 |
 |
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
|
Willow Creek Academy - 2007-08 School Year Handbook Introduction
This handbook was developed to serve as a means of communication between Willow Creek Academy and its families. The handbook contains information specific to Willow Creek. Please feel free to call the school concerning any special procedures or for more specific information.
Willow Creek is divided into three divisions: Primary (K-2); Intermediate (3-5) and Upper (6-8). The teachers in each division work together to insure a smooth transition from grade to grade and also often plan special events (field trips, electives, assemblies) for students within that division. There is also a great deal of cross division activity such as reading buddies, performances and planning for school events.
In order to clearly communicate the basic school operations and general rules and regulations, a question and answer format has been adopted. If you have questions that are not addressed in this handbook, please call the school office at 415-331-7530.
General School Information
What time does school start?
School starts every day at 8:15 AM. Students are to be in their classroom at 8:15. Those students who are always late to class will receive calls home. If tardiness does not improve, the family will be referred to a School Attendance Review Board meeting to develop an action plan regarding the tardiness.
What time is school out?
On Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday school is out at 3 PM. On Wednesdays, school is out at 2 PM. There will be several other early dismissal days during the year and you will be notified in the Friday packet.
Where do I park or drop of my child?
Willow Creek families are to use the lower parking lot just off of Buchanan Street at the base of the baseball field. No parking is allowed on the driveway, but only in the actual parking lot. Please be very careful when pulling in and out as there may be children exiting or entering cars.
My child would like to ride her bike to school. Is this allowed?
We encourage students to ride bikes, scooters and skateboards to school if possible. Some families ride bikes together as a family activity. If your child uses a bike, scooter or skateboard to get to school, these must be stored in the bike racks which are at the foot of the stairs in the courtyard. Skateboards may be stored in the classroom with the teacher’s permission. None of these pieces of equipment may be used during the school day. At the end of the day, bikes, scooters, etc. must be WALKED down the driveway before being used.
What do I do if my child is going to be late because of an appointment of some kind?
Please call the office and leave a message for the school secretary and your child’s teacher. When your child arrives at school, he or she should have a note from you indicating why he/she is late. The student should come to the office before going to class. He/she will be given a tardy pass to give to the teacher.
Call the school office and leave a message for both the school secretary as well as your child’s teacher. If you wish to have homework and other assignments sent home, please indicate when you will come to pick them up. A teacher always needs at least several hours to prepare special assignments to send home.
Who are the teachers and other people who work at Willow Creek?
The following people make up the staff at Willow Creek.
LaTanya Wiggins and Vivian Balderas, Administrative Assistants, Room 23
Alise Perez, Kindergarten Teacher, Room 25
Lisa Goodrich-Boyd, Kindergarten Assistant Teacher
Becky Jackson, Art Teacher
Family/School Communication
If I want to talk with my child’s teacher, how can I do this?
There are several ways to communicate with your child’s teacher. All teachers have email access at school and they will share this information with you at the start of school. Back to School night is a great time to share your contact information with your child’s teacher.
You may also call the office and leave a message for the teacher to call you back. At that time you may wish to arrange an appointment for a meeting.
There are two weeks set aside each year for formal parent/teacher conferences. One week will be in late October; the other in late April. These formal meetings are designed to let parents know just how well children are progressing.
However, we encourage close parent/teacher/school contact and recognize that as a school, we can best serve your child by staying in close touch.
How will I know about special school events like picture taking or field trips?
Activities that affect the entire school will be communicated with flyers that are sent home as part of the Friday packet. Confidential information such as report cards are mailed to your home.
Teachers will send class information home as part of their Friday packet so it is very important to ask your student for the Friday packet and read it at the beginning of the weekend instead of Sunday evening.
What is The Friday Packet?
In an attempt to consolidate the stream of information that flows from school to home, we put together a Friday Packet. At a minimum the packet will contain a letter from your child’s teacher and notes from the Head of School. Other information may also be included and might include order forms for lunch, information about Parent Council activities, etc.
Does Willow Creek have a website?
Yes, the address of the Willow Creek website is www.willowcreekacademy.org. In mid-September, 2007, our website will be completely revised and up to date. At that time, we plan to have Teachers’ letters and the Head of School notes posted to the website on a weekly basis. We hope that this will lower our paper consumption. Other important information will be posted on the site as well.
School Uniform Information
Why does Willow Creek require that students wear uniforms?
Both parents and the Willow Creek Board of Directors have overwhelmingly confirmed support of the uniform policy. There are several reasons for the uniform:
• No student stands out because of what they can afford or not afford to wear to school.
What is the school uniform?
Kindergarten through fifth grade students wear dark green shirts combined with khaki colored pants, shorts, skirts or jumpers. Sixth through eighth students wear a royal blue shirt combined with khaki. There is no specific manufacturer for the uniform---but the color combination is what is important.
A white shirt may be substituted for the colored shirt in the case of an emergency.
Shirts with a collar are preferred, but a solid colored crewneck or turtleneck tee shirt may be worn. Shirts should be free of large writing and/or pictures. A small log is acceptable. Shirts may be either knit or broadcloth fabric.
Do uniforms have to be worn every day?
The last Friday of the month is a free dress day. Some field trips do not require wearing a uniform. Occasionally there are other days such as our Lapathon when a uniform is not required.
Is there a dress code at Willow Creek?
Yes, in addition to the uniform policy, students are to always dress appropriately. An example is that pants are to fit well and not be either exceedingly baggy (for boys) or unusually tight (for girls). If shorts are worn, they are to be close to knee length.
Hooded sweatshirts and jackets and caps may be worn outside, but when in classrooms, hats and hoods are to be kept off.
Additional questions regarding appropriate dress can be addressed to the Head of School.
Does my child need to have extra clothes at school?
It is strongly recommended that younger children (Grades K-3) have a change of clothes. Accidents happen, when the weather is wet the field is often very muddy and occasionally food or art supplies can make clothing uncomfortable to wear. Please mark all clothing with your child’s name.
Illness, Medical Issues and Special Education Concerns
What happens if my child gets sick while at school?
We will do our best to reach you or the other adults listed on the emergency information form. Unless there is an obvious emergency, we will wait until we reach you to provide any unusual assistance to your child. We are unable to administer any kind of medication without written permission from a parent or guardian.
My child is allergic to several things such as peanuts and bee stings. How can you treat him if he has an allergic reaction?
In cases of severe allergies, students will have an epi pen prescribed for them and one is kept in the school medicine cabinet. Written permission to use the pen is required to be on file and school staff has been trained in how to administer an epi pen if necessary. If your child has any kind of medication kept at school, please check regularly to make sure that it is up to date.
I want to know about every thing that happens to my child, even if she just gets a small scratch. How can I make sure that I am notified?
Please make sure that the school secretaries; your child’s teacher and the Head of School are aware of your desire to be notified when even very small events occur at school that may result in some slight injury. You will then be called whenever necessary.
My child seems to be having a lot of trouble learning math. I am concerned that he may have a learning disability. What should I do?
Speak with your child’s teacher to see if the teacher shares your concern. Either one of you may fill out a request for assessment to determine if your child qualifies for special education services. If so, an Individual Education Plan will be developed with you and the appropriate special education staff.
Lunch Program and General Regulations Regarding Food on Campus
Can my child get lunch at school?
Yes. Willow Creek participates in the Federal School Lunch Program. You may be eligible for free and/or reduced lunches. If not, you can pay for your student to have a lunch. Preferred Meals Systems is the lunch provider for the entire Sausalito Marin City School District. Lunch is served in the multi-purpose room and includes a salad bar as well as a choice of two entrees. All meals meet the nutritional requirements of the federal lunch program.
How do I order lunch for my child?
A menu and order form will be distributed each month. This form must be filled out, and if necessary, fees paid prior to the beginning of the month in order for your child to receive lunch. If he order form and any fees due are not turned in on time, your child will not be able to receive a school lunch.
My child is a vegetarian. Can she still get lunch at school?
Yes. As long as we are notified in advance, vegetarian lunches can be provided.
My child does not want to eat the school lunch. Are there rules about what he can bring for lunch?
We cannot dictate what you or your child prepares for lunch, but we strongly recommend that lunches contain protein, fruits and vegetables in addition to milk, water or a low sugar beverage. Soda is NOT allowed at school.
Can my child bring candy or gum to school?
Gum, candy and soda are not allowed at school. Occasionally there might be a special celebration in a classroom in which there might be some candy. Otherwise, sweets are not allowed at school.
Can I bring treats to the classroom for birthday parties?
Generally, birthday celebrations are allowed in the classroom as well as other special events. However, each teacher develops guidelines for their class regarding parties and other celebrations. Please check with your child’s teacher if you are planning on bringing food into the classroom.
School Rules and Regulations
What are Willow Creek’s rules and regulations?
Each classroom has its specific rules regarding student behavior. In addition, there are general school rules, listed below, that ALL students are to follow:
Every student is to arrive at school with his or her necessary school materials. Homework, if assigned, is to be completed and ready to hand in at the beginning of the day (unless the classroom has a different time schedule)
Students are allowed in classrooms only when supervised by an adult.
The following items are not allowed at school:
• Illicit drugs
Cell phones are allowed under the following conditions: phones are to be turned off from 8 AM until 3 PM and kept in a secure place such as a backpack. If a student is found using a phone, the phone will be confiscated and not returned until a parent comes to retrieve it.
Students will treat each other and adults with respect and courtesy. Fighting, bullying and severe teasing may be cause for suspension. Inappropriate language is not allowed. This includes, but is not limited to, profanity, racial epithets, sexual harassment and any form of verbal abuse or bullying.
What will happen if my child does not follow the school’s rules?
Consequences resulting from rules’ infractions may vary from a brief time out to expulsion. Generally, most issues are handled with a combination of a call home, a meeting with the Head of School and perhaps, a time out. More serious offenses will result in a referral being sent home. Three or more referrals may result in a suspension. Two suspensions will result in a meeting of the student, parents and the WCA Board Discipline Committee.
Certain infractions (drugs, alcohol, extreme violence and sexual harassment) will result in immediate suspension and may also result in expulsion.
Parent/Family Obligations and Responsibilities
Why is there a parent volunteer obligation?
When you enrolled your student at Willow Creek you signed a contract to provide a minimum of 50 hours per year. We require this because educational research indicates that parental involvement is the single most important component of helping a child attain academic success. In addition to this positive affect on students, parents find that they create a caring community within the school.
I work everyday. What kinds of things can I do to volunteer?
We always need people to make phone calls, do laundry for the lost and found, work at fund-raisers, prepare materials for teachers, participate in campus clean up days and participate in ways that do not require someone to be on campus Monday-Friday.
If you are a parent at Willow Creek, you are automatically a member of the Parent Council. Unlike a PTA, the Parent Council is not part of a national organization and does not charge dues.
The Parent Council supports school activities by organizing fund raisers, providing room parents for each classroom, managing the school garden, writing grant proposals, etc. Without the Parent Council, there would be many fewer opportunities for our students to learn and thrive.
|
|||
|
|||
