Family Handbook

The mission of Akin Road Elementary School, a diverse and self-aware community of curious individuals committed to continuous growth, is to ensure personal agency and impactful learning through the development of intellectual and interpersonal skills to positively impact a world of ever-evolving communities through:

• Safe and supportive environments
• Validating and exploring diverse and individual perspectives
• Community connection and collaboration
• Learner-centered environments and experiences

Our objectives:

• Each learner will continually discover, pursue and achieve academic and personal growth
• Each learner views themselves as a resourceful, creative and capable community member
• Each learner will act intentionally with empathy for others and their experiences

Akin Road Elementary School

5231 195th St. W.
Farmington, MN 55024
Main Office – 651-460-1700
Attendance Line – 651-460-1705
Emergency School Closing Information – 952-985-1100

Office Team

• Tracey Magnuson, Principal: 651- 460-1700
• Jody Pfeiffer, Counselor: 651-460-1703
• Cheri Haakana, Administrative Assistant: 651-460-1704
• Colleen Stulz, Administrative Assistant: 651-460-1705
• Melissa Hewitt, School Nurse: 651-460-1706
• Lyndsi Meier, Family Support Worker: 651-460-1771
• Mauri Deer, Learner Support Specialist: 651-460-1738

Frequently used numbers

• Attendance: 651-460-1705
• Marshall Lines Transportation: 651-463-8689
• Media Center: 651-460-1776
• Chartwells Food Service: 651-460-3820
• District Emergency: 952-985-1100
• Marschall Lines Bus Company: 651-463-8689

School Hours

7:00 am - 3:00 pm - Office hours
7:30 – Students arrive - Breakfast
7:40 - Classes begin
Each student gets approximately 40 minutes for lunch and recess.
2:10 - School is dismissed

Please do not drop your children off before 7:30 a.m. Students that arrive early must wait by the front office. Students are not allowed in the building before 7:40 a.m. There is no supervision before 7:40 a.m. and after 2:10 p.m. Parents need to pick students up on time.

Go to www.farmington.k12.mn.us for more information.

Parents need to fill out an Absence Waiver Form when they are going to be absent for any length of time for vacations.

Guidelines for keeping a child home due to illness include:

• When a child has a fever of 100 or more, a child should stay home for 24 hours after the temperature returns to normal (without needing medication to keep the temperature down).
• When a child has vomited or had diarrhea, a child should stay home until 24 hours after the last episode.
• When a child has any rash that may be disease-related or you do not know the cause, check with your family physician before sending your child to school.
• When your child is not running a fever, but is having excessive secretions, continual coughing or excessively tired it may also be good to keep him/her at home. Extra sleep, fluids, and medication can be effective in resolving these symptoms and preventing a relapse.

Please have an “emergency plan” for the care of your child should he/she need to be home due to illness and someone available to pick up your child from school and care for them should they become ill at school.

If you have any questions, you may call the district nurse, Michelle Pepera, 651-460-1965.

Attendance is an important part of your child’s education. Attendance is an important part of your child’s education. Please reference our district policy #1019 to learn more about how absences are defined as excused or unexcused.

Farmington Attendance Policy

Each time your child will be absent or tardy, you are required to call 651-460-1705 before 9:00 a.m. If the administrative assistant does not answer, please leave a message giving your child’s name, grade and reason for the absence. You may also fill out the Student Attendance Form (available on the Akin Road Website). Failure to do so will result in an automated message that your child is not in school. This is to ensure your child’s safety. If you do not call the school back within that day,  the absence will be recorded as UNVERIFIED.

Along with absenteeism, tardiness is a serious concern.

Copies of all attendance letters will be placed in the child’s cumulative folder. If your child expresses reluctance about going to school, or complains of illness simply to stay home, please contact us. We want to work with you to make school a positive experience for you and your child. Our nurse and/or counselor may be able to help you with concerns of this type.

It is the general policy of the school district to utilize progressive discipline to the extent reasonable and appropriate based upon the specific facts and circumstances of student conduct. The specific form of discipline chosen in a particular case is solely within the discretion of the school district. At a minimum, violation of school district rules, regulations, policies or procedures will result in discussion of the violation and a verbal warning. The school district shall, however, impose more severe disciplinary sanctions for any violation, including exclusion or expulsion, if warranted by the student’s misconduct, as determined by the school district. The District will adhere to the Administrative Guidelines for Disciplinary Action. Disciplinary action may include, but is not limited to one or more of the following:

• Student conference with teacher, principal, counselor or other school district personnel, and verbal warning
• Parent/guardian contact
• Parent/guardian conference
• Removal from class
• Restorative Practice
• In-school suspension
• Loss of school privileges
• Modified school programs
• Referral to in-school support services
• Referral to community resources or outside agency services
• Financial restitution
• Out-of-school suspension under the Pupil Fair Dismissal Act
• Preparation of an admission or readmission plan
• Other disciplinary action as deemed appropriate by the school district

See Minnesota Pupil Fair Dismissal Act at the link below:
https://education.mn.gov/mdeprod/groups/educ/documents/basic/mdaw/mda2/~edisp/006059.pdf

With the passage of the MN Free School Meals Program, each enrolled student will be able to receive one free eligible breakfast and one free eligible lunch each academic school day.  Second meals, second entrees, milk and A la Carte items may still be purchased as long as the student has either funds in their account or has cash on hand at the time of purchase.

Applications for free and reduced price meals should still be completed in order to determine eligibility for other programs throughout the district. Applications can be found online, https://www.farmington.k12.mn.us/departments-services/educational-benefits, in the main office of your school or at the food service office located at 510 Walnut Street.  All completed forms should be returned to the food service office at the Walnut Street location.

Menu information and pricing can be found at https://www.farmington.k12.mn.us/departments-services/food-services-chartwells

Providing learners a safe and pleasant bus ride is a priority in the Farmington Area School District. Every passenger on a school bus has a part in keeping the school bus safe. Please review the Bus Safety Handout (PDF) which includes the school bus discipline plan with your child(ren) and let them know that you expect them to do their part to follow the rules and help keep their bus safe.   

If you have any questions regarding transportation, please contact Marshall Lines at 651-463-8689.

In order to maintain focus on the educational process, we require that cell phones stay inside your child’s backpack and be turned off/ silenced throughout the duration of the school day. We understand that families may need to communicate with their child throughout the day, however, families need to communicate through the main office to deliver important messages. Students wearing watches should not be using the watch to make calls or send/receive messages during the school day. If the phone or watch is causing a distraction to learning, the phone/watch will be placed in the office for the remainder of the day and the student may pick it up at dismissal time. If it continues to be a concern, the phone/watch will be placed in the office and a parent will need to come pick it up.  

School district will not be responsible for any lost or stolen personal items.

Policy 1022 - Student Use of Personal Mobile Phones, Digital Imaging Devices and Other Electronic Devices

Maintaining a connection between home and school is a top priority at Akin Road. We have several means of communicating important information to families. We understand the importance of prompt communication and support. Staff may not be immediately available due to their responsibilities with students during the school day - but will respond to messages within 24 business hours.

Phone Calls: If you need to contact your child’s teacher you may call 651-460-1700 and you will be directed to your child’s teacher or the teacher’s voicemail. The teacher will get back to you as soon as possible. The best time to contact your child’s teacher is before 7:20 a.m. or after 2:10 p.m. To maintain an effective learning environment, teachers and students are not called away from the classroom for phone calls except for an emergency.

E-mail/Seesaw/Schoology: These are platforms ARES uses to engage with families and students. Both Seesaw and Schoology platforms have family messaging options. You are also able to communicate with the school through email. For most staff members the email address is the staff member’s first initial followed by the staff member’s last name, then @farmington.k12.mn.us.

If you have an urgent message regarding pick up arrangements or an urgency to reach your child, please call the office as teachers do not often check email during instruction.

Web Sites: Information about ISD 192 can be found on the district’s website: www.farmington.k12.mn.us. Information about Akin Road can be found by clicking on the “Our Schools” tab and choosing “Akin Road Elementary.”

E-News & Phone Messages: Our district uses SchoolMessenger system to send out text and pre-recorded messages of upcoming events or other important information we need to convey to our families. This includes our weekly Smore Newsletter Updates. Please be sure to notify the office of any email address or phone number changes.

Parent-teacher conferences take place twice during the school year.  Information regarding conferences will be communicated to families by email, prior to both the fall and spring conferences. Parents will have an opportunity to sign up for conferences on-line. If internet access is not available you can make an appointment by calling the school office.

Students should be dressed in clean clothes, appropriate for school. This will help a child develop a positive self-image toward learning. Proper attention to appearance can also improve personal expectations for behavior and performance. Students are not allowed to wear hats in the school building. Any clothing that causes a disruption with the learning process is not allowed. Such dress may include, but is not limited to clothing with suggestive messages, representations that are inappropriate or demeaning to any groups and clothing that is suggestive or provides inadequate covering.

Boots, coats, hats, mittens, sweaters, lunch boxes etc. make up the bulk of the items that end up in the “Lost and Found” each year.  Please mark these items.  The lost and found is located by Door 7 and may be checked at any time by students and parents.  Any items that are not claimed are donated to charity.

Please report to the office and have the items marked with the student name and classroom. One of the secretaries will assist you and call into the student’s room. The teacher will send the student to the office when it is not disruptive to the class.

In the event of an emergency school closing, these procedures will be followed:

• The district will try to make decisions to close by 6 a.m.  
• Messages will be sent out using our school messaging system.  Please make sure your contact information is always up to date.  
• One emergency school closing line (952-985-1100) is in operation with a recorded message for parents and employees regarding school-closing information.
• As parents, you have the final decision as to whether or not to send your child to school in times of inclement weather.  If you do not feel it is safe, please feel free to keep your children home and report their absence to their school in the usual manner.

An EMERGENCY RELEASE FORM with more information is included in the Fall Information Packet.  It is very important that this form is filled out and returned to school promptly. It is important for you to make your own arrangements for supervision of your children when they are sent home early because of an emergency school closing.

Occasionally your child’s teacher will extend classroom instruction and concepts through a field trip experience. The teacher will provide rationale for the trip and request that permission slips be signed by the parent/guardian.

Several times during the school year a classroom may take walking or local field trips within our school district. A “blanket permission form” will be sent home to cover these local excursions. No student will be allowed to participate without written permission.

The term “flexible learning day” refers to a school day when instead of coming to a school building teachers and students communicate online using Schoology or SeeSaw, our digital communication platforms. Teachers share assignments and are available online. Flexible learning days may be planned in advance or held in the event of unplanned school closures due to situations such as severe weather or a power outage.

Federal Regulations require participating schools to make substitutions for students with food allergies and/or medical conditions. A medical statement from the child’s doctor must be on file in the Food Service Office. If you have any questions regarding this, please call the Food Service Office at 651-463-5025. Because of allergies and medical conditions, we are asking that no food treats be brought into classrooms. Thank you!

Injury/Illness: If your child becomes ill or is injured at school, first aid will be administered. A parent/guardian will be contacted as needed. 911 will be called if necessary and the student will be transported to the nearest medical facility or the facility you indicate on the emergency form. It is important to have up-to-date contact information in the event that your child is ill and needs to go home. Please make every effort to pick your child up as soon as possible if the school nurse contacts you. 

Immunizations: Please send in the dates of any immunizations that your child receives throughout the year to the health office. Students in grades K-4 should have received 3 doses of Hepatitis B immunizations. 

Questions: Please contact Sayra Mayberry, Licensed School Nurse, 651-460-1965 or the building nurse. If you have any questions re: the information above, or if you wish to discuss your child’s health.

**Contact Marshall Lines, 651-463-8689,  before the first day of school with any major health concerns regarding your child (e.g. seizures, diabetes, bee sting allergy, asthma, etc.)  It is the parents’/guardians’ responsibility to notify the bus garage.

Farmington School District is a one to one iPad district. Teachers within the district are committed to using iPads intentionally to enhance student learning by prioritizing active rather than passive use of technology. Active use involves engaging students in tasks that require critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, and problem-solving. Examples of active use would include but are not limited to creating digital presentations, conducting research projects, coding, or interactive educational apps that promote skill development.
 
In contrast, passive use, would include but is not limited to watching videos or browsing content without an intentional purpose connected to the learning objective. 
 
Parents are encouraged to support this approach at home by guiding their children to use the iPad in ways that promote active engagement and learning. Examples include exploring educational apps together, encouraging creative projects, or setting specific goals for how the device will be used for homework or enrichment activities.  
 
All Students (K-5) may use iPads daily and may take their iPad home as needed. 
 
When iPads are sent home from school, it will be solely for an educational purpose aligned with the student’s learning goals. Parents will be notified in advance about the schedule for when iPads will be sent home, along with the specific educational purpose for which the device is being provided. Parents are encouraged to review this information and determine the amount of time their child will have access to the iPad while at home. Families have the right to manage and monitor their child’s use of the device to best support their educational needs and household routines.
 
If a parent prefers that their child does not bring the iPad home, they may contact the school to discuss alternative options to support their child’s learning.
 
Please refer to the ISD 192 Acceptable Use Policy/iPad Loan Agreement for further guidance and information for at home use.

Farmington Area Public Schools is committed to providing a safe working and learning environment for employees and students. We have developed a Lead-in-Water Management Plan to reduce the potential for exposure to lead in drinking water and to comply with Minnesota Statute 121A.335, the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH), and the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE). This plan will also endeavor to comply with the recommendations of the Minnesota Department of Health’s “Reducing Lead in Drinking Water: A Technical Guidance for Minnesota’s School and Child Care Facilities” recommendations and be inclusive of the United States Environmental Protection Agency's "Ensuring Drinking Water Quality in Schools During and After Extended Closures" fact sheet and the United States Environmental Protection Agency's "3Ts Toolkit for Reducing Lead in Drinking Water in Schools and Child Care Facilities" manual.

Minnesota Statute 121A.335 requires public school buildings serving pre-kindergarten through grade 12 to test for lead in potable water sources (water for consumption) every 5 years. We test all of our buildings every five years. The previous testing cycle occurred during the 2021-2022 school year. We will test again during the 2026-27 school year.

Anyone interested in discussing the district Lead in Drinking Water program or test results, please contact the Director of Operations, Dan Miller, at 651-463-5058 or dmiller@farmington.k12.mn.us. Information is also available on the district website https://www.farmington.k12.mn.us/departments-services/buildings-grounds/environmental-health-and-safety

Please read over your EMERGENCY INFORMATION FORM, specific to your child and make any needed corrections.  This form is extremely important and needs to be returned immediately. We need to have current information on how to reach you if your child becomes ill or injured. If there are any changes that occur during the school year please call the health office/nurse.

MEDICATIONS AT SCHOOL: Please note due to recent policy changes.
If medications are to be given at school the following procedure must be followed:

1. A parent/guardian must complete the parent authorization form. Forms are available from the health office or on the district Web site: http://www.farmington.k12.mn.us. Click on District Information, Click on Health Services Information
2. We must receive a doctor’s order to give the medication. (This can be faxed to 651-463-9010 if that is helpful.)
3. An adult must bring medication to school for safety reasons.
4. Prescription medication must be in the original bottle that is labeled with the correct name, medication dose and time it is to be given.
5. We need written parent permission to give over the counter medications for up to 3 times. After the third dose, we will require a doctor’s order to continue giving the medication. 
6. Over the counter medications need to be brought to school in the original container. No “baggies” of medication will be accepted.
7. Medications need to be kept in the nurse’s office unless arrangements have been made with the Licensed School Nurse. 
8. If a medication needs to be given 3 times a day we encourage you to give it to your child in the morning, after school, and in the evening rather than sending it to school. 

Please come and help us develop positive school-community relationships. Each year we have many parents helping us out in various ways. Field trips, teacher helpers, fund raising, picture day helpers and classroom party organizers are just some of the ways to get involved. You can either get started through our Parent/Teacher Partnership (a sign-up sheet will be available at Assessment Days) OR sign up online at the PTP link on the ARES website. The meetings are at 6:00 p.m. in the ARES media center. See the Akin Road calendar for dates. Parents can become involved in many activities during the school year. Your children love to see you around the school. 

For the safety of all our children, all visitors and parents are required to use the main entrance door during regular school hours and check in at the office/reception desk. If you are picking your child up from school, please park in the visitor parking lot/area and meet your child in the office area/atrium, and sign them out on the sheet provided if your child is leaving before the end of the day. 

For the safety of all of our students, parents are not allowed to drive/park in the bus corral or playground area during school hours.  Principals have the authority and responsibility of determining who is allowed in the school building during regular school hours.  All approved visitors and volunteers are required to wear a visitor’s badge with their name to ensure the safety of all students and staff.  Students from other schools are not allowed in the school building during regular school hours except when part of an approved program. Thank you for your cooperation.

If your child is moving, please report it to the school’s main office (651-460-1705) as soon as possible. Keeping your student’s Household and Emergency Contact Information updated throughout the year is critical in that we may reach you, or someone you’ve designated, in case of an emergency. Please have as many contacts as possible for your child in case of an emergency and contact the school office with changes to parental information.

The school board recognizes the need to provide instruction in the proper etiquette, display, and respect of the United States flag.  Learners in this school district shall recite the pledge of allegiance to the flag of the United States of America one or more times each week.  Any learner or teacher may decline to participate in recitation of the pledge of allegiance to the flag. Learners must respect the choice of others not to recite the pledge.

Minnesota School districts must provide notification of the following policies that have been adopted by our Farmington Area School Board.  You can find them linked below.  

• 413 Harassment and Violence
• 419 Tobacco-Free Environment; Possession and Use of Tobacco, Tobacco-Related Devices, and Electronic Delivery Devices
• 506 Student Discipline
• 514 Bullying Prohibition Policy
• 515 Protection and Privacy of Pupil Records
• 522 Title IX Sex Nondiscrimination Policy, Grievance Procedure and Process
• 526 Hazing Prohibition
• 527 Student Use and Parking of Motor Vehicles; Patrols, Inspections, and Searches
• 529 Staff Notification of Violent Behavior by Students
• 534 School Meals Policy
• 609 Religion
• 709 Student Transportation Safety Policy 

To find all policies, please use this link - ALL Farmington Public School Policies

Report Cards or Progress Reports are completed at the end of each trimester and accessed online through the Parent Portal. An explanation of the grading is located on the report card.

ARES believes that students should have time to play outside whenever they can. Unless there is a doctor’s note, our policy is that the students will go outside to play at recess unless the temperature and/or wind chill is below zero or it is raining outside. Please send your child properly dressed for the weather each day even if you think that it may be an “inside recess” day, because the weather may change. A warm coat, mittens or gloves, hat and boots are necessary for those Minnesota winters.

If you are looking for child-care before and/or after school, 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m, please contact Community Education at 651-460-3209.  This program is intended to provide a service for parents who are working, attending school or are unable to be home with their children before or after the school day.  Farmington School Age Care is a great program and provides children with a safe environment and meaningful activities.  For information about our program contact Community Education at 651-460-3209.

Please go to our website http://www.farmington.k12.mn.us (choose Akin Road Elementary School) for the most up to date information.

School Pictures will be taken in August/September and picture retakes will be in October. All pictures are on a pre-pay plan or order online after picture day. Pictures will be sent home shortly after the start of school.  Pictures will also be taken in the spring if families choose. Please check your calendar for these dates.

We  would like to offer your child a healthy snack mid-morning to support good eating habits. We can order fruits, vegetables, and other healthy options in bulk, reducing the cost for you. The cost is $68.00 for the school year or $23.00 per trimester if you choose to pay each trimester. There are several choices each day for students including: crackers, apples, bananas, breakfast bar and pretzel twists.

We appreciate your support during drop off and pick up times, they can be busy and stressful.

ALL AM Drop-off students may be dropped off at Door 1 (main Door) at 7:30 a.m.

Afternoon Parent pick-up students may be picked up at 2:10 p.m. by Doors #1 (K, 1, and siblings) or #4 (grades 2-5) on the northeast end of the building.

Here are a few reminders:

• Use pick-up and drop-off lanes only. 
• Parents are asked to always use the crosswalks in the parking lot when parking and walking their student into the building. 
• Students will be asked to wait on the sidewalk for a parent who chooses to park and walk to the curb to pick up their child.  Students will not be permitted to walk across the street without parent supervision. 
• No U-turns in front of the building.

Please approach the drop off area from the north, stay in a single file line, and pull forward as the zone clears. The center aisle in the parking lot is not meant for student pick up or drop off.

We can all help prevent suicide. If you or someone you know is struggling emotionally or in crisis there are resources and supports available. If you, a friend, or a loved one are thinking about suicide and in need of emotional support contact a mental health support staff (school counselor, school psychologist, school social worker, or school nurse) within your building during the school day or use the resources and supports listed below. These resources provide free support to people in suicidal crisis or emotional distress. 

• Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: Call or Text 988 
• Línea De Prevención Del Suicidio Y Crisis 988
• Text ‘HOME’ to 741741 (English) or Texto ‘AYUDA’ to 741741 (Spanish)
• Dakota County Crisis Response: 1-952-891-7171
• Immediate Emergency: 911

 **All supports listed are 24/7, 365 days a year**

Please go to our website http://www.farmington.k12.mn.us (choose Akin Road Elementary School) for the most up to date information.

In Farmington schools, students’ progress and knowledge are measured by a number of assessments, including annual state standardized tests, district assessments called FastBridge, and various classroom assessments.  All of these tests are part of the district’s efforts to ensure all students are learning.  To learn more about these assessments, including the testing calendar, please find it here: https://www.farmington.k12.mn.us/learning/assessments

Anyone who has moved within the school boundaries should contact the school and fill out new transportation forms.

PLEASE CONTACT THE SCHOOL OFFICE IF YOU MOVE FROM OUR DISTRICT AND CONTINUE TO TRANSPORT YOUR CHILD TO OUR SCHOOL. Necessary forms are available in the SCHOOL Office.

ALSO, anyone being transported to or from somewhere other than their home address (i.e. Day Care) should fill out a new transportation form each year, regardless if they were transported from that address the previous year.  We need to start fresh each year. If no form is turned in, the Bus Company will assume that your child will be transported to and from home.

Any changes in transportation arrangements during the year need to be reported to the school office in advance. A new transportation form needs to be filled out by the parent/guardian.  Bus routes and schedules, and the Bus Discipline Policy are included in the fall packet.  

If it is necessary for your child to ride a different bus or if you are picking your child up from school, you need to send a note to your child’s teacher and bus driver. Students are not allowed to ride different buses without a note from their parents. Parents are not allowed to drive in the bus corral.

Each year a number of families take vacations during the school year. If your family is planning a vacation which will necessitate a child missing school, you must fill out an Unexcused Absence Waiver 5 days in advance and get approval from the principal. Refer to the Attendance Policy and Attendance procedure for more information. Those students missing three or more days of school may ask their classroom teacher to have make-up work ready for them to take on their trip, or they will have to make-up any missing work when they return.

Each year we have many families helping us out in various ways. Field trips, teacher helpers, fundraising, picture day helpers, book fair, and classroom party organizers are just some of the ways to get involved. You can either get started by contacting the Akin Road Elementary School Parent Teacher Partnership at AkinRoadES.ptp@gmail.com or by contacting the ARE office at 651-460-1700.