Absence
After being absent from school, students must bring a note from home to the office or parents may call the office to order to excuse the absence. According to the new Washington State Law RCW 74.13.036 concerning the reporting procedures for unexcused absences, the school is required to:

1. Inform the child’s custodial parent or guardian by notice in writing or by telephone whenever the child has failed to attend school after one unexcused absence within any month during the current year.
2. Schedule a conference with the parent or guardian and the child at a time and place reasonably convenient for all persons included for the purpose of analyzing the causes of the child’s absences after two unexcused absences within any month during the current year.
3. After five unexcused absences within any month during the school year or upon the tenth unexcused absence during the current school year, the school district will be required to file a petition of truancy with the juvenile court as a violation of the state law.

As you can see from the above requirements, it is very important that the office be kept informed when your child is absent. Please call our office before 9:30 a.m. whenever your child is absent to excuse the absence. If you know in advance that your child will be absent, please let us know so we can record this information in our files.

Adults on Campus
Our student’s safety and welfare is of utmost concern. When any adults, including parents, come to our campus, we require that they check in the elementary office to sign in and to receive a volunteer name tag or sticker. When adults leave the campus, they are required to sign out at the office, so that we know when they have left. Students are never to be taken from the campus without first checking them out from the office. Staff who see adults on campus without a name tag, button, or written pass, will ask them to go immediately to the office to check in.

Assemblies and Concerts
The elementary and school district provide several assemblies and concerts during the school year. Some are during the school day, others in the evening. Examples are vocal music concerts, band concerts, cultural arts programs, plays, award assemblies, spelling bee, and fire/accident prevention. We teach and model appropriate assembly behavior for our students and ask that adults who visit also practice good audience behavior. Our basic expectations for all audience members are no talking during the performance, no whistling or booing, applaud when appropriate, and stay seated during the performance. If young children or babies begin to cry during a performance, we ask that the parent leave the area so as to not distract from the performance.

Behavior Plan Instruction
Each year, beginning the first week of school and continuing throughout the first quarter, students are taught the Behavior and Expectations as explained in this handbook. Classroom, playground, cafeteria, assembly and bus rules are taught and reviewed during this time. In addition, students are taught what a small problem is and how to solve it using “Kelso’s Choice”. The “I Statements” are also taught and used by students to solve conflicts. For more information regarding the plan, see the Student Behavior Section at the front of this handbook.

Birthdays
Many elementary teachers acknowledge student’s birthdays. If parents prefer that a child’s birthday not be recognized by the teacher, they need to notify the teacher. With the teacher’s permission, small treats for all classmates may be brought to school by a parent. To help keep classroom disruptions and hurt feelings at a minimum, students may not bring out-of-school birthday party invitations to school to pass them out. Some parents order flowers and/or balloons delivered to the school for their child’s birthday. These items will be taken to the student at the end of the day and are not allowed on the buses, so alternate transportation arrangements need to be made by the parent if this occurs. Our buses are too crowded to accommodate groups of students who wish to ride other than their usual bus, so students will no longer be able to obtain a pass to ride a different bus to a birthday party after school.

Breakfast and Lunch Programs
The Chimacum School District provides breakfast and lunch for students who wish to participate. We believe that eating a healthy breakfast and lunch makes for better learning and participation in school. Breakfast and lunch menus are sent home each month. Free and reduced meals are provided to students whose families qualify. Forms for free and reduced meals are available in the office. Breakfast is available from 8:30-8:45. Breakfast is served in the High School Commons and lunch is served in the Multipurpose. Students sit with their classes during lunch whether they eat school lunch or bring one from home.
Money for breakfast and lunch can be deposited on a student’s account in the Elementary Office before school. Any number of days or weeks can be purchased at one time. Parents are encouraged to prepay for several meals at a time (ie. 5 or more) to avoid having children lose their money. If a student forgets their lunch, we will either provide a lunch to the student or they can charge up to two lunches which would need to be paid back. The prices are:

	Breakfast	Lunch
Student	$1.25	$2.25
Reduced	Free	Free (K-3) $.40 (4 & 5)
Milk		$ .50

Bus Passes
In order for students to be issued a bus pass, they need a note from home with the address of where they are going. Bus drivers do not always know where “Grandma’s house” is, especially if they are a substitute driver!
We are able to give students a one-time bus pass to ride other than their regular buses at parent’s requests, if there is space available. However, it would be best to call ahead of time to make sure that there will be space for your child. We can no longer write passes for non- emergency events such as birthday parties, scouts, or other activities unless you first call the Transportation Department at 732-4040 and ask if there is room on the bus.

Checking In a Student after School Has Started
Students who arrive late to school must have a note from their parent (Written Excuse). Parents are requested to come into the office with the student to check them in, rather than to send them in to the office alone. The office staff will give late students a Tardy Slip which they should give to their teacher. A Tardy Slip is required so that the attendance can be adjusted from an absence to a tardy.

Checking Out a Student from School Prior to the End of School
On occasion, parents will need to check out their students from school prior to the end of the day. To avoid interrupting the learning process, we prefer that appointments, such as medical, not be made during the school day. However, if a student is ill or must be checked out from school, parents need to come to the office to check their child out. They will be asked to sign the child out and the office staff will then call the classroom for the student, who will be sent to the office. Anyone other than a parent who comes to pick up a student must have their name listed on the emergency information card or a note from the parent giving permission. Students will not be allowed to leave with anyone who is not listed on this card or without their written permission.

Cheetah Pride Awards
Students who make positive behavior choices at Chimacum Elementary may receive a Cheetah Pride Award. These slips of paper are carried by all elementary staff who present them to students whom they “catch” making positive behavior choices around the campus. When a student receives a Cheetah Pride Award, they are told why and then instructed to put the bottom part of the award in their classroom box and keep the other portion. Every Monday and Thursday, one student name from each classroom is drawn. These students come to the principal’s office to be congratulated and awarded with a special Cheetah Pride pencil. This positive reinforcement plan has heightened the awareness of all students of the importance of following the school rules. Students are excited about receiving Cheetah Pride Awards and of the possibility of receiving a Cheetah Pride pencil.

Chimacum Choice
Chimacum Choice is a program that provides learning opportunities in areas of interest for students. These areas could ultimately lead to participation in further in-depth study. The Chimacum Choice classes occur on select Fridays during the school year from 1:30-3:00. Students are given a catalog of choices to take home, and with their parents, select activities of their choice to participate in. Classes are taught by staff and community members. There are 6-15 students who are assigned to each class to allow for more individualized learning. Students are quite excited about this part of the educational process, which ties in with an academic learning from their regular classroom education. We believe at Chimacum that the Chimacum Choice program is a motivator for student learning and places basic skills into the context of the real-world realm.

Clothing Store
A Campus Clothing Store is available for students who are in need of clothing items. The clothing is free and provided by donations and unclaimed lost and found items. Donations must be clean and of sizes and styles appropriate for school age children. Parents who wish to know more about the Campus Clothing Store can contact the elementary office.

Communication with Parents
Once a month, the CHEETAH PRIDE NEWS will be sent home to all families. This newsletter will update parents about recent and upcoming events and activities at Chimacum Elementary. Also included is information about the Parent Group, parenting and homework tips, and other standard features. Teachers send notes and newsletters home as needed with specific classroom news. Communications, parent permission, parent volunteers, or the donation of discarded items for class projects may be requested in these communications. It is important for parents to ask their child for these items.
Parents are invited to communicate with any of their child’s teachers or the principal. The school-to-home communication link is important for school success. We value this opportunity, however, we recommend that a phone call or written note be the means for parent communication. If a meeting is requested, calling the school ahead of time would ensure that the teacher or principal is available. Going directly to a classroom to speak with a teacher without first making arrangements is not allowed. If you wish to visit a classroom, please call ahead of time to talk with the teacher and arrange a time. While the principal may be available to see parents who drop in, it is best to call ahead or send a note to arrange a time with the principal.

Dropping Off and Picking Up Students
If you are transporting your child to school, please drop them off at the drop off lane in front of the school. When picking up your child after school, parents are requested to wait in the front entrance of school, not at the classroom door . Before taking your child out of line, please be sure to let the teacher know first.

Early Release Days
The elementary has scheduled some early release days for its students to allow staff to work on training and curriculum. These will occur approximately once per month. Students will have lunch before being dismissed. Dismissal time will usually be at 12:15.

Emergency Information
We require that parents provide the school with their current home address and telephone number. If a post office box is used, we must have a physical address also for emergency purposes. Telephone numbers or addresses that change must be reported immediately to the office. If a family does not have a telephone, it is critical that we have current work numbers and two emergency contacts. These emergency contacts are important in case of student injury or illness when parents cannot be reached.

Emergency Procedures for School Delays and Closures
Inclement weather conditions and/or road closures may cause delay or cancellation of school. Also, the bus schedules may require alteration. In the event that this happens the superintendent will notify local radio and TV stations of these changes and they will be announced from 6am to 8am. Tune to any of the following stations for emergency information:

AM Radio	Television
KVI 550	KOMO TV 4
KIRO 710	KING TV 5
KRPM 770	KIRO TV 7
KOMO 1000
KING 1090
KMPS 1300

Field Trips
Field trips are an important part of the learning process. Classes may take more than one field trip during the year. There may be a student cost for a field trip. If a student needs assistance in covering the cost, the school can make special arrangements if parents will notify their child’s teacher. We do not want any child to miss out on a field trip because of financial reasons.
Students will be given field trip permission forms that must be signed and returned in order for the child to participate. Students may not participate in off-campus school activities without parent permission, including Chimacum Choice activities.
Students are expected to follow school rules while on field trips. If they choose to use inappropriate behavior, the consequences will be applicable in a respectful, timely, and relevant manner. Students could lose the opportunity to participate in future field trips if they do not follow school expectations.

Head Lice
If head lice is suspected, an office staff person will examine the student. If head lice or nits do exist, district policy states that the child will be sent home and cannot return to school until a treatment has been given and the child is nit free. Information from the Jefferson County Health Department regarding the irradication of nits will be sent home to the classroom students. When returning to school after treatment, parents must bring their child into the office before they return to school to verify that nits are no longer present. It is a good practice for parents and teachers to teach students about not wearing each other’s hats or hugging each others stuffed animals or pillows. Teachers who have a case of head lice in their classrooms will be advised to monitor the other children in their classrooms to prevent the spread of lice.

Hearing/Vision/Scoliosis Screening
Students in grades 3 and 5 will receive hearing and vision screening each year. Students in 5th grade will also be tested for scoliosis. Dates for these will be posted in the monthly newsletter and a parental permission form will be sent home with 5th grade students for scoliosis screening.

Homework
Each classroom teacher will develop a homework policy to match the needs of the students in their class, their own unique teaching style, and the grade level curriculum. The Chimacum Elementary staff believes that some homework is beneficial to support classroom learning activities and to provide an opportunity for parents to be involved in the learning process. An area in the home conducive to learning should be provided by parents and the time should be monitored so that students not only work on their homework daily, but also have time for extracurricular activities. Daily reading for pleasure should be emphasized outside of the homework requirements to help students acquire the enjoyment and skill of reading. Students who observe the adults in their lives read, also become readers. If your child is not doing any homework, or doing so much that they have no time for extracurricular activities, parents should contact their child’s teacher.

Human Growth and Development/HIV-AIDS
Each year, as per state requirement, the public health nurse spends one week, one hour per day, with 5th grade classes as the instructor for this course. Students receive the information with their classmates, not in separate boy/girl groups. A parent information night is held 30 days before the unit begins. At this meeting, parents can learn the importance of the unit, the components of it, and decide whether or not they want their student to participate. Parent attendance at the meeting is required for withdrawing a student from the HIV-AIDS portion. It is not necessary to attend to withdraw a student from the Human Growth and Development portion, just a note to the teacher will suffice. Students who do not participate will work in the library during that time.

Illness
Parents will be contacted if their child becomes ill while at school. If a child’s temperature reaches 100.2 or above, the parent should make arrangements for the child to go home. Students should not be sent back to school with a fever or while contagious with a communicable disease. When students return to school, they should be well enough to participate in recess and P.E.

Immunizations
In order to attend school in the state of Washington, students are required to have certain immunizations. When they register for school, the office staff requests parents to complete an Immunization Form with the dates of the shots and the subsequent boosters. Parents have the right to request a waiver for exempting their children from the immunizations, and can do so in writing on the same form.

Lost and Found
The elementary office has a Lost and Found container. Most items are left on the playground, in the lunchroom, and on buses. If a student is missing a coat, lunch pail, backpack or other personal item, they need to check the bin at the office. At the end of each semester, all teachers will remind their students to check the Lost and Found. Unclaimed items will then be sent to the Campus Clothing Store or disposed of. Small lost items will be kept until June 30 by the office staff, at which time the items will be disposed of. The large number of items that accumulate in our Lost and Found is unbelievable. We need all parent’s help in checking with their child daily to see if they have their coats, hats, lunch pails, backpacks, and other personal items. Our goal is to teach responsibility and to reduce the number of lost items at our school.

Lost or Damaged School Materials
Students are responsible for materials that have been checked out to them. Classroom teachers and the librarian keep records of school items checked out to students. Normal wear and tear is not considered to be damage. If a student loses a school item, it must be reported to the teacher immediately. Students will be charged for materials that have been damaged or lost. At the end of the year, report cards for students who owe fines will be held by the office until the fines are paid.

Medication
State law requires that we have in our files a Doctor and parent signed permission form for school personnel to administer any medication, prescription or over the counter. A new form needs to be filled out each school year. If a child’s medication changes, parents are required to complete a new form. All medications must be in the original container with accurate dosage instructions. Do not send medication to school with your student. All medication should be delivered to the office by an adult. All medications and parent forms are stored in a locked cabinet and staff log each time the medication is administered. The office staff will do their best to give students their medication as required, however the child is ultimately responsible for getting their medication each day. It is important that parents alert their child’s teacher about the medication to be given, times and any side effects to expect.

Open House
Each fall during the month of September or October, the elementary has an Open House during evening hours for parents and families. Families are invited to visit classrooms and to meet teachers. Open House is not intended for individual parent conferences, however, parents can sign up or request a conference with teachers at a later date on this night.

Parent Conferences
At the end of the first quarter of school, parents are invited to attend a conference during the day to receive their child’s report card and conference with the teacher. Students may also be invited at the teacher’s discretion. Because time is very short and there is much material to cover, please do not bring children to the conferences unless specifically requested to do so. In order to schedule one 20 minute conference per student, school will dismiss at 12:45 during conference week. Exact days and times for conference week will be published in the school newsletter and calendar. Lunch will be served on these days. Kindergarten students do not have school during conference week due to the early releases.

Parking Lot
For the safety of our students, staff, and community, the speed limit is 10 MPH in the school parking lot. There are no exceptions at any time for driving above the speed limit. Parents and other visitor parking is available in the Visitor Only spaces. Staff and overflow visitor parking is in all other marked areas. Parking in the student drop off lane or the fire lane is prohibited at all times. Please follow the traffic patterns as indicated by the arrows.

Passes
To ensure student safety, all students are required to have a pass when they leave the classroom or playground area at recess time. Students found on campus without a pass are sent back to class to receive one from their teacher.

Personal Property
Students who bring items to school are responsible for them. Valuable or delicate items are not recommended. The school district will not be responsible for such items. We do not allow expensive toys on our playground such as tape players, radios, dolls, electronic games, or remote controlled cars. Teachers may make exceptions to this policy by special arrangement with parents and students.
If a student intentionally damages or takes the personal property of another, parents of both students will be notified by the principal and restitution will be expected. If a student is unable to pay for the damaged or stolen item, community service on the campus will become the consequence. Some of the community service activities may include picking up litter, helping their teacher, working in the office, helping a custodian, or assisting in the lunchroom. The student will also be asked to think about how they can make the situation better with the student they have infringed upon, such as making a verbal or written apology.

Report Cards
Parents will be mailed report cards at the end of each trimester. If students have library fines, owe money for cafeteria charges or have overdue library books, the third trimester report card will be held in the office until fines are paid in full or books are returned.

School Pictures/School Yearbook
Elementary students will be photographed by a professional school photographer during each school year. Besides individual pictures, they may also have the opportunity to have class pictures taken. Retakes are available for unsatisfactory pictures or for students who were absent. All students, whether purchasing their pictures or not, will be photographed for the student record files. At the end of each school year, a Yearbook is assembled with candid shots of school events and class and staff pictures. Parents may purchase individual and class pictures, as well as the Yearbook. Information about picture dates and prices will be sent home in the school newsletter, CHEETAH PRIDE NEWS.

Staying After School
Students should be picked up from school by 3:15 pm. There is no supervision for children left at school after 3:15 pm. Students must be accompanied by an adult if they are on campus after 3:15 pm. Students will observe all school rules if they are on campus after school has been dismissed. We must receive a note or phone call from a parent/guardian if a child is to wait for a parent after school otherwise they will be sent on their regular bus.

Student Attire
Students are expected to dress appropriately for the weather by dressing warmly enough during cold weather or for keeping dry during rainy weather. Clothing that advertises alcohol, drugs, or offensive messages are not permitted. Students who wear such clothing will be asked to turn it inside out, remove it, or call home for a change of clothing as appropriate. Hats or visors are not worn inside buildings and likewise must not contain alcohol, drug, or offensive messages. During warm weather, shorts are permitted, however they must not expose the upper thigh. Short tops which expose the mid-drift area are also not permitted. Students need to wear shoes, such as tennis shoes rather than sandal-type shoes, on PE days that will permit them to participate in physical activities. Attire or personal appearance which is disruptive to the learning process is not permitted.

Student of the Month
Every month a student is nominated by their classroom teacher to be Student of the Month. A name is then randomly chosen to represent each grade level, grades 3 – 5. The selected students then meet with the principal to enjoy time together reading a book, enjoying a snack and getting to know each other. A certificate is awarded and pictures are taken to be displayed on the office window poster, “In The Spotlight”. This is a fun way to celebrate student success.

Student Records
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) allows parents certain rights with respect to the student’s education records. Parents have the right to review their child’s cumulative record file by contacting the principal to arrange an appointment to review the records with the principal and complete a review form for the student file. Parents also have the right to request the amendment of student education records they believe are inaccurate or misleading. Special Education records are not kept with the regular records. To review Special Education records, parents can contact the Director of Special Education.

Supply Lists
Each teacher in grades 3-5 and multiage have developed a student supply list for items to be brought from home. Student items should be clearly marked with names and replenished when needed. For students who are financially unable to provide their own items, they may contact the teacher or principal and the school will assist in providing these items.

Teacher Requests
Towards the end of the year you will receive a Parent Input form for student assignments for the upcoming school year. On this form you will be asked about the academic needs of your child and what kind of classroom and teaching style would be best for his/her learning. This information is much more valuable in helping us assign students to teachers, rather than parents requesting a specific teacher, since staff assignments vary so much from year to year. Please feel free to mention a specific teacher’s style of teaching as a reference, however.

Telephone Messages to Students
We are willing to take and give telephone messages to our students from their parents when it is an emergency situation. If a message must be left, please call before 2:45, as that is when messages are taken around to students. To avoid upsetting or confusing students, we recommend that families work out after school plans prior to students coming to school. It is not generally possible to bring a student to the telephone to speak to their parents, so please do not request that we do so, unless it is an emergency.

Transportation Information
Questions about bus schedules or changes in pickup/drop off times or locations should be directed either to the elementary office or the Transportation Department. If your child did not get off on the anticipated bus at the correct time, please call 732-4040 and the Transportation Department will be able to radio the bus to get current information about the situation.

Volunteers
Parents are encouraged to come and help out in the classrooms whenever possible. In order to utilize your time most efficiently, it is best to schedule a time and/or day with the individual teacher(s) and they will then have time to get some work together for you to help with. All volunteers must fill out a Volunteer Application Form and have a Washington State Patrol Background Check completed and updated every 2 years. Upon arriving to our campus, volunteers must sign in on the office volunteer sign in form and wear a volunteer tag while on campus. If you are unable to come up to the school to help, many teachers need help with work that can be done at home. Please contact your child’s teacher for more information.