Attendance

Regular and prompt attendance is very important to student progress and success. When a student is absent, a written note explaining any absence in required upon the child's return to school. A telephone call on the morning of the absence is appreciated, and replaces a written note.

All absences must be approved by a parent/guardian. An absence is considered unexcused until the child's parent/guardian has called the school or sent a note. The school is legally required to conference with the parent/guardian after two unexcused absences and to file a court petition after ten unexcused absences. Multiple unexcused absences may also force the school to file a court petition. An attendance letter will be sent once a trimester to students with 10% or more days absent.

Students who have been absent have the right to make up the assigned work they missed during their absence. It is the responsibility  of the student to obtain the work from the teacher. Failure to make up missed assignments may affect a student's grade and progress.

When to Keep Your Child Home from School

If your child has pinkeye or conjunctivitis, he or she should stay home. (The eye would have a "bloodshot" appearance, often accompanied by itching and watering, and may be "crusty" in the morning."

If your child has head lice, he or she must stay home until treated with special shampoo and until he/she is nit free. Please call the office so that your child's classmates may also be checked. Your phone call will be kept confidential.

Also, if your child has a serious viral infection or a temperature over 100 degrees, they should stay home. Students should not return to school until they have been free of fever for 24 hours.

Morning Arrival

School begins at 9:00 a.m. Students are not to arrive at school prior to 8:40 a.m.

Early Dismissal

If you need to pick up your child before the regular dismissal time please come to the school office to sign your child out. We will call your child from class.

Tardy Policy

It is extremely important that students arrive to school on time. Promptness demonstrates responsibility and consideration for others. If a student is late, he/she must come to the office for a late pass upon arrival in order to be admitted to class. If a student is more than one hour late or is dismissed more than one hour early, he/she will be counted as a half day absent. Chronic tardiness may result in a call to the parents, possible parent conference, and development of a plan for improved attendance.

Closed Campus

Once students arrive at school in the morning, they may not leave the school grounds without permission. The school campus is closed to students who do not attend Snoqualmie Elementary School.

Inclement Weather

Inclement weather, such as snow, ice, and flooding can alter the school schedule. In the case of inclement weather, please listen to All Points Cable Channel 14, or area radio stations for information regarding school closures or schedule adjustments.

Clothing

Students should label all coats, hats, boots, gym shoes, gloves, and any other clothing with their name. Any lost articles should be checked for in the lost-and-found box.

Students are expected to dress appropriately for school. During warm weather Bermuda length pants are appropriate. Please no short shorts, crop tops, or flip-flops. Tank tops may be work as long as the straps are two fingers wide. Shorts may be worn if they are below the fingertips, when arms are at your sides. No clothing with alcohol, tobacco, sexual, or drug related messages is allowed.

Students are asked not to wear hats/caps in the school or classrooms. Students may wear them on the playground.

Students are asked not to wear or bring any attire or accessories that cause a distraction or disruption at school.

Students are outside for recess except in severe weather, so it is important that they are dressed accordingly.

Homework Policy

Homework is an integral and important component in each child's education. It provides additional practice, extends and reinforces classroom instruction, and provides information to parents about what the child is learning. Our nightly homework expectations for each grade are below.

Kindergarten:

15 minutes of reading - 5 minutes of math fact practice - intermittent homework activities

First Grade:

15 minutes of reading - 5 minutes of math fact practice - 10 minutes of other assigned

Second Grade:

15 minutes of reading - 5 minutes of math fact practice - 10 to 15 minutes of other assigned

Third Grade:

20 minutes of reading - 5 minutes of math fact practice - 15 to 20 minutes of other assigned

Fourth and Fifth Grade:

20 minutes of reading - 5 minutes of math fact practice - 20 minutes of other assigned

Health Issues

Accidents 

If you are injured at school, report it to a staff member or the office immediately. In case of an injury or emergency, it is important that phone numbers and emergency information are up to date. Please inform the office of any changes as soon as possible.

Immunization

Washington State Immunization Law (RCW 28A.210) requires parents to give schools a Certificate of Immunization Status before a child can attend school. Children entering elementary school are required to have had the following immunizations: DTP, Polio, Measles, Mumps, and Rubella. In addition, as of September 1997, all children entering preschool and kindergarten are required to have the Hepatitis B vaccination. Parents may opt out of the vaccine requirements through the medical or personal exemption form. However, if there is a communicable disease outbreak, non-immunized students may be subject to temporary exclusion from school.

Health Room

When a child is ill, he/she will be held in the health room or office until a parent or emergency contact person can pick up the child.

The district nurse for our school is Carol Gunning. Kathy Cruz is the nurse's assistant. Carol Gunning is on call for emergencies and is available, by appointment, to discuss health problems with students.

Medication at School

If a student must take medication at school, either prescription or over the counter, the medication must be kept and administered through the office. According to Washington State Law and district policy, we CANNOT dispense any medication at school without a completed "Physician Order for Medication at School" form.

All medications must be labeled by the pharmacy and must be in their original container. The prescription label and the physician's orders must match. Please do not send medications, either over the counter or prescription, to school with your child to take on his or her own. Medication forms are available in the school office. If you have questions, please call the school.

Library/Media

Internet

Students at Snoqualmie Elementary have the opportunity to access the internet. Before a student is allowed to access the internet, the student and parents must read and sign the Snoqualmie Valley School District Internet Use Agreement. This agreement remains valid throughout the student's enrollment at SES.

Library/Media Center

Snoqualmie Elementary library has books, resources, and technology to assist teachers and students to enhance learning. It is a place for students to read, research, and study.

Checkout: Books in the general collection may be checked out for one week, and may be renewed if necessary. Kindergarten and first grade students may check out one book at a time. Second through fifth grade students may check out two books at a time. Students are responsible for all books checks out in their name. Students with overdue books may not check out other books until overdue books are returned. The librarian and/or the teacher will notify students of any overdue books. The library is also open to parents for book checkout.

Special Services

The Snoqualmie Valley School District offers a full range of services for students who have special needs.

Counseling Snoqualmie Elementary School has a counselor who provides support to students.

Highly Capable (High-C) Students Students who qualify receive enrichment services weekly.

Title I  Remedial reading services are available for qualified students.

Transitional Bilingual Services (TBL)  English as a second language services are available for students recently moving to the United States who don't speak English or who speak limited English.

Special Education Services

Occupational Therapy Services: Qualified students receive services to address gross and fine motor needs.

Preschool: Special Education Preschool is offered for qualified children ages 3 through 5.

Kindergarten Extended Day Program: This program is designed to minimize pull-out of the regular classroom for Special Education services. Qualified students receive speech therapy, occupational therapy, and pre-teaching of Kindergaren academic skills.

Psychologist: A district psychologist provides Special Education assessment and other services for referred students.

Resource Room: Special Education teachers and para-educators provide Resource Room services to identified Kindergarten through 5th grade students in the areas of Reading, Math, and Written Language.

Speech and Language Services: Our Speech Language Pathologists (SLP) serve identified students with communication disorders, language, speech and/or hearing impairments.

Teacher Contact

Parents are encouraged to communicate regularly with their child's classroom teacher.

Teachers can be reached outside of their class time., from 8:25am to 9:00am and 3:25pm to 3:55pm. Messages can be left on a teacher's voice mail at any time. Also teachers are available via e-mail.

Student Records and Report Cards

Reporting Student Progress

Report Cards are issued three times during the year, at the end of each trimester, to inform parents and students of each student's progress. In addition to the report cards, teachers may send progress reports home during the trimester.

Review of Records

Under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), parents have certain rights regarding their student's educational records.

1. Parents have the right to inspect and review their student's education records. Parents should submit a written request to the principal. The principal will make arrangements for access and notify the parent of the time and place where the records may be inspected. According to state law, a response must be made within five business days.

2. Parents have the right to request the amendment of the student's education records that the parent believes are inaccurate or misleading. Parents may ask the Snoqualmie Valley School District to amend the record by writing a request to the principal specifying the part of the record they want changed and why it is inaccurate or misleading. If the district decides not to amend the record, they will notify the parent of the decision and advise them of their right to a hearing.

3. Parents have the right to consent to disclosure of personally identifiable information contained in their student's education records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent. Exceptions include school officials who have legitimat educational interests.

4. Parents have the right to file a complaint with the US Department of Education concerning alleged failures by the District to comply with requirements of FERPA:

Family Policy Compliance Office

US Department of Education

600 Independence Avenue SW

Washington, DC   20202-4605

Other

Transportation

Students are to ride their assigned bus. Bus changes will be allowed for emergency purposes only. Prior parent permission and a bus pass from the office are necessary.

For the safety of all our students, parents who pick up their children after school are asked to meet them at the flagpole. Please do not wait at the classroom door.

Lost and Found

Please be sure all clothing items are marked with the student's name. If students find items on the school grounds, please turn them into lost and found. All unclaimed items will be donated to charity in January and in June.

Parent Volunteers and Visitors

Parents are encouraged to volunteer at Snoqualmie Elementary School. Each time parents volunteer, they must sign in at the office. They will be given a volunteer badge to wear while they are in the building.

For safety and instructional purposes, siblings of students are not allowed in the classrooms, workroom, or on field trips while the parents are volunteering.

Parents and siblings attending school assemblies will be asked to sit at the rear or side to minimize distractions to our students.

Parents bringing items to school during the school day (band instruments, homework, lunches, classroom treats, ect.) are asked to check in with the office upon arrival. Please do not go directly to the classroom.

Personal Items

Students are asked not to bring toys, radios, tape recorders, CD players, Pokemon cards, skateboards or any other valuable items to school. Students are asked not to bring any items to school that might cause a disruption or distraction. Students need to get their teacher's permission before bringing items for "sharing."

Any personal items that cause a disruption or distraction at school or on the bus will be confiscated.

Pets

Due to concern for possible injuries to the students, we request that dogs and other pets be kept away from the school grounds.

PTSA

We encourage every parent to join the PTSA. The PTSA officers will be sending meeting and activity notices to all parents during the year. Meeting dates are also on the district calendar. PTSA enrollment forms are available at the office and online