The ABC's of Solana Vista

When your child is absent because of illness or for a doctor or dental appointment, please call the Absence Line at (858) 794-3751. The law requires that the exact nature of an illness be stated; this type of absence is defined as an excused absence. Students who are absent for 10 or more consecutive days will be withdrawn from the school and the class list. They will be re-entered to the school upon their return. If your child has a pattern of tardies and/or absences, a parent-principal meeting may be scheduled to discuss improved attendance.

Arriving Late and Leaving Early

If your child will be late, or needs to leave before the end of the school day, a parent or guardian must sign the child in/out at the office. The office will send for the child. Students who arrive after 8:35 a.m. must go to the office for a tardy pass before entering their classrooms.

Animals At School

Children are asked not to bring pets from home. In special cases, pets may be brought only with the prior permission of the teacher and should be in a cage or under some other form of restraint.

Assemblies

Every Friday at 8:35 a.m. (weather permitting), all classes remain on the blacktop for a short assembly. The principal makes announcements, gives awards, recognizes students, etc. Classes recite the Pledge of Allegiance and sing a song together. Parents are invited to our weekly assemblies.

Back To School Night

Parents are encouraged to attend this special event at the beginning of the year. The purpose of the evening is to give teachers an opportunity to share with parents the curriculum, class expectations, and learning opportunities available for each child. This night is for parent/teacher communication, so parents will need to make child care arrangements. Discussion is intended to be general. Conferences for individual concerns should be scheduled for a later time.

Before School/Morning Arrival

Students are not permitted to be on campus before 8:10 a.m. unless they are enrolled in CDC or a before school intervention class. After 8:10 a.m. students are to go to the black top area of the playground. The other areas of the playground are closed before school.

Bike Riding Policy

Students may ride bicycles to school if they abide by the following safety rules:

All riders must wear a helmet.
Bicycles are to be walked on school premises. Sidewalks must be used in the parking lot areas.
Bicycles must be parked in bike racks and locked.
Only one person per bike.
Bicycle riders must obey the same rules that apply to cars when using the street.
The District strongly recommends that children who ride their bikes to school be in grades three through six.

Change Of Address

If you have a change of address or phone number, please let the office know so that they can maintain accurate, up-to-date information. If you are moving out of the area, notify the office and we will issue a transfer slip to present to your new school. If reasonable amount of notice is given, a curriculum form will be given to teachers to complete to assist the next teacher.

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Childcare: Before & After School

The Solana Beach School District Child Development Center (CDC) offers a School-Age Program. In order for children to participate in the CDC School-Age Program, they must be registered with CDC (858) 794-3777. The CDC hours at Solana Vista are 7:00 a.m. to 8:10 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. AM care is on an "as-needed basis," and the after-school care offers full-time, part-time and drop-in schedule options.

Classroom Assignments

When we assign students to classes for the next school year, we endeavor to meet the needs of the individual child and develop classes whose balance and dynamics contribute to a positive learning environment. To achieve well-balanced classes, we consider academic ability; to help maintain positive class dynamics, we consider which pupils should and should not be placed together. "Sending" and "Receiving" teachers will consider the benefits of possible assignments to each student, as well as the contributions each student and various groupings of students can bring to the dynamics and balance of each class.

Curriculum

Our standards-based curriculum is designed to help students develop intellectually, physically, emotionally, and socially. We encourage students to become active, engaged learners and responsible citizens. At each grade level our teachers challenge students and help them achieve academic and intellectual competencies.

Daily Schedules

Before School Supervision
Playground supervision is provided from 8:10 a.m. Please do not drop off your children before this time.

Minimum Days
All students begin at 8:35 a.m. and finish at 12:05 p.m.

Kindergarten
Kindergarten students begin at 8:35 a.m. and finish at 2:43 p.m.

Grades 1 through 3
Students begin at 8:35 a.m. and finish at 2:43 p.m.

Detention

Students who do not follow school/classroom rules are given a blue ticket and assigned to afterschool detention in the Media Center from 2:43 to 3:15 pm, following parental notification.

Discipline

School Rules
All students have the right to learn, and all teachers have the right to teach. Therefore, all students will:

Be on time and prepared to work
Show courtesy and respect for everyone
Respect property
Not disrupt the learning process

General School-Wide Rules
All students will:

Use appropriate language.
Dress appropriately (i.e. close-toed shoes, no baggy pants, no inappropriate language or signs on clothing, no spaghetti-strapped or midriff tops.
All students will respect the rights and property of others. There will be:

No drugs on campus
No weapons on campus
No gum on campus
No threats of bodily harm
No racial slurs
No sexual harassment
No physical contact
No stealing

Students will not use toys, pagers, cell phones, or other personal electronic equipment during school hours.
Students will use a school phone to call home during school hours.

Recess Rules

Students must not run on the blacktop.
Remain on the playground unless they have a written pass from a teacher.
Play in a safe way so that others are not knocked down.
Wait in an orderly manner for equipment use.
Use the slides in a down direction only, no stopping on the slides, and keep the bottom of the slides clear.
Include other students in team play. Games may not be closed ("locked").
Students must abide by the following rules while on the playground:

No jumping off of any equipment.
No throwing water, sand, dirt, pebbles or rocks.
No climbing on fences, portable railings or backstops.
No personal sports equipment should be brought to school.
No balls are to be thrown against any school walls.
No pushing, pulling of each other or clothes is allowed at school.
No tag or other chasing games should be played anywhere other than the grass-area.

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Dress Code

The purpose of a school-wide dress code is to establish an environment that supports a productive academic atmosphere. Our standards are consistent with those established by the Solana Beach School District, and reflect the values of our staff and parents. The following items of clothing/accessories are considered inappropriate and/or disruptive to the educational process and may not be worn at school:

Strapless or spaghetti strap tops worn without a blouse/sweater cover-up
Bare midriffs
Tops that are unbuttoned below the sternum
Shorts and skirts that are too short and revealing
Pants that are too loose and show undergarments
Emblems, lettering, or pictures that are related to drugs, alcohol, sex or profanity
Chains hanging from clothing
Flip-flops or other shoes that would be unsafe for PE and outdoor play
Wheelie shoes
Hats inside the building/classroom
Jewelry which dangles and is unsafe
Any article of clothing or manner in which it is worn that contributes to the disruption of a productive learning environment and the safe operation of the school.

Parents will be notified immediately if school personnel become concerned over a student's clothing. We will discuss the problem and recommend alternatives to the student's attire.

Emergency Drills and Procedures

To help prepare for emergency situations, all students and staff perform a 3–in–1 Drill once a month. A 3–in–1 Drill consists of the following:

All Building Closed (ABC) Drill
This drill is in case of an intruder, stray dog, or any other threat on campus. The principal announces the situation on the intercom and rings the bell if students are outside. Teachers lock the doors and close windows. The students move together to a safe spot in the classroom. Teachers take attendance and remain with students. The class waits for further instructions.

Fire/Evacuation Drill
The fire alarm sounds. The teacher walks the students to their designated area a safe distance from the building. The teacher then takes attendance and waits for further instructions from the principal.

Earthquake Drill
The teacher has students "Drop and Cover" which is getting to their knees away from dangerous windows or other areas covering their heads. They get under tables, desks, or other sturdy furniture. They remain in this position until the office indicates it is time to evacuate. All classes walk outside the building to the backfield. Everyone meets at the assembly area where there are supply sheds and emergency equipment in case of an actual emergency.

Grounds for Suspension

Grounds for suspension according to the California Education Code §48900 are that a student:

Caused, attempted to cause, or threatened to cause physical injury to another person.
Possessed, sold or furnished firearm, knife, explosive, or other dangerous object.
Possessed, used, sold, furnished or been under the influence of drugs, alcohol, a controlled substance or intoxicant.
Offered, arranged, or negotiated to sell look-alike controlled substances, alcohol, or intoxicants.
Committed or attempted to commit robbery or extortion.
Caused or attempted to cause damage to school or private property.
Stole or attempted to steal school or private property.
Possessed or used tobacco or product containing tobacco or nicotine.
Committed obscene act or engaged in habitual profanity or vulgarity.
Possessed, offered, arranged, or negotiated to sell any drug paraphernalia.
Disrupted school activities, willfully defied valid school personnel in the performance of their duties.
Knowingly received stolen school property or private property.
Committed sexual harassment (Ed. Code §48900.2)
Participated in an act of hate violence (Ed. Code §48900.3)
Harassed, threatened, or intimidated another student. (Ed. Code §48900.4)

Further Information: Education Code Section 48900 – 48927

Homework Policy

Rationale
The purpose of homework is to strengthen academic skills, reinforce concepts taught by teachers, develop student responsibility and accountability, and promote parent awareness. Positive results of homework include better retention of factual knowledge, increased understanding of material, improve critical thinking, concept formation and information processing skills, as well as enrichment of the core curriculum. Our gal is to create assignments that promote one or more of these outcomes. We recognize that homework is not the only circumstance under which after-school learning takes place. Many leisure-time activities teach important academic and life skills. We believe in the importance of balancing leisure, learning and family time.

Amount of Homework
The amount of homework assigned shall be related to the maturity and ability level of the students in a given class. The following chart suggests these homework schedules as guides for students. These schedules can be used as guidelines for parents and teachers in monitoring student time devoted to homework.

Grades K-2	10 – 30 minutes	up to 4 days per week
Grades 3-6	30 – 60 minutes	up to 4 days per week

Be advised that students on occasion may spend more than one hour and/or more than four days a week completing schoolwork, as time at home may be spent doing assigned homework, long-term projects, and completing unfinished classroom assignments. Students have varying abilities to use class time efficiently, and the amount of time spent on homework varies from one child to another.

Student’s Responsibility
It is the responsibility of the student to record and understand the homework assignment, complete it, and return it to school on the required day.

Parent’s Responsibility
It is the responsibility of the parent to set a specific time and place for doing homework and to monitor the student’s homework. Parents who have concerns about homework should contact their child’s teacher. Parents should provide guidance to students, not answers.

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Illnesses

Each year school children have an average of five to seven common infections such as colds and intestinal upset. For the protection of your child and his/her classmates, please keep your child at home when ill. Please notify the school when your child is ill. The following symptoms may mean that an illness is contagious:

Fever, diarrhea, vomiting within the last 24 hours. Children need to be symptom free for 24 hours before returning to school.
Thick mucous or pus draining from eyes.
Sore throat, especially if combined with fever or swollen neck glands.
Rashes with fever or rashes of unknown origin.
Upper respiratory infection and/or severe cold, especially if accompanied with green or yellow nasal discharge and/or ear pain. A cough spreads germs, and a cough that keeps a child up at night means they will be too tired to learn the next day.
Stiff neck.
Unusual fatigue, paleness, loss of appetite, confusion and irritability.

Immunizations

The California School Immunization law requires that all children entering school receive proper immunizations to protect them from serious illness and to prevent the spread of communicable diseases: polio, measles, rubella, mumps, hepatitis B, varicella (chickenpox), diphtheria, tetanus, haemophilus influenza type b (Hib meningitis), and whooping cough.

Guide to Immunizations for School Entry (pdf, 212 kb)

Lost and Found

Found items are kept at the coat rack in the Kiva; small or valuable items are kept in a drawer in the school office. After a period of time, items are donated to charity, so please encourage your children to check the lost and found boxes periodically, and label all personal belongings.

Lunch Information

The Solana Beach School District takes part in the National Lunch Program. Meals are served every school day. Students may buy lunch for $3.25. Eligible students may receive a free or reduced price lunch. A student lunch includes an entrée, choice of 1% low-fat milk or fat free chocolate milk, 100% fruit juice and assortment of fresh and canned fruits and vegetables from our salad bar.

Lunch Schedule

Grade	PLAY	EAT	LUNCH ENDS
K & 1st	12:30 pm	12:50 pm	1:15 pm
2nd & 3rd	12:00 am	12:20 pm	12:45 pm
2nd & 3rd (Wheel Days)	11:45 am	12:05 pm	12:30 pm

Lunch Rules

Eat first.
Clean up your area.
Talk quietly.
Be polite and remember your manners.
Raise your hand to use the restroom and get a drink.

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Medical Insurance

This is to inform you that the Solana Beach School District does not provide student and athletic accident insurance coverage for students, however, it does make available several insurance coverage plans through Student Insurance, an independent insurance company. The Solana Beach School District takes appropriate steps to protect your child from injury; however, accidents can and do occur, even in safe environments.

In accordance with Education Code Section 49472, the Solana Beach School District has made available for purchase, voluntary student and athletic accident insurance through the Student Insurance Company. The insurance program offered is optional and complies with the State Education Code. The Student Accident Insurance may be purchased for school-time, 24-hour, and dental coverage. Although you may already have medical insurance for your family, the purchase of this additional coverage could assist you by paying deductibles and balances left after your primary carrier has paid.

To enroll in the insurance program, please have your student pick up an enrollment brochure and application from the school office. (If you would prefer, you may download a brochure and application at www.studentinsuranceusa.com. ) Complete the application and return with your premium to Student Insurance in the envelope provided. All premium checks/money orders should be payable to Student Insurance. Please do not send cash! Please retain the brochure attached to the application for your records.

If you have any questions, please call Student Insurance directly for assistance with this program. They may be reached at 1-800-367-5830.

Medication at School

If your child is required to take daily or occasional medication during school hours, state law requires a parent/guardian MUST complete a medical form signed by the doctor before the medication can be administered. ALL medication must be stored in the health office. The nurse and/or health aide will be on duty to administer first aid and medications.

Open House

Open House is scheduled in the spring. This is an opportunity for students to share with their parents some of the projects and other classroom activities they have worked on throughout the year.

Personal Items and Toys

Students may not use toys, pagers, cell phones, or other personal electronic equipment during school hours. If students need to call a parent during school hours, they may use a school phone. The school phone should not be used to schedule afterschool play dates. These dates should be arranged in advance.

Photographs

School photos are taken in the early fall, with finished photos coming home in early December. Class photos will be taken. Individual photos are optional. You will be notified beforehand of the various options for the purchase of prints. You are not required to purchase photographs.

Pick-up

All teachers walk with students who are being picked up at the playground to the dismissal area on the blacktop.
We ask that parents picking up students on the blacktop pass through the outside gate when it is opened at the designated time. Please do not come through the main doors before the bell rings.
Students who have not been picked up need to remain seated at their line. They may not play on the playground if they do not have a parent present.
We ask that parents pick up students at their classroom line and then move beyond the coned area with their children so that we can clearly see which students are waiting to be picked up.
If you are going to stay and have your child play on the playground, please be sure that you are supervising them at all times, as we do not provide playground supervision after school.
Students that have not been picked up by 3:00 will be brought to the office and will need to wait there until being checked out by their parents.

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PTA

The Solana Vista Parent Teacher Association is an association of parents and teachers dedicated to supporting the children and community of Solana Vista School. To reach these goals, Solana Vista PTA members volunteer many hours and raise funds to support classrooms, encourage communication, and develop community spirit. Please refer to our PTA webpage for additional details and information.

Report Cards

Report cards are issued three times a year for students in grades K-3. Report cards are reviewed with parents during the fall and spring parent-teacher conferences. A final report card is sent home with the students on the last day of school. The school will hold report cards if students have not paid for a lost book.

Requests for homework

Requests for homework should be called in on the Absence Line (858-794-3751) before 10:00 a.m., and can be picked up between 3:00 and 4:00 p.m. that day.

School Registration

We welcome all new families to Solana Vista School. Requirements for new students include:

Birth certificate or passport
Current immunization verification
Proof of residency

School Site Council

In the 1970's, the State of California passed a law that set up the School Improvement Program (SIP), which enabled schools to receive supplemental funding from the state. The new law also required that schools establish School Site Councils (SSC) in order to receive and spend the extra funding provided by SIP. The Solana Vista School Site Council is made up of 12 members - six parents, five teachers/staff, and the principal. The Site Council develops a coordinated budget, and develops the School Site Strategic Plan, including setting school goals and assessing program effectiveness. Meetings are held four times a year, starting at 3:05 p.m. The agenda is posted in the office window 72 hours prior to the meeting. All meetings are open to the public.

Sexual Harassment

The Solana Beach School District has adopted board policy and administrative regulation (BP/AR) 5145.7 containing rules and procedures for reporting sexual harassment. “The Board prohibits sexual harassment of students by other students, employees or other persons, at school or at school-sponsored or school-related activities. Prohibited sexual harassment includes, but is not limited to, unwelcome sexual advances, unwanted requests for sexual favors or other unwanted verbal, visual or physical conduct of sexual nature made against another person of the same or opposite gender, in the education setting.”

Skateboards/Scooters

Skateboards or scooters are NOT permitted on the school campus.

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Student Council

Learning the skills necessary for self-government is a major goal of public education. Student Council offers students opportunities to participate in and observe the election and governing process. Each classroom in grades 2-3 selects a student council representative each month to participate in a student council meeting.

Traffic and Safety Procedures

The safety of our students is something that we take very seriously. To ensure a safe and orderly drop off and pick up for all students, we ask that parents review and observe the following rules and procedures:

Drop-off should only occur in front of the playground area where our morning greeter is located. There is a sign down the street on Santa Victoria that states "Begin Passenger Unloading". However, for safety reasons, please only unload in the designated area in front of the playground.
Students may be dropped off between 8:10 and 8:30 each morning. There is no playground supervision prior to 8:10, so if you require an early drop-off, you will need to contact CDC.
Please pull forward as far as possible when dropping off and picking up. All parents need to remain in their vehicles.
When exiting the parking lot during drop off (8:00 to 8:45 am) and pick up (2:30 to 3:15 pm), you must turn right or go straight. There are no left or U turns permitted in this area.
Please do no park in or block any of the driveways of the homes in our neighborhood.
Be sure to use the marked crosswalks when crossing the parking lot, streets and driveway.
If your child needs to enter or exit on the left side of your car, please use street parking instead of drive-thru areas, in order to allow traffic to move freely and safely.
Students waiting on the playground for pick-up need to wait in line at their classroom numbers. Because we do not have after-school supervision, students are not allowed to play on the playground unless a parent accompanies them.
Please be sure to pick up your child by 3:00 PM, as supervision ends at this time. CDC is available for after-school childcare.
Please do not leave your car unattended in the red zones at any time. Your may be cited or towed if you park in these areas.
If you are in line in your car waiting for your child for 30 seconds or longer, please turn off your car engine. (This helps to keep our air cleaner and to use less gas).
Parents picking up students on the blacktop need to pass through the outside gate when it is opened at the designated time. Please do not come through the main doors before the bell rings.
If you pick up your child on the playground after school and stay to play, please move beyond the coned off area so that we can differentiate which children are waiting to be picked up.

Visitors to School

All persons visiting our campus must follow these rules:

They must first check in with the office and get a visitor’s badge which must be visibly worn.
Visitors may observe classroom instruction. However, they may not disrupt the learning process.
Visitors are asked to check back in with the office before leaving campus to sign out and return their badge.

Volunteers

Volunteers are asked to follow these procedures before reporting to a classroom to volunteer:

Sing-in in the Volunteer Book in the office.
Volunteers should be wearing a volunteer badge so they can be easily identified by all staff on campus.
Volunteers must have a signed "Not a Registered Sex Offender" affidavit and have a current negative TB test verification form on file with the office.

It is important for all volunteers to remember the following:

Respect confidentiality. Students and staff have a right to privacy.
When things come up and you can’t fulfill a promise, let someone know.
Be on time. If you can’t make it, let someone know.

We so appreciate all that you do for Solana Vista Elementary School. Tuberculin Tests Each volunteer working with children must have the report of a negative tuberculin test (injection) or X-ray on file in the health office. The tuberculin test and X-ray are good for four years.

Weekly Communication

The District Office administrators and school site principals are making every effort to reduce the volume of paper usage by providing the Weekly Communication documents electronically every Wednesday. Last year, each school began posting the contents of the "Wednesday Envelope" on the school web site.

To receive a reminder and other school communication via email, please take a moment to sign up for the school listserv at: http://www.sbsd.k12.ca.us/SV/communication. After subscribing, you will receive a confirming email, please follow the confirmation process. Thank you for helping us to use technology to enhance communication and contributing to our commitment to environmental awareness.

Wheel Day

Each grade level has a day each week where students attend their media center, computers, physical education, and music classes. This is an opportunity for the students to receive specialized instruction in these areas. A teacher with expertise in each area takes each class for a portion of the day. Specialized teachers also provide Science and art instruction to students. Your teacher will inform you of the designated times of this instruction.

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"... developing compassionate children who are
confident, competent and creative learners."