Your school-day essentials.

The school day officially begins every morning with an assembly at 8:00 A.M.; students should be on the school premises by 8:00 A.M. Students are dismissed daily at 3:00P.M. Parents who are transporting their children are urged to pick them up at dismissal time.

Rising Stars Islamic School follows NYC public school closures for inclement weather.

It is imperative that the school office be notified immediately of a change of address, home or office telephone number, or emergency information during the academic school year.

We expect our students to dress modestly and follow uniform policy. Any child in defiance of this policy will be sent home and repeat offenders may suffer grade point average loss.

The school uniform consists of gray jumper, a long-sleeve light blue shirt, white hijab, white socks, black shoes (no laces), and a gray sweater for winter. No high- heels or slippers are allowed.

All boys are required to wear gray pants/slacks, a light blue shirt, a gray vest or sweater in winter, socks and black shoes (no laces).

Immunizations: "No Shots, No School." All students entering for the first time are required to have proof of immunization against diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, polio, mumps, measles, and rubella. If a child is sick, please keep him/her at home. A Perfect Attendance award is not worth putting other children and staff members at risk for infection.

Students are not allowed to take medications without the prior permission of the office. Those students who must take medication have to report to the school office before taking it. Students are not allowed to carry their medication around with them, but need to keep it in their school bags or in the school office.

Rising Stars Islamic School currently has no specific arrangements for teaching students with special education requirements or students with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD). Limited tutoring is available for students who have fallen behind in certain subjects. Counseling needs are handled on an ad-hoc basis involving students, parents and the office. However, the Rising Stars Islamic School has no specific arrangements at this time nor does it take any responsibility in this regard.

School attendance is the cornerstone to receiving the maximum benefits from any educational atmosphere. When the child is absent, they lose valuable instruction time; they fall behind their peers and may suffer from anxiety and frustration at having to catch-up. Therefore, students and parents are urged to make every effort to ensure regular, punctual attendance.

The school year consists of 180 days. Official school hours are from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. It is mandatory for all enrolled students to attend in all aspects of the assigned curriculum. No students will be allowed to leave school grounds during official school hours unless the parent or legal guardian has made a proper request in the office. Parents are required to pick up their children at exact dismissal time. The specific policies for students' absences are outlined below.

It is incumbent on the parent or guardian to notify the school if a student will be absent. Long-term absence of fifteen days or more may result in failure for the term. Parents must see the principal before making decisions for a long-term absence of their child/children. Students who are absent for more than one month will NOT be allowed to take New York State Exams.

Students and/or parents must get prior approval from the office before bringing any visitors to the Rising Stars Islamic School. Visitors are expected to observe all the Rising Stars Islamic School rules.

Every precaution is taken to ensure the safety of all children in case of an emergency. Periodic fire drills are executed so that students learn proper safety procedures and adhere to all safety guidelines.

When the teacher dismisses the students to make wudu for their Salaah, the following rules must be strictly followed: Students will make their wudu as quickly as possible and then return to their classroom. The teacher will take the students to the Masjid where they will perform their Salaah. After the Salaah is finished they will return to their classroom.

The procedure for determining consequences after infractions have occurred includes:

1) Parents are contacted.

2) Parent/Teacher conference is called.

3) Parent/Teacher/Principal conference is held.

4) Student receives detention, suspension, or expulsion.

Rising Stars Islamic School maintains a permanent file for every student in which grades, awards, special notes as well as any infractions are recorded. The purpose of this is to be able to be fair and just when evaluating their performance needs, and for sending of transcripts to other educational institutions upon request. This information is not available to the general public and can only be released to other schools upon formal request. The principal handles all matters in connection with student records.

Regular conferences are held during the school year. A teacher may contact parents through other means such as sending notes home, phone calls, special conferences, etc.

We welcome your requests for conferences. It is very important that you know what is going on with your child at school. Please schedule all conferences by calling the office. At this time, the secretary will assist you in arranging a conference with your child's teacher. Parents are not allowed to approach teachers during school hours without prior appointment; in such a case, teachers have the right to refuse the meeting.

Start each day right; a calm beginning at home helps children focus in school.

Encourage your child to have a good breakfast. Make certain that your child sleeps enough each night. (9-10 hours of sleep is recommended for children in 3rd grade or below, and 8-9 hours of sleep for children in 4 grades and above.)

Praise your child each day for something he/she has done. Have a special place to put schoolwork or things brought home.

Laugh and talk with your child about school experiences and listen to what is said about your child's school day experiences.

If the child is ill, home is the best place; otherwise, your child needs to be at school every school day.

Keep the lines of communication open between yourself and your child's teacher. Inform the teacher of any family situation which could influence your child's behavior. Also, if he/she is reluctant to go to school, let the teacher know so that together we can find the reason.

Regularly take your child to the library and encourage reading for pleasure.

Stress organization of school notebooks, materials, etc.

Provide pencils, glue, scissors, paper, and all other required school supplies for your child to use.

Review the skills taught at school during child’s free time at home.

Parental participation is critical to the academic success of the student. Therefore, all parents are urged to become part of the Rising Stars Islamic School's learning and teaching community by donating their time, energy, and expertise.

Operating a school requires a great deal of money. Parents are strongly encouraged to participate in all fundraising activities of the school. They should actively seek to include their relatives, friends, and other members of the community as well. Our goal is to produce leaders for this nation who can take the responsibility of bringing Islam to the masses.