Important Highlights from the Family Handbook

Dear Families,

As we settle back into the routine of school it’s a good time to read and familiarize yourself with the Family Handbook. The Family Handbook is a comprehensive guide covering all aspects of school life at Bhaktivedanta Academy, including important policies and procedures all our families need to be aware of. This year’s Family Handbook was sent out as part of the Welcome Packet before the start of school and if you have not already done so, we request that you please read it in full. Please click below to open and read the Family Handbook.

Family Handbook 2023-24

As a supplement to your own reading of the Family Handbook, we would like to draw your attention to some key points from the Handbook, as set out below:

Drop-off & Pick-up

• School staff are available to supervise students for morning drop-off beginning at 7:50 a.m. Please do not bring children before this time. 

• Dismissal/pick-up times vary according to class:

  • 2:00 p.m. for Bhakti Bhavan

  • 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday and 3:00 p.m. on all other days for Audarya Bhavan, Madhurya Bhavan, and Krishna Sharanam.
    

• To help keep traffic flowing smoothly and to ensure everyone’s safety, please abide by the following guidelines while in the drop-off/pick-up area:

  • Do not use a cellular phone (even hands free) during drop-off and pick-up.

  • Pull fully to the right to allow pass-through traffic in the left lane.

  • Do not exit your vehicle on the driver’s side of the car. All students should exit and enter your vehicle from the passenger side only.

  • For afternoon pick-up: please pull into the drop-off/pick-up lane and stay in your vehicle. A safety patrol member will escort your child from the waiting area to your vehicle. 

  • Pay careful attention to pedestrians around your vehicle before maneuvering your car out of the drop-off/pick-up lane.

  • Do not park in front of the drop-off/pick-up lane. If you need to attend to something after using the drop-off/pick-up lane, please pull into a parking space within the lot.

  • Keep your speed to a maximum of 10 m.p.h. on the road leading to the school parking area and 5 m.p.h. within the lot.

  • Do not park in a handicap parking space unless you have a handicap placard.

  • Refrain from lingering in the drive-through or at the parking lot entrance or exit. If you wish to speak with someone or want to get out of your car for any reason, please park in a designated parking space.

  • During severe weather, the drop-off / pick-up lane may be closed. If the drop-off / pick-up area is closed, please park in the lot and retrieve your child from his/her classroom.
    

** Procare Sign In & Out - Legal Requirement for Pre-K Families

• State of Florida child care licensing regulations require that all pre-school aged children are signed in and out of their class by a parent, guardian, or designated representative. 

• Please do not leave the parking lot before signing-in or out on the Procare App.
  

Late Pick-up

• A late pick-up fee will be incurred for any child remaining beyond designated aftercare hours or 10 minutes after dismissal for partial-day students at the rate of $15 per 15-minute period.
  

Attendance and Punctuality

Tardy Policy

• All students (including Pre-K students) arriving after 8:00 a.m. will be considered tardy unless: 

  • Excused with a note from a medical appointment, or 

  • Arranged in advance and in writing with their classroom lead teacher or program head.
    

• **Please notify the school office at 386-462-2886 or office@bhaktischool.org if your child is going to be late to school.
  

• Students will have 3 unexcused tardy grace days in which they can be late per month. 

• After the grace days have been used in a month, any additional unexcused tardies will result in your child not being admitted to school for the entire day.
  

Absences 

• Contact the school office at 386-462-2886 or office@bhaktischool.org to notify us of your child’s absence from school.

• A note from a physician is required to be brought to the school office upon return to school for it to be excused.

• Excessive unexcused absences will result in a request to conference with your child’s teacher to discuss the impact on a student’s learning, including meeting graduation requirements.
  

Extended Absence

• If a student is going to miss more than 2 days of school, please coordinate at least 2 weeks in advance with their classroom lead teacher via the Extended Absence Request Form. 

• Please do not purchase airfare or lodging for a trip until after receiving a response from your child’s teacher.

• Families receiving tuition assistance from Step Up for Students please be aware that an absence of more than 5 days will require temporary withdrawal from the program until a student returns to school. Tuition for days missed and unpaid by Step Up is the responsibility of the family.
  

** Absence & Tardy Reporting - Legal Requirement for Pre-K Families

• State regulations mandate that we must have contact with the parents of a Pre-K child who is absent within the first hour of the school day. 

• If your child will be absent or arrive late, please notify the school office at 386-462-2886 or office@bhaktischool.org by 9 a.m.

Lunches and Snacks

• High sugar drinks and foods, such as soda and candy may not be brought to school.

• If you are dropping off lunch for your child at school, please put it on the shelves opposite the Office front door before your child’s scheduled lunch break.  

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the school office.


Yours in service,

Sucitra Wygmans
Staff Assistant