SCHOOL POLICIES
Parents, please review these with your child:
• Students must respect and follow the directions of teachers, staff and volunteers.
• Students must respect and be courteous to others and must not intimidate, extort or harass others. Profanity, name calling, bullying, racial or sexual slurs will not be tolerated.
• Possession of weapons or anything that can be used as a weapon will not be tolerated.
• Students must not deface school property, including walls, desks, books and materials.
• Students are expected to walk at all times for their own safety and as a courtesy to others.
• Students will obey all breakfast and lunch standards. Food is to be eaten in lunch areas and all trash is to be disposed of properly. Please do not litter – Keep VVE Beautiful.
• Students will wear appropriate attire for outdoor play and recess.
INSTRUCTION
Students receive homework Monday through Thursday. Homework is a reinforcement of classroom instruction and the time spent differs according to the grade level. Please supply time, space and supplies for your child’s homework.
Report cards are distributed three times a year, usually December (with a parent conference), March and June.
Standardized testing is administered in May for grades 1 through 6 on the subject areas of reading, language, mathematics, spelling, social studies, science and listening.
Field trips are scheduled throughout the year.
On Wednesdays, special information folders will be sent home with students containing updated notices and bulletins. The folders should be checked for pertinent information and returned to school with the student on Thursday.
SCHOOL HOURS
All grades, Kindergarten through Sixth, class times are 8:00 am to 2:24 pm. On early dismissal dates to accommodate for Professional Development, students will be dismissed at 1:24 pm. See Calendar and 2011-2012 professional development days provided.
ATTENDANCE AND ABSENCES
Students are expected to attend class every day. Please call the office at (323) 851-0020 to report your child’s absence. If a child is absent is important that a parent or guardian send a note with the student upon return, indicating the date and reason for absence. If due to illness, state the type of illness. Please keep your child home if you suspect he or she has an infectious condition such as flu, chicken pox, head lice or pinkeye. Our school is funded by the state based on ADA (Average Daily Attendance). The state accepts the following reasons for absence: illness, doctor’s appointment, or bereavement. However, if a student is absent due to transportation problems, bad weather, family holiday, or has no absence note, our school loses that student’s funding for the period of absence.
If a student is ill for more than 5 consecutive days, a doctor’s note is necessary, especially if there are limitations on readmission to school. If a student has an accident and is treated in an emergency room, a doctor’s note releasing the child back to school is necessary. If the child has a cast, he/she will not be permitted on the yard for play until the cast is removed. The child will spend recess, PE and lunch in the school office.
If your child becomes ill at school, the office will call you to pick up your child. Be sure your Emergency Card is up-to-date, so that we can reach you, and because the office will not release your child to anyone not listed on the Card. If someone you’ve listed on your Emergency Card is picking up your child, that person must show a picture I.D. before the office staff will release the child. If you need to pick up your child before dismissal time, you must go to the office and complete the blue form “Permit for Release of Child During School Hours”.
TARDINESS
Parents, your children are NEVER late for class…YOU are. Unfortunately, it’s your child who pays the price. We all know how hectic it can be getting out the door in the morning; however, it is important for all students to be in school on time daily. Tardiness is impolite, interrupts the class’ morning routine and deprives all students of valuable class time. The morning bell rings at 8:00am. Children are expected to be present at that time.
If you bring your child to school at or after 8:05am, he/she must enter through the office, pick up a tardy slip and present it to his or her teacher.
Note: Parents please do not drop your children at school before 7:30am. There is no supervision before this time.
MEDICATIONS
Children will not be given medication during school hours except upon written request from the parent or guardian AND from a licensed physician who has the responsibility for the medical management of the student. Forms are available in the office.
No medication may be brought to school by students. Parents shall deliver any medication to be administered under the provisions of this policy. All medication must be kept and dispensed ONLY in the school office. Only enough medication for one week may be kept at school. Medication must be clearly labeled with the student’s full name, name of medication, dosage, schedule and dose form, physician’s name and telephone number.
CAFETERIA
All children may bring their lunch or buy lunch at the school cafeteria. Basic prices are: Breakfast $0.60, Lunch $1.00, Milk $0.25, Orange juice $0.25. Free and reduced priced breakfast and lunch are available for qualified applicants. Applications for free or reduced tickets books are distributed annually in September. If packing lunch, please pack healthy, nutritious lunches, with NO candy or soda.
Students may bring a light nutritional snack for recess. This might include fruit, carrot or celery sticks, granola bar or half a sandwich. No junk food, candy or soda, please.
In conjunction with our recycling program, we promote trash-free snacks and lunches. Please consider reusable packaging to help us teach the children this important concept.
SAFETY
Valley View has periodic fire and earthquake drills. Evacuation is practiced in the Fall drill. In the Spring, an earthquake drill simulation is practiced and a follow-up evaluation is used to help improve preparedness.
Students have the right to go to school in a non-threatening environment, and parents have the right to know that their children are in a safe school. To this end, it is important for you to know that weapons (including pocket knives), drugs, or tear-gas/smoke/stink bombs of any kind are not tolerated on campus. Any violation of this district policy may result in a transfer to another school and/or recommendation for expulsion. Gang attire is not allowed on campus.
ITEMS BROUGHT FROM HOME
Skateboards, scooters, skates and blades are not allowed on school grounds. Students who ride bikes to school must wear a helmet, must walk the bikes on school grounds, and must lock them in the bicycle compound during the school day.
All CD/MP3 players, non-approved headwear, electronic games and toys are to be left at home. The school cannot be held responsible for damage or theft or loss. If they are brought to school, they will be confiscated and may only be picked up by a parent or guardian. Confiscated items will be donated to charity if not claimed by parents/guardians.
Per District policy, the use of cell phones during school hours is prohibited. If a student brings a cell phone to school it must remain “off” and be stored in a backpack, purse or other place where it is not visible during school hours. If a phone is observed or heard by a school staff member, it will be confiscated until picked up by a parent or guardian.
VISITORS AND CLASSROOM INTERRUPTIONS
We need to keep classroom interruptions to a minimum. If you must deliver lunches, lunch money, or a message to your child, come to the office and we will send it to the classroom. Please try to send lunches in the morning rather than delivering them later.
Parents are welcome to visit the classroom. Visitations of 20 minute duration are the policy. We request the following:
• Visitors must come to the office first to sign in and receive a visitor’s pass.
• Other children (including preschoolers) are not allowed to accompany you.
• Give the teacher a minimum of two weeks to get to know your children before requesting a conference to discuss progress.
• Plan with the teacher for the visitation. Often parents take time off from work to come and observe, only to find out that the class is in an assembly.
• A classroom visitation is your time to observe. Please do not ask the teacher to stop instruction in order to conference with you during class time. A separate time should be set aside for this.
TEACHER APPOINTMENTS
Parents are encouraged to consult with the teacher when there is a concern. The proper procedure to be followed is:
• Make an appointment with the classroom teacher to discuss concerns.
• Address your concern to the principal only when satisfaction is not met.
Appointments can be requested through the school office or by sending a note to the classroom teacher. Policy dictates it inappropriate for anyone to go to a classroom to conference with a teacher during instructional time. Conference appointments requested during a teacher’s break or lunch period are infringing upon personal time and are totally at the discretion of the teacher.
