate when there is a special occasion! However, we ask that you please follow these guidelines if your child is celebrating while at school. As a school, our primary goal is to educate your child.

➢ Treats may only be shared with your child’s classmates and teacher. Please contact the teacher and plan the treat well in advance. Teachers are only allowed to serve treats during Recess or Lunch. Please understand that instructional time should not be interrupted.

➢ If needed, napkins, plates and/or utensils should be provided to the teacher.

➢ Communicate with your child’s teacher about when you would like to bring something in, what you will be bringing and check if there are any allergies in the class. You will need to work with the teacher to determine the best time to have the treat (lunch or recess). Treats can be dropped off in the Front Office with the Child and Teacher’s Names clearly written on them.

➢ No balloons, banners, bouquets, or over-sized items are permitted. Special shirts or buttons are allowed. Please avoid anything disruptive to the learning environment.

➢ Birthday invitations must include everyone in the class if they are being handed out at school. We kindly ask that you send invitations to parties outside of school.

We currently do not have the capacity to accommodate lunch visits. Parents may check students out during the lunch period if they would like. Please call ahead if you are interested in making these arrangements. Again, we kindly ask that instructional time not be interrupted.

Dress Code Reminders:

➢Hats, sunglasses, etc. must be taken off and put away upon arrival (except in case of medical necessity or special events authorized by administration). These items may only be worn outside.

➢Shoes must be safe and appropriate. They must have a back – no flip-flops, heels, etc. Students are not allowed to wear Crocs or Slides for P.E. so please check your child’s footwear regularly!

➢No tank tops, spaghetti straps, or shirts/dresses that are cut out at midriff.

➢Clothing must be free of logos or sayings with profanity, violence, drugs, alcohol, or tobacco or anything that would be disruptive to the learning environment.

➢Skirts and shorts must be no shorter than 4 inches above the knee. Leggings are permitted to be worn under a skirt or long sweater/skirt. No yoga pants.

➢Hair should be a natural color and styled in a way that is not distracting.

➢No excessive make-up.

For more information, please visit: https://www.stjohns.k12.fl.us/schoolservices/conduct/ to access the St. Johns County School District Student Code of Conduct.

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Otis A. Mason Elementary School