School Counseling

Guidance Services

Ms. Alyson Savage, School Counselor

Mrs. Rhonda Crutchfield, Information Processing Clerk

Mrs. Tonya Derose, Guidance Clerk

Welcome to the Guidance Office! My mission as your child's counselor is to assist you and your child's teachers in facilitating Dunnellon's mission statement and goals for each and every student.

We would like to invite you to come in and get to know us and the services we offer and those offered from this office. You may come by school or call during "teacher hours" and make an appointment with us. You don't need to wait until you have a problem or special reason! We hope that, together, we can lay a good foundation for future success and achievement by making your child's years at Dunnellon Elementary a happy and rewarding learning experience.

Counselor's Goals

  1. Help children understand themselves and others.
  2. Help to identify children with special needs.
  3. Provide crisis intervention.
  4. Develop plans to prevent academic/behavioral problems from developing.
  5. Provide Character Education program.
  6. Coordinate the efforts of other professionals working for children.
  7. Provide orientation for children coming to Dunnellon for the first time.
  8. Promote positive attitudes toward persons of perse cultural, racial, ability, and socioeconomic backgrounds.

Health Services Program

Parents are encouraged to call the school if they have health concerns regarding their child. The visiting health nurse provides health counseling, health education, and assistance with medical referrals and necessary follow-up.

In case of a health emergency, "911" (emergency medical services) will be called and the parent/guardian will be notified immediately. In the event the parent/guardian cannot be reached, the person designated by the parent/guardian to call "in case of emergency" will be notified.

During the school year, all students are eligible to participate in certain health services. Health screenings including, but not limited to, vision, hearing, and scoliosis will be conducted at various grade levels. Parents will be notified if these screenings indicate need for follow-up. If a parent does not wish for his/her child to participate in health screenings, they should send a written note to the principal on a yearly basis requesting their child be excluded from participation.

Health services begin the first week of school.

School health insurance forms are available upon request in the main office.

Medicine and Medication

If students are to take medication at school, an authorization form must be on file in the clinic naming the drug and the physician who prescribed the medicine, phone number of the physician, amount and times medication is to be given and the health condition requiring the medication. Students will not be permitted to take medication without a completed authorization form (including inhalers). The medicine is to be brought to school in the original container and kept in the clinic.

Students are not allowed to keep medication in lockers, desks, purses, etc., or on their person; however, a metered dose inhaler as prescribed by a physician for asthma is permitted. Upon arriving at school, students should bring the authorization form and the medication immediately to the clinic. Schedule medication for times other than school hours if possible. Over the counter drugs, such as aspirin, asper gum, cough drops, cough syrup, decongestants, etc., should not be brought to school.

General Information

Also working in the Guidance Department are Ms. Strawn, the Guidance Clerk, and Ms. Paris, the Information Processing Assistant. Some of their responsibilities include:

  • Registration: All new students must register in the Guidance Office. Our personnel are familiar with all the requirements and can help you with questions.
  • Attendance: As parents it is your responsibility to assure your child/children have regular, timely attendance. However, if a child is not in his/her classroom at the second bell, he/she must check in at the Front Office before reporting to class. Also, if children are chronically absent, tardy, or picked up early, notices may be sent from the Guidance Office in accordance with Marion County School System policies and FL statutes. Please call the Front Office if your child is absent. Upon your child's return to school, send a hand-written note as to the reason for the absence. If your child was seen by a doctor, please send the doctor's note.
  • Official Records: Your child's cumulative records are housed in the Front Office. If you are transferring out of Dunnellon we will make sure all necessary documents are forwarded to your child's new school.

*If you are a non-custodial parent who wishes to have copies of report cards, interim reports, and other routine school information, please see your child's teacher. You will be required to provide self-addressed, stamped envelopes for this.

Registration

Enrollment and Withdrawal Process

To enter Kindergarten, children must be 5 years old on or before September 1st. To enter first grade, children must be 6 years old on or before September 1st and show proof of having, successfully, completed Kindergarten.

To register your child in school, the following documentation is needed:

  1. Verification of age (one of the following):
    1. Certified Birth Certificate (required for Pre-K & Kindergarten) - NO photocopies.
    2. Insurance policy
    3. Passport
    4. School record
    5. Certificate of baptism, accompanied by parent’s affidavit
    6. Authentic Bible record, accompanied by parent’s affidavit
  2. Proof of residence (one of the following SETS of documents; find affidavit or reverse side of checklist):
    1. Copy of mortgage or lease/rental contract AND a copy of a recent (two months or less) electric bill in parent’s/guardian’s name
    2. Copy of a recent (two month or less) electric bill in parent’s/guardian’s name AND affidavit from landlord verifying residency
    3. Affidavit from head of household AND mortgage or lease/rental contract in the name of head of household AND a copy of a recent (two month or less) electric bill in name of head of household
  3. Proof of Immunizations:
    1. MUST be on Florida Immunization Blue Card (Form 680)
    2. All out-of-state MUST be transferred to Form 680
  4. Proof of Physical Examination:
    1. MUST be within 12 months of 1st day of school enrollment
    2. MUST be signed AND dated by a physician
  5. Photocopy of student’s Social Security Card
  6. Academic History (provide any or all of the following):
    1. Last (most recent) report card
    2. Transcript
    3. Withdrawal form
    4. Special education information
  7. Legal Documentation:

If you are not the legal guardian or residential custodial parent of a student OR there is a court decision regarding release of information related to custody/restraining orders, etc., state law REQUIRES that ONE of the following documents be provided for enrollment:

    1. Court Custody Documentation stating specifications
    2. Department of Children and Families Placement Letter
    3. Educational Guardianship - notarized documents verifying parent/legal guardian of student is incarcerated