Louisa May Alcott
Family Handbook
2008-2009
Louisa May Alcott Elementary School
4213 228th Ave NE
Redmond, WA 98053
Phone: 425-868-1008
Fax: 425-836-8903
Safe Arrival Attendance Line: 425-868-8203
Welcome to Louisa May Alcott Elementary!
The purpose of this handbook is to present information to each student and family member of our Alcott Community. Our belief is that by following these procedures and policies, we will have a year of growth and success. It is our goal to continue working with you as parents and community members to help your children be successful and reach their highest potential.
District Vision
Every Student Future Ready: Prepared for college, for the global workplace and for personal success.
District Mission
Each student will graduate prepared to lead a rewarding, responsible life as a contributing member of our community and greater society.
School Vision
Success Every Day for Every Student
School Mission
At Alcott, every single child can learn; our decisions are based on our fundamental guiding premise that each day should be a successful learning experience for every student. As a community of learners (students, staff, parents, and community volunteers), we will work together to create and maximize opportunities for each and every child’s success.
School Rules
Lake Washington School District rules, policies, procedures and progressive discipline plans are detailed in this handbook to provide consistent cross district consistency and information for your review and reference. We simplify our Alcott Rules to help our young students to be successful and to understand the intent behind school rules:
1. Follow reasonable requests from supervising adults at Alcott
2. Treat yourself and others with respect
3. Act in a safe manner so no one will get hurt
4. Play by the rules and obey the laws of your community
It is important for children to know they can help their friends, our school, and our community when they are respectful, responsible and safe. Having conversations about these rules at home and in the classroom often prevents unnecessary problems, and it gives our children a sense that we all share common expectations. It is also important that we let them know that we are here together to support them if they do encounter a bump in the road. It is all part of the learning process!
Let’s work together to make it a GREAT school year!!
Sincerely,
Karen Mason
Alcott Principal
Links to:
Child Health and Safety
Daily Schedule
Lunch Program and Menu
Recess Rules - Kinders, 1st Grade, 2nd Grade, 3rd-6th Grades
School Supply Lists
Staff Directory
Student Registration
Student Rights and Responsibilites
Transportation
Visitors/Absence/Late Arrival/Early Dismissal
Visitors
Parents of Louisa May Alcott students are welcome and encouraged to volunteer at our school. For security reasons we do require that all school visitors must report to the school office, sign in, and wear a visitors badge while on the premises. Please remember to sign out and return your badge to the office when you leave.
Absence
If your child will be absent from school, a parent/guardian needs to call the school attendance recorder (868-8203) before 9:00 AM. The line is open 24 hours a day.
Late Arrival
It is important that students be on time. It can be disruptive to the educational process to have students arrive late. There are, however, instances when students will be excused upon arriving to school (i.e. a doctors or dentist appointment). If your child is going to be late to school, a parent or guardian needs to call the attendance recorder (868-8203) before 9:00 AM. When students arrive late (after 9:00 AM) an adult must accompany the student and check in immediately to the office for an admit slip.
Early Dismissal
We are aware that, on occasion, emergencies and appointments may require you to have your child dismissed before the end of school at 3:30 p.m. If your appointment is after 3:10 please write a note to your child’s teacher so the teacher will send them down to the office to wait for you. Due to an enormous number of classroom interruptions, we will not call the classrooms after 3:10 p.m. Parents must come into the office to sign their child out before early dismissal. Students cannot wait outside for parents to drive by, and parents may not go directly to the classroom. If someone other than a parent/guardian will be signing the child out of school, please send a signed authorization to the office that morning. We discourage signing out your child early on a regular basis because of the disruption in learning for both your child and their classroom. ONLY CALL SCHOOL WITH AFTERNOON CHANGES IF IT’S ESSENTIAL. PLEASE DO NOT CALL DAILY!
Student Dress
Parents should ensure that their children come to school dressed appropriately according to the day’s activities and the weather. If the student’s clothing does not reflect the guidelines, he/she will speak with the counselor or a building administrator. The parents will be notified and arrangements will be made to change the inappropriate clothing. Dressing appropriately keeps our students healthy and safe as well as develops habits and skills necessary for success in school and in the work place. The following clothing is not acceptable:
a.Short shorts/skirts (If the student’s shorts/skirt length is above the index finger when the arm is extended, the garment is too short.)
b.Exposed midriffs (Tube Tops and halter tops, as well as short T-shirts that expose the midriff when holding arms up)
c. Spaghetti strap tank tops or tank tops that hang below underarms
d.Underwear that is visible
e.Clothing that contains suggestive language regarding tobacco, drugs, alcohol, sexuality or violence
f. Hats/bandanas (May be worn before/after school and at recess
Inclement Weather
1. All children should wear coats, hats and other warm clothing to school during the cold and wet weather.
2. All children will be encouraged to go outside during recess.
3. During any weather, the office and classrooms will not be used to house students who are not feeling well. Sick students should be kept at home.
4. Absolutely no splashing, sliding or kicking of water and/or mud.
5. Students are to use common sense on the playground and remain dry. If a student returns to class soaking wet, their parents will be called.
Homework Policy
At Louisa May Alcott we believe homework reinforces and extends learning beyond the classroom. Homework also builds study skills and work habits –foundations for lifelong learning.
Homework Time Guidelines
The amount of homework varies from grade level to grade level and from day to day. It usually increases as a student progresses to higher grades. The following are general LWSD guidelines:
1st and 2nd grade – approximately 10-30 minutes each evening, Monday through Thursday.
3rd and 4th grade – approximately 30 – 45 minutes each evening, Monday through Thursday.
5th and 6th grade – approximately 45 – 60 minutes each evening, Monday through Thursday. This may include additional work on long range projects or extra reading.
No homework assignment? You many want to spend that homework time practicing spelling words, reviewing math facts, playing games, building, cooking, reading, and journal writing, or working on a project.
Vacation Homework Policy
Family vacations are special times, but we ask that you please consult the school calendar when making your vacation plans. Student achievement and classroom attendance are positively related. We cannot duplicate what happens in the classroom by only making up written work. Often written work is practice or an extension of what is taught and discussed during the lesson in class. Those assignments that can be completed outside the classroom environment will be accumulated and saved by the teacher for your students. The student will complete them upon their return, at home with parental assistance. Although every effort will be made to see that your child gains the needed learning, teachers are not required to assemble packets for such absences. If you need suggestions for activities your children can complete while on vacation a generic packet will be available in the front office.
Lost and Found
“Lost and Found” items are collected and placed in a prominent position at school. Please remind your child to check in the “Lost and Found” regularly when they misplace items. Please MARK ALL ARTICLES OF CLOTHING AND OTHER PERSONAL ITEMS WITH YOUR CHILD’S NAME. The school district, by law, cannot pay for lost, stolen or broken personal possessions of students, such at watches, coats, musical instruments, cell phones etc. All unclaimed clothing will be donated to a charity during winter break and at the end of the school year.
Conduct in School Assemblies
Assemblies are an important part of Alcott’s program. They may be educational or just entertaining, but will always help students learn the important skill being a good audience member. These are the rules for appropriate assembly conduct:
- Walk to the gym in a quiet and orderly class group.
- Wait for instructions about where to sit then sit all the way down.
- As soon as the person in charge of the assembly comes to the front, immediately become silent and attentive to the speaker.
- Be careful not to touch other students.
- Remain seated during the program.
- Applause is very important to the performers to show appreciation, but should be given at the proper time and in an appropriate manner. (Booing or whistling is rude and unacceptable)
- When the program is over all students remain seated until their class is dismissed and then leave quietly.
- Hats are not to be worn to assemblies.
General Playground Rules
Students will follow all directions given by playground supervisors and behave in a respectful manner towards PLAYGROUND SUPERVISORS and OTHER STUDENTS.
1. Reports should be made to the playground supervisors of unsafe behavior.
Obey directions given by all supervisors.
2. Stay within the playground boundaries and away from off limit areas. Play games only in approved and designated areas.
3. Follow game and equipment rules.
4. Use school equipment; do not bring toys/playground equipment (plastic bats, tennis/wiffle/baseballs) or electronic devises (walkmans, I-pods, cell phones, etc.) from home.
5. Stay away from fences, trees, and other structures not intended as playground equipment.
6. Respect another person’s space. Keep your hands and feet to yourself.
7. Be courteous and a Good Sport!
8. Speak respectfully to each other.
9. Stop playing immediately when the signal is given.
10. During inclement weather students are to avoid playing in/on wet and/or sloppy areas.
11. In heavy rain, coats with hoods are required if students are playing in open areas.
12. Umbrellas with safety tips only will be allowed on the playground.
13. Once a game has been established students must allow others to play.
14. Students are not to reenter the hallways or classrooms during recess without permission and a pass.
15. No trading cards at school or on the bus
School and District Events
For elementary evening events, students must be accompanied by an adult. All school conduct regulations remain in effect at school and district events, and apply to visitors at other schools. Students will be accountable at their home school for violations that occur at other district schools, or at school sponsored events.
Child Find
Child Find is a federal requirement for the purpose of locating, evaluating, and identifying student’s age birth to 21 years with a suspected disability who reside within the boundaries of the Lake Washington School district and are currently not receiving special education services. Child Find services are conducted throughout the year in the Lake Washington School District through the guidance team process. If you or your parents have concerns about your language/communication skills, motor skills, intellectual, social, emotional, and/or physical skills, please contact the school and ask for the special education teacher, school psychologist or other guidance team member. You may also call the Special Services main office at 425-702-3201 or Willows special Services at 425-882-8170 (birth through preschool) and request Child Find information
Family Rights and Privacy Act
The Lake Washington School district is required to protect families from unauthorized release of certain information about its students. However, directory information may be release without permission of parents unless parents register their objection prior to October 1.
Directory information is routinely used by the school district in news releases, school event programs, and student directories. Such information is also released for the purposes of providing educational, scholarship, vocational/occupational, and/or military information (or to the new media or law enforcement). This information will not be released for commercial purposes.
Lake Washington School District
“We believe that student development occurs best within an atmosphere of mutual respect, and therefore any behavior which undermines this respect, cannot be allowed. Teachers, administrators, and staff will not tolerate any behavior, which materially interferes with or is detrimental to the orderly operation of school, school-sponsored activities, or any other aspect of the educational process. Such acts shall be subject to discipline, including possible suspension and/or expulsion from school, and/or referral to law enforcement authorities.”
Background: A goal of Alcott Elementary is to provide a safe, caring and positive environment for ALL students. The full support of students, staff and parents must be guaranteed in order to achieve this mission.
We are, as a people, more alike than we are different. We are also a school that believes in and values diversity. WE know that a diverse school means people are different sizes, colors, cultures, religions, strengths and weaknesses. All children should have the right to feel safe and supported in our school community.
Policy: Unkind or unfeeling words and comments can cause serious hurt. Unkind remarks in any form, especially those that contain comments about a person’s looks, race, religion, culture, learning difference, manner of dress, or gender will not be tolerated. We have established a policy on diversity and kindness with which all students and staff must comply. This means “No Put-Downs.” If a student makes such a remark:
- Both the student making the remark, and the student to whom the remark was made, will immediately confer with a staff member.
- The student hurt by the remark will be counseled to help rebuild the self-esteem damaged by the remark.
- The student causing the problem will be counseled to increase awareness of their behavior and its consequences. They will apologize personally and in writing.
- Parents of all students involved will be contacted immediately, the matter discussed with them, and their support sought.
Teaching: Every-classroom teacher will teach lessons specifically dealing with this policy. Throughout the year, staff will be models of the behavior we desire.
Purpose: If we are to meet the needs of all students, we must teach them how to interact. We must provide an environment that is safe from both damaging comments and physical harm.
Parents: Please read and discuss this with your family. It is only with the support of families that we will achieve our goal of “Success Every Day for Every Student.”