School Policies and Procedures are established at every school to improve local systems and processes and to ensure the safety of our students, employees and visitors.

In order to assist you in learning about the policies and procedures at Stephen Foster Elementary, we are including a list of frequently asked questions from parents to our front office staff. It is our goal for our school website and the Stephen Foster website to be a resource for answering your questions. We will continue to add questions/answers as necessary.

Q: What are the school hours? 
A: The student day is from 7:45 until 1:52 with early dismissal at 12:37 on Wednesdays. Supervision is available 30 minutes before and after the student day. The front office is open from 7:00 until 4:00.
Q: How do I know what bus to ride? 
A: Contact transportation at 352-955-7602 or here on the web  https://acps.busplannertools.com/Eligibility.aspx?Page=Transportation
Q: What is the school dress code?
A: We follow the Alachua County Public School dress code for elementary students. Click here for more information
Q: I need to speak to my child’s teacher. Can I come in early one morning and go to the classroom?
A: Mornings are busy times for our teachers as they are preparing for the school day, so please email your child’s teacher to arrange a convenient time to meet with or call her/him. Remember to include your phone number in the email. In the event that you do not have email access, the front office staff will be happy to take a message from you and send it to the teacher. NOTE: Teachers have 24 hours to respond to parents' emails and phone calls.
Q: How do I get my child’s teacher's email address?
A: All school employees have the same ending to their email address: @gm.sbac.edu. Email addresses are listed on our Faculty and Staff page.
Q: My child has a 2:00 dentist appointment. Can I check her out at 1:45?
A: The latest time to check out a student is 1:30.
Q: My child usually rides the bus home, but I need him to be a car rider today. Can I call or send an email to make that change?
A: We will accept changes to dismissal if the caller is on the child's emergency card and we can verify the caller's identity. However, it is always best to send a written note with your child the morning you have a change to the regular dismissal and we will take care of those arrangements for you. 
Q: My child’s birthday is today. Can I bring in cupcakes, balloons and goodie bags?
A: Cupcakes or cookies may be provided for the class treat. Please email or call your child’s teacher in advance, to let her/him know you are bringing in a treat. Unless other arrangements are made with the teacher, you may bring in the treat and leave it in the front office. We will email the teacher and she/he will come to get it at her/his convenience. Due to food allergies, all treats must be store-bought with a list of ingredients. 
Q: I want to visit my child’s classroom. Do I need to check in the front office first?
A: All visitors must check in the front office. Teachers are permitted a 24-hour notice prior to a visit. Please make arrangements ahead of time if you wish to visit the class. All classroom volunteers must complete a volunteer application. Unexpected visitors can be disruptive to the learning environment.