Bay Park Elementary

Parent Communication -- Effective parent communication begins with  the first week of school.  Each teacher will send an opening letter home by the end of the first week.  Opening letters should include your explanation of how you are going to communicate with parents, your management system, homework policy, curriculum, basic procedures, volunteerism, expectations, and anything else you wish to share with parents.  Ideas for contents:  greeting, philosophy, school–to-home communication, student attendance, discipline, homework, supplementary reading, study skills for success, rewards, special activities, enrichment activities, extra help, grading criteria, parent involvement, hopes and thanks for support.  A copy of the letter should be presented to the principal.

The best way to begin the year on a positive note with parents is to make a telephone call to introduce yourself during that first week.  That will set the tone and make your voice and communication expected for positive experiences and areas of concern. Regular communication from teacher to parents has been requested by Bay Park parents.  Therefore, as you plan your lessons, keep parents apprised of the progress of the class, new learning, special events, and everyday work.

Whenever a problem arises with a child, remember that the parents will want to be kept informed.  Determine how best to keep the parent an active participant.  Each teacher will need to determine the best possible way to keep those parents working with you for the child.   Anecdotal notes or logs should be used to document significant interactions.

Effective 2007-08, each grade level team will be responsible for publishing a piece describing the learning going on in the grade level which will be included in each addition of the principal’s monthly newsletter.

Open House -- Bay Park hosts two Open House events each year.  The first is a Back-to School event during which teachers provide parents with an overview of the grade’s standards and curriculum.  The spring Open House will be a school-wide event combined with open classrooms where parents may view student work.

Certificated Evaluation -- Tenured teachers are formally evaluated every other year.  Each year the district will submit a list of teachers to be evaluated along with the timelines to be followed.  Principal will hold a meeting to discuss the elements of the evaluation, including timelines and expectations.  Teachers will plan for and submit to the principal either: 1) three objectives or 2) proceed with the planning of an alternative evaluation project per the SDEA contract.  During the evaluation period, the principal will conduct formal observations.  The principal will also utilize the routine classroom visits to evaluate the performance of the teacher.  Following the evaluation, principal and teacher may meet to discuss the progress the teacher has made.  Finally, a Summary Evaluation form will be completed by the principal.  Questions or concerns during the evaluation process should be addressed before the deadline of the evaluation timeline.

Classroom Buddy Teacher -- Students who are placed in “time out” in the office are entertained by all the adult conversation.  Therefore, to eliminate this practice, but support the teacher’s occasional need to have a child placed away from his/her regular classroom, a buddy classroom is useful.  This should be arranged ahead with the agreement of both teachers

SSC/SGT (School Site Council/Site Governance Team) is composed of staff and parents.  The agenda is always open in order to provide a means of two-way communication.  Meetings are posted on the master calendar.

Site Keys – Teachers are issued keys at the beginning of the school year and are held responsible for the safekeeping of the keys. Loaning out your keys to anyone is strictly forbidden.

Locking Classroom Doors – Please be sure to lock doors whenever you are not in your room, including recess and lunch times.

Weekly Staff Bulletins -- A bulletin will be placed in staff mailboxes on Thursday afternoon of each week.  All teachers are responsible for the contents of the bulletin, which has information on duty schedule, assemblies, meetings, training, assessments, special announcements, etc.  Please keep the bulletin posted in a prominent place in your room.  Teachers are welcome to submit information to Susie to be published in the bulletin by e-mailing her at:  shauser@sandi.net.  Please have this information to her by Wednesday at noon for publication in the following week’s bulletin.  If you would like to thank, compliment, or acknowledge a colleague publicly, the bulletin is a great vehicle to use.

Staff Mail Boxes – Each teacher and classified employee is assigned a mailbox. Because important information is placed in your box throughout the school day, we ask that you empty your box and check for messages three times per day—before school, at recess, and at lunch.

Telephone Messages -- To avoid interruption to instruction, calls are not put through to your classroom.  Messages received for teachers and students throughout the day will be posted in your box.  Please check your box at recess and lunch.  Should you be expecting an urgent call, please let the office staff know ahead.  All staff cell phones should be turned off or placed on vibrate during instructional time, while performing supervision duties, and during staff meetings.

Personal Telephone Calls – Conducting business other than school-related during the hours of instruction is prohibited by district procedure.

Personal Mail should not be delivered to school.  Instead, please use your home or other address.  We do not have the office staff to provide this service.

Student Supervision -- Never leave your students unattended.  If you have an emergency, please call the office.

Recess Duty -- Teachers are routinely scheduled to supervise students on the playground before school and during morning recess. Each year the duty schedule is distributed to all teachers.  In addition, it is printed in each weekly Staff Bulletin to serve as a reminder for those teachers.  Morning supervision begins at 8:45 a.m. for the teachers on duty.  Teachers on duty should have a whistle.

The Education Code of California requires a teacher to be on duty at all times.  It is critical that teachers be prompt in their duty supervision of the playground. 

 Following recess (a.m. or lunch) please pick up your students promptly at the bell. The teacher on duty should remain on duty until the last class is picked up from the line-up area.  If you believe a teacher may not be on site, please inform the office staff.

Freeze Bell Ending Recess – At the end of each recess, the bell signals all students to freeze.  After the teacher on duty can verify compliance of this, a whistle is blown.  Students walk, to their line-up areas.

Inclement Weather Mornings – During inclement weather, teachers are expected to open their classrooms and supervise students at 8:55 a.m.

Rainy Day Lunch Schedule -- Due to limited supervision at lunch, all students will remain in the cafeteria supervised by our noon duty assistants.  Teachers will walk students to the cafeteria/auditorium at their designated time and pick up students promptly at the end of the scheduled lunch time at the same location.  Teachers will have a 30-minute duty-free lunch.  A copy of the Rainy Day or Inclement Weather Schedule will be published and placed in your Staff Handbook.  Please review it carefully and remind students about this procedure.  Post it in a prominent place and in your substitute plan folder.

          12:30 – 1:00            Primary grades (K-2)

          1:05   -   1:35         Upper Grades 3 - 5

Copy Machine -- Materials left in the workroom to be copied will be duplicated and left in teachers’ boxes by office staff.  Planning for copying is critical, as the copier is usually busy in the morning. The copy machine in the workroom is available for all staff to use.  Each staff member will be given a code that automatically counts the number of copies.  Any office person will assist with the copy machine.  We will offer training by appointment. It is highly important that we all try to be sensible about the amount of copies made per month. If our copying numbers get too high we may find ourselves going over the budgeted amount.

Copyrighted Material - Teachers are reminded that many written materials are copyrighted and may be reproduced only within very strict guidelines.  Refer to District Procedure 7038.  It states that copies may be made for classroom use only.

Procedure for Returning Borrowed Materials to the IMC – Bring items to the Supply Room before Monday at 8 a.m.  A designated area on the table in the hall, will be marked “IMC”.  Labels, string and scissors will be available to bind any loose materials.

Supply Room – The supply room is open during the school day. If you need an item that is not in stock, please leave Brian a note.  Not all materials will be able to be ordered because of our limited supply budget, but Brian will respond to all requests and share supply needs with the principal. Students are not allowed in the supply room.

Custodial Requests for Service and/or Supplies – All requests for service involving classrooms, buildings, and grounds should be directed to the Building Services Supervisor, Brian Rogers.  Written requests should be made well in advance of your need and delivered personally or placed in Brian’s mailbox.  Any verbal requests made during the workday "on the run" may be overlooked.  The supply room should not be used to dispose of materials that are no longer needed.  Please leave Brian a note about material removal, but keep material in your classroom.

Staff Lunch Procedures – A weekly menu/sign-up sheet is posted on the bulletin board in the workroom.  Teachers may put money into a lunch account just as students do.  They may draw from this account as needed to purchase lunch.  Teachers may sign up on the previous day for a desired item.  Items will be ordered for them and should be picked up from the cafeteria.  If a fire or other emergency drill (not including a lockdown) interrupts lunch or recess, teachers are to meet their classes on the lower field and wait for directions.

Staff Lounge -- A lounge is provided for the staff.  It is located in Room 8 (across form the office).  Since the lounge is to be used by staff, no children are allowed during the instructional day. The lounge has a refrigerator for the staff only. The staff must maintain the refrigerator, as it is not part of the custodial cleaning schedule.  Please clean up after yourself so that the lounge is clean for the next person.

Workroom Duty—For the 2007-2008 school year each grade level team will sign up to keep workroom orderly and clean for one month. Sign up will be on the bulleting board in the workroom.

Lounge Duty/Treat Day – Traditionally, Wednesdays are designated as ‘Treat Day.”  Staff members are encouraged to sign up to bring treats throughout the year.  The Lounge Duty sign-up sheet is located in the Lounge.  Treats are available at recess.  On weeks you and your co-workers host “Treat Day” you are expected to clean up the lounge.

ALL STAFF MEMBERS SHARE RESPONSIBILITY FOR KEEPING THE LOUNGE CLEAN AND ORDERLY:

§         Throw away your trash

§         Wash and put away your own dishes.

§         Wipe up spills.

STUDENTS

Student Arrival Time & Breakfast – Monday through Friday—Students must not be on site before 8:45.  The only exceptions are:  VEEP students arriving on the bus or students who eat breakfast on campus. Breakfast is served in the school cafeteria from 8:30 to 9:00 a.m. The cost is 50 cents.  All students in grades K-2 need to remain seated in the lunch area until the bell rings. The 3rd -5th graders may mingle on the black top north of the breezeway until the bell rings.  At that time they will be dismissed to meet their classroom on the playground.

Student Lunch Procedures - The lunch period is forty minutes in length. There are two lunch sessions. Primary Grades (K-2) eat first – 20 minutes, then play for 20 minutes. Primary Teachers bring students directly to the lunch arbor and lunch line.  Upper Grades (3-5) play first ,then when the bell rings, line up on the playground.  When they are dismissed, they will walk to cafeteria/lunch tables.  Following lunch, students should be met promptly at the designated line-up area on the playground. 

Student Lunch Loans – If one of your students did not bring a lunch or lunch money from home, send them to the cafeteria for a one-day lunch loan.  The cafeteria staff will notify parents of the loan.  No student will be allowed to borrow until his/her lunch loan has been repaid.

Student Attendance and Tardy Procedures-- Teachers are responsible for taking daily attendance on Zangle by 9:30 in the morning.  Excessive absences should be noted by the teacher and the counselor should be informed to begin follow-up. Parents should be contacted by the classroom teacher first. The district has determined that five absences per month are excessive.  Formal letters will be sent to parents regarding excessive absences.

Daily Dismissal of Students – Prompt dismissal of students after school is essential because of childcare and bus transportation.  Students should be encouraged to go directly to meet their parent or childcare provider.

Early Dismissal for Medical Appointments or Personal Emergencies -- Parents, guardians, and other authorized adults who come to pick up a child for a doctor’s appointment or other personal business during school hours, must come to the office for clearance and to secure the Permission to Leave Ground During School Hours form.  They must be listed on the student’s registration card or we must have prior written or verbal approval to release a child to an unknown adult.  Teachers are not allowed to excuse a student without this official release form.  This procedure is designed to protect children.

CIS (Contract of Independent Study) – Short-term contract independent study programs are based upon educational needs of the student and requirements of the subjects being studied.  Contracts must be for 5 days or more.  In most circumstances, they must be requested by the parent/guardian with at least a week advance notice. When the student returns, please follow the instructions on the forms and return them to the attendance clerk along with a sample of the student’s work.  Failure to complete a contract will result in unexcused absences and loss of ADA money for the site. 

Sending Students to the Health Office -- Daily medications: Please make every effort to send the children who require daily “meds” to the office on time.  Nurse's passes should be available in your classroom.  Do not send any children without a pass.  It is our documentation.  Please only send sick children to the nurse.  All scrapes and minor cuts can be easily taken care of with the first aid kit available in each classroom.  A member of the office staff should see all suspected head injuries. If head lice are suspected in your classroom, please send the child/children to the office to be checked.  In the case of lice or contagious diseases, the office will send home a letter. Please be sure that these letters go home immediately. While at recess, all minor scrapes can be cleaned up with soap and water in the restroom. In case of an emergency on the playground or in the classroom, there is a wheelchair available in the health office. Do not move a child if you suspect a back or neck injury.

Sexual Harassment Policy – At the beginning of the year, students will take home a Student Nondiscrimination and Sexual Harassment Policy for parents and students to read together. 

Dress Code for Students – Bay Park’s dress code for students is contained in the Family Handbook that goes home to parents at the beginning of the year.  Teachers are responsible for ensuring that students comply with the dress code. Should there be a problem with a child’s dress, the child may be sent up to the office for a telephone call home or a clothing loan, etc.  All volunteers are also expected to observe the site’s dress code.

Student Accident Reports – Head injuries or any other serious injury requires an accident report. The office will take care of the paperwork.

Field Trips -- TEACHERS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR COMMUNICATING ALL RELEVANT DETAILS TO THE OFFICE STAFF AND PRINCIPAL. A Field Trip packet is included in this section. Copy forms as needed or get blanks from the office staff. Please plan field trips at least 4 weeks ahead to allow time for scheduling buses or drivers and permission forms to be returned in a timely manner. Complete all appropriate forms and submit to Susie for the principal’s approval and signature. After approval, Susie will schedule on the Master Calendar and will put it in the Staff Bulletin.  A copy will go on file in the office and the originals returned to you to copy and distribute. Please make sure to give Susie and Donna a copy also so that they can communicate to any parent/guardian. No child may attend a field trip without written consent. Verbal permission by phone will not be acceptable. You may make one generic permission form for walking field trips to cover the entire year.  Please remember to calendar all walking field trips with Susie.  An additional site form we require to be submitted with the permission form is the justification page, relating your field trip to the Instructional Program. Two (2) weeks before the trip, inform the cafeteria staff about your trip if you will be away from the site during lunch and students will not be eating a hot lunch.  For students on the lunch program, you may order sack lunches if advance notice is given.

The following information outlines the procedure for the collection of donations from parents or parent groups for field trips taken during the instructional day.

·        A notice must be sent to parents asking for VOLUNTARY donations to offset the cost of one or more field trips.  This request should come from your room parent. Monies collected should not be kept in your classroom. Assure parents that all children will attend whether or not donations are received.  A “suggested” amount may be included in the notice.

·        Follow procedures for field trips using guidelines in this notebook.

Domestic Pets in the Classroom

According to district procedures, domestic pets should not be brought onto the campus. Should children want to “share” their pets, it is recommended that they bring a short video or photographs.

District Classroom Safety Procedure prohibits domestic pets from being brought in classrooms or onto the school grounds.  Specific limitations at elementary sites:

·        Animals are permitted at school only when needed for the instructional program and when under the strict control of qualified instructors or animal handlers.

·        Animals must be obtained from a reliable source and have written certification that they are in good health and are not carriers of dangerous disease-causing organisms.

·        Hamsters, white rats, black widow spiders, rattlesnakes, and unbanded psittacine (parrot-like) birds are too dangerous to have at school.

·        Wild animals or domestic pets shall not be brought to school by children.

Child Abuse—Requirements of Reporting – All school employees are mandated reporters. Fax forms are readily available from the nurse or the office staff. If you suspect a child is being abused physically, emotionally or sexually, or being neglected, you must report the incident. No investigation by staff should be done. A social worker will be assigned to investigate and make a determination. Please ask for assistance in completing the form as needed. CPS reports are housed in a confidential file in the principal’s office.

Enrollment Options at Bay Park –

·        VEEP Students -- Students from schools in our VEEP pattern are eligible to attend Bay Park. Parents of these students have chosen our school. Once they are enrolled, they are committed to attend Bay Park for a minimum of one year.  There is bus transportation for VEEP students.  Accommodations for parents who do not live in the neighborhood should be made during parent conferencing. 

·        Choice – Parents of students who do not live in our neighborhood may choose to send their child to Bay Park under this district program. Enrollment is based on space availability.

·        Child Care – Bay Park hosts the Mission Valley YMCA Childcare Program on campus. If parents ask about childcare, please direct them to room 7 or the office.

PARENTS/COMMUNITY

Principal Newsletter -- This school newsletter is sent home by the principal at the end of each month. All staff may submit articles.  The PTA newsletter is distributed the second Tuesday of each month.

Parent/Teacher Conferences – Parent/Teacher conferences are scheduled twice per year, fall and spring. Information will be available as time draws near.  All students’ parents should be conferred with in the fall. A total of four (4) modified days are scheduled for conferencing.

School Volunteers – Bay Park values our volunteers. Parent and community volunteers must complete a volunteer application and be cleared of TB before working on our campus.  Potential volunteers should be recruited by the teachers and directed to the office for the aforementioned procedures. Please remind your parent and community volunteers to sign in the office and pick up a volunteer or visitor badge before entering your classroom.   All volunteers must sign in and out each day in the book provided in the office.  Teachers are requested to plan activities for their classroom volunteers so that they feel useful and are willing to return.  The following jobs should not be given to volunteers: those that require access to office records and cum files, those that reveal information about student progress and those that take the child away from the supervision of the teacher. 

TB Testing for Staff and Volunteers -- According to state law, all staff and volunteers must have clearance from tuberculosis on record.  The clearance is for four years. Staff will be reminded by the district that a new clearance is needed. Nurses at the high school and junior high school may have the materials required for the TB skin test. Please call to arrange a visit.  Remember, no parent or community volunteers are allowed to work with children without this clearance documented centrally in the office.

PTA -- The Parent Teacher Association does a tremendous amount of work for Bay Park School, including funding classroom fieldtrips (Bus Transportation) and classroom enrichment.  Teachers and other staff are encouraged to join and participate in the PTA.  An annual membership drive is conducted in the fall of each school year. Please support our PTA by attending meetings and functions.

Bay Park Foundation – This organization has the federal and state approval to raise funds for Bay Park School, with a special emphasis on supporting the library and staff-initiated projects. The board consists of parents and staff members.

Partners-in Education

·        Clairemont Hills Kiwanis

·        Commander Third Fleet

·        K-Co Construction

Intruders on Campus -- All staff members are encouraged to approach someone not wearing a badge and remind them to check in at the office. Call the office immediately if you are concerned about anyone on the campus. All visitors must wear a badge.

Family Rights and Privacy Act -- There are strict guidelines established by the Education Code and district regarding release of information about students under the age of eighteen. These include what goes into a cumulative record, discussing student progress with agencies, and who has the right to view student records.  Please use caution when discussing individual student’s progress.  Please refer to Procedure 6525 for more information.

SPECIAL PROGRAMS

Knowledge of IEP Content -- The California Education Code, Article 56347, is quoted below:

“Each district, special education local plan area, or county office shall, prior to the placement of the individual with exceptional needs, ensure that the regular teacher or teachers, the special education teacher or teachers, and other persons who provide special education, related services or both to the individual with exceptional needs shall be knowledgeable of the content of the individualized education program.  A copy of each individualized education program shall be maintained at each school site where the pupil is enrolled. Service providers from other agencies who provide instruction or a related service to the individual of the school site shall be provided a copy of the individualized education program. All individualized education programs shall be maintained in accordance with state and federal pupil record confidentiality laws.”  By law a general education teacher must attend all IEP meetings.

GATE Program – Bay Park accepts GATE funding for grades three through five.  Students are integrated into cluster classes with differentiated learning opportunities provided. All 3^rd – 5^th grade classrooms are designated GATE clusters.

Physical Education Minutes -- The intent of the Education Code sections that mandate the physical education requirement is to ensure that physical education is an integral part of the educational program for all students.  In the San Diego Unified School District:  All Students in grades 1-6 are to receive a minimum of 200 minutes of physical education instructional each 10 school days, exclusive of recess and the lunch period. Our PE Prep will take care of 100 of those required minutes. Teachers still have a requirement of 100 minutes over a ten (10) school day period or 50 minutes per week.

TOGETHER WE WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE

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