Dress Code
Uniform Guidelines
Shirts
- Shirt/Blouse: Any solid-colored collared shirt, long and short sleeve
- Outerwear: Solid color sweater or sweat shirt; NO HOODIE
- Hoodies are to be hung up upon entering the classroom.
Pants/Skirts/Jumpers
- Khaki, Navy, Gray, and Black (no jeggings, leggings, yoga pants, etc.)
- Knee-length shorts, skirts, and jumpers. (Tights are allowed under skirts.)
- No joggers, sweats, or running pants allowed.
Shoes
- Casual or athletic (heels and toes must be closed in).
- No slides, sandals, flip-flops, house shoes, Crocs, mules, etc. Due to safety, these shoes are prohibited
Attendance Policy
Attendance Policy
The Hamilton County Board of Education emphasizes the importance of regular school attendance for every student. Regular attendance benefits both the child and their classmates, laying the foundation for a successful academic career and future job market readiness. To support this, the Board has established guidelines for excused absences.
Compulsory and Excused Absences
The Tennessee Code and State Rules and Regulations define compulsory and excused absences. The Hamilton County Board of Education and Orchard Knob Elementary strongly believe in regular daily attendance and achievement.
- Allowed Unexcused Absences: By law, students are allowed five (5) unexcused absences per school year.
- Documentation of Absences: Parents can provide excuses for three (3) additional personal illness days. A written statement signed by a parent, guardian, or doctor must be sent to the school when a student returns.
After the five (5) unexcused days and three (3) additional personal illness days, parents must provide medical documentation for personal illness, family illness, or personal reasons.
Attendance Interventions
- After Four (4) Unexcused Absences: Parents will be notified by the school Social Worker, Attendance Officer, or Truancy Specialist to attend a Community Attendance Review Board meeting.
- After More Than Five (5) Unexcused Absences:
- Parents will receive a legal notice to attend an Informal Truancy Hearing before juvenile court representatives.
- Continued unexcused absences will result in a Formal Hearing before a juvenile court judge.
For questions about attendance expectations or policies, please speak to an office staff or school administrator.
Chronic Absenteeism
Chronic absenteeism is defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, putting a student at academic risk. This differs from truancy, which only accounts for unexcused absences.
Truancy
State Law (TCA 49-6-3007 (e) (1)) requires schools to notify the Social Worker/Attendance Officer when a child has ten or more unexcused absences.
Automated Attendance Messages
The school system will send an automated phone message to parents of a student marked absent by 10:00 a.m. regarding that absence.
Absence Definitions
- Absence: Recorded when a child misses more than one-half day (3.5 hours) of school.
- Excused Absence: Includes personal illness, death in the family, recognized religious holidays, and family illness.
- Unexcused Absence: Includes absences that do not meet state criteria for being excused or lack a written statement from the parent. Out-of-town trips are unexcused.
Behavior Expectations - ROAR
Respectful
Show respect to everyone and everything around you.
On Task
Stay focused and complete your work diligently.
Always Ready
Be prepared for learning and participation every day.
Responsible
Take responsibility for your actions and do what is right.
Transportation
For any safety or driving concerns regarding First Student buses (buses numbered 200 and above), please contact 423-498-5555 or visit www.firstfeedback.com
Buses are expected to arrive within 10 minutes of their scheduled time. Please have students at their stops and ready to board the bus 10 minutes prior to the scheduled arrival time. The bus schedule can not allow more time to wait for tardy students or for students to exit personal vehicles. For more information, please see the rules of conduct in the Transportation Policy Manual
Hamilton County Schools transports more than 20,000 students to and from school each day. There are 251 daily bus routes covering 23,000 miles each day and 4.0 million miles annually. Our mission is to provide safe and efficient transportation to and from school daily.
