Northridge Elementary
Home of the Nighthawks
Disclosures of Educational Policies
2005-2006
As we welcome you to Northridge Elementary, we feel it is
important that parents remain informed of school policies. Included are items of information taken
from district and school policies.
Accidents & Illness
If a serious accident or
illness occurs, the school will contact the parents or call for assistance at
the emergency number listed on the health information sheet. IT IS EXTREMEMLY IMPORTANT THAT PARENTS
RETURN THE HEALTH INFORMATION SHEET TO THE SCHOOL. PLEASE KEEEP THE OFFICE INFORMED OF ANY ADDRESS OR TELEPHONE
NUMBER CHANGES. In extreme
emergencies, if the parents or the emergency number cannot be reached, it may
become necessary for the school to contact the paramedics. Sick children will not be sent home
until parents come to school and sign them out.
Alpine Foundation
Alpine Foundation was formed
to provide a way to make a tax-deductible contribution to your childÕs
school. You may donate at any time
during the year. You should
specify Northridge on the donation and you may also write the specific area
where you would like the donation to go, or leave it undesignated to be used
where needed. The Foundation also
sponsors the Gold C coupon, Happenings, and Sally Foster fundraisers.
$1.50 Activity Donation
Students are encouraged to
donate $1.50 for school activities.
The donation should be sent to the office. This donation allows the school to bring in several excellent
assemblies during the year that would otherwise not be available.
Arriving at School
Please do NOT send students
to school early. In case of
inclement weather, students may wait inside the building (media center) 10
minutes before school starts. Supervision
is not provided in classrooms before and after school.
Attendance
Teachers will record
attendance on computer (Power School) daily during the first fifteen minutes of
the school day. 8:00 AM start
students will be marked tardy/absent if they are not present by 8:15 AM. 9:15 AM students will be marked
tardy/absent if they are not present by 9:30 AM. Students who arrive at school after the tardy bell will have
to check in at the office where their attendance will be recorded; students
will receive a tardy note to give to their teacher to inform the teacher that
they have checked in. Every day,
office secretaries will change a classroom ÒabsenceÓ into a ÒtardyÓ as children
check into the office. Whenever a
child leaves during the school day, he/she must be checked out of school in the
office; office secretaries will inform teachers when a student has checked
out. When a child returns to
school during the school day, he/she must check in at the office.
Please noteÉTeachers are
expected to begin and end school on time; quality instruction begins at the
tardy bell.
Bicycles, Scooters, Roller
Blades
Children may ride bicycles or
scooters to school but are not encouraged to do so because of safety and
security. If ridden, they must be
placed in the bike racks, locked securely, and left there until time for
students to go home. Inasmuch as
the school cannot be responsible for bike and scooter safety, we suggest that
students lock their bikes and scooters to prevent theft. Rollerblades and skateboards must be
kept in a backpack or other similar storage bag while at school.
Bikes, scooters, rollerblades
and skateboards are NOT to be ridden on school grounds before, during or after
school. Parents may come to the
office and pick up their childÕs wheeled conveyance if it has been taken away
for riding it on the school grounds.
Reminder: Students should always WALK their bikes
when crossing a street and use the crosswalk where one is available.
Discipline
The goal of NorthridgeÕs
discipline plan is to teach children to be responsible and accountable for
their own behavior, and to make wise choices. This is an important part of living in our society. An important part of making good
choices is to know what is expected.
Each teacher has a list of rules and consequences posted in their
room. School-wide behavior
expectations are posted throughout the building.
Dress Standards
We appreciate those parents
who dress their children appropriately for school. We adhere to the guidelines set up by the Alpine School
District that have been included for your information:
Hair: Should
be clean and well groomed.
Hairstyles or hair coloring, distracting in appearance or needing
constant attention are not acceptable.
Footwear: All
students are required to wear appropriate footwear to school. Footwear must not mark or damage
floors.
Clothing:
Clothing which is ragged, tattered, or deliberately distracting in
appearance must be avoided. Short
shorts, very short skirts, halters, bare midriffs, cutoffs, and jeans of a
ÒgrubbyÓ type are not acceptable.
Vulgar words, profane or obscene slogans and pictures or advertisements
for alcohol, tobacco, and drugs on clothing will not be tolerated.
Headwear:
Headwear should not be worn in the building.
Exceptions to these
policies are for special activities as approved by the Principal.
Guidelines
-Knee type shorts
are OK
-Sandals are OK
-No Òbiker shortsÓ
(lycra or spandex)
-No tank tops,
unless worn with a T-shirt
-No rude, profane,
vulgar, or suggestive T-shirt slogans
Grades
Grades at Northridge will be
based on the Alpine School District Standards Reporting form (K-2) and the
grading scaled used by Power School according to grade level requirements (3rd-6th). To access the current student scores,
please use Power School on the Internet (www.nridge.net). If you or your child needs help
learning how to access Power School, please call the main office.
Kindergarten Times
A.M. Kindergarten-
Monday 9:15-11:38 /
Tuesday-Friday 9:15-12:08
P.M. Kindergarten-
Monday 12:08-2:30 /
Tuesday-Friday 12:36-3:30
Lost & Found
To simplify the return of
lost items, please label clothing and personal items. The lost and found bins are located by the front doors of
the cafeteria. Valuable or tiny
articles are turned in to the office.
Lost items not claimed will be donated to the needy.
Lunch Prices
Purchased daily lunch tickets
will be $1.50, or you may also purchase a Twenty-day lunch ticket. Tickets can be purchased in the kitchen
every day before school.
Lunch Recess
Children should arrive at
school appropriately dressed for the weather of the day. All healthy children are expected to go
outside after lunch except when weather conditions are extreme. If a child forgets their coat they will
be allowed to get one out of the lost and found. If you feel your child should not be outside during lunch
recess (due to illness), please send a note with the childÕs name and the date
you would like to have them kept indoors.
Medication
School personnel CANNOT give
children medication (other than Tylenol) without a written MEDICATION
ADMINISTRATION RELEASE FORM completed by the physician. This form is available in the school
office. Tylenol will only be given
if a parent gives permission over the phone.
Nighthawk Bucks
The staff this year will be
using the Nighthawk Bucks program to reward student behavior. Nighthawk Buck
coupons may be redeemed in the school store during the lunch hour. Students are encouraged to treat the reward
coupons as cash. Lost coupons
cannot be replaced. This program
will start up on September 13, 2005.
Nuisance Items
Items such as radios,
cassette/CD players, cameras, video games, water games, cell phones, etcÉ are
not to be brought to school unless they are required for a special class fieldtrip
or project. Teachers and staff
will confiscate the item(s) until the parent comes to the school to reclaim
them.
Food items are not allowed in
class, unless specified by the teacher.
Gum is not permitted in school.
Please do not send gum with your students.
Property Damage
The school will pursue
reasonable methods to recover the cost of vandalism and loss of school property
by a student.
Recycling
Northridge recycles paper and
aluminum cans. Deposit aluminum
cans in the can recycler located in the main entrance. Place paper in the green recycling bins
in the front of the school.
Newspaper, paper, junk mail, magazines, and phone books can all be recycled. Please do not put plastic or cardboard
in the recycling bins. Money
earned from recycling goes directly towards improving our school.
Student Checkout
Parents must come in to the
school office to pick up their children if they need to take them during school
hours. Students will be turned
over to their parents or guardians after signing the checkout log.
Students going home for lunch
on a regular basis should bring a single note from parents to the teacher
specifying the days involved. The
student should then check out and back in with the teacher. A note from parents would be required
each time for those students occasionally going home for lunch.
Telephone Calls
School telephones are for
school business. Students will be
allowed to use the telephone ONLY for illness or other emergency
situations. Please communicate
with your child about lunch money, books, homework, appointments, and
permission to play at a friendÕs house, etc. before the student leaves for
school. We avoid interrupting
class instruction as much as possible.
Our secretary will leave a message for a teacher if you would like them
to contact you before or after school.
Transfer of Students
Should it become necessary to
transfer your children to another school during the year, alert the office at
least one week ahead of time so all necessary forms can be completed. On the childÕs last day of school, come
to the office and pick up a withdrawal slip for your childÕs new school. All
library books and school texts must be returned or accounted for.
Alpine School District
Policies
SAFE SCHOOLS
It is the policy of Alpine
School District to maintain school environments that are conducive to
learning. It is the DistrictÕs
intent to maintain a safe and positive atmosphere by prohibiting acts of
violence, aggressive behavior, intimidation, possession of weapons, criminal
behavior, or gang activity on school property.
The Alpine School District
Safe Schools Policy prohibits disruptive acts; dangerous weapons;
hazing/harassment; abetting; and gangs, secret societies, and hate groups; and
the other prohibited acts as defined and described in these rules and
regulations.
Definitions:
Disruptive
Acts-Acts that disrupt the daily operation of the school include but are
not limited to physical or sexual assault, intimidation, aggression, possessing
or displaying a dangerous weapon.
Dangerous
Weapons-
Any
item capable of causing death or serious bodily injury, or a facsimile or
representation of the item.
Dangerous weapons as deemed by these rules shall include but not be
limited to firearms, knives, metal knuckles, straight razors, explosives,
poisons, drugs, and noxious, irritating or poisonous gases.
Hazing/Harassment-
Intimidation
of a student or staff member or any act that inures, degrades or disgraces a
student or staff member.
Abetting-
The
act of supporting, encouraging, and/or assisting activities that violate the
Safe Schools policy.
Gang/Secret
Societies/Hate Groups-
A
group of two or more people who form an allegiance and engage in a range of
disruptive behaviors that may include violent or unlawful activity or which
advocate hatred or discrimination on the basis of race, religion, sex, national
origin or disability.
Other
Prohibited Acts-
Students
may not:
a. Wear, possess, use, distribute, display or sell any
clothing, jewelry, emblems, badges, symbols, signs or other things that are
evidence of membership or affiliation in any gangs, secret societies and hate
groups.
b. Commit acts, or use speech, either verbal or
non-verbal (gestures, handshakes, etc.) showing membership or affiliation in
gangs, secret societies and hate groups.
c. Use speech or commit any acts or omissions in
furtherance of the interest of the gang, group or society, including, but not
limited to 1) soliciting others for membership, 2) requesting persons to pay
for protection or otherwise intimidating or threatening any person, 3)
committing other illegal acts or other violations of school district policies,
4) inciting other students to act with physical violence upon any other person,
and 5) defacing school property (i.e. books, desks, walls, etc.)
Students
who participate in other prohibited activities described above shall be dealt
with in accordance with the procedures outlined in the Alpine School DistrictÕs
Rules and Regulations.
Sexual Harassment
Alpine School District is
committed to the maintenance of a learning environment which is free of any
form of sexual harassment; an environment where students may attend school free
of unwanted conduct or communication of a sexual nature; one which is in
compliance with the State and Federal laws dealing with this form of
discrimination.
Tobacco Use &
Possession
The use or possession of
tobacco or any tobacco product, including smokeless tobacco, for students under
the age of 19 is against Utah State Law.
Violators are referred to the Juvenile Court as Status offenders under
the criminal code and not under the Controlled Substance Act. Therefore, violators in schools at
school sponsored activities, or on school grounds, or within 1,000 feet of
school property shall be issued citations by the school administration, staff
and/or law enforcement authorities, and subsequent Juvenile Court action may be
taken.
Schools shall, in addition to
the above for repeat violators, have students attend the Parent/Teen program, a
smoking cessation class, or place the student on in-school or out-of-school
suspension.
Alcohol & Drug Use
School administration,
faculty, and students shall cooperate fully in reasonable and appropriate law
enforcement investigations relative to the use, possession sale, or
distribution of alcohol, controlled substances, imitation controlled
substances, or drug paraphernalia in school facilities or during school
activities.
We are excited to provide an
education for your child. The
faculty and staff are prepared to offer an excellent experience at Northridge
this year. If you have any
questions or comments, please contact the main office or your childÕs
teacher. Thank you for your
support.
I have read this information
and understanding that I am invited to ask for clarifications, additional
information or copies of policy prior to signing.
Student Name (Parent
Signature) (Date)