Eugene Padan Elementary School

PADAN ELEMENTARY PARENT HANDBOOK 2022-2023

Padan Elementary Parent Handbook

At Padan, we are embracing an exciting school culture. The idea is to grow great leaders. The students will practice the 7 Habits of Happy Kids and take ownership of their classroom responsibilities to display their leadership qualities. Please read through this handbook to review the routines, schedules, and procedures of Padan School. Throughout the year you may find this a useful resource. If you have any questions, please contact our office at 707-453-6235.

Adult Supervision on the playground begins daily at 8:00 AM. Students should not arrive earlier than this time unless they are having breakfast. Breakfast begins at 7:45 AM after which students will be dismissed to the playground at 8:00 AM. No morning supervision is provided on the playground until 8:00 AM. No after school supervision is provided. Padan Park is unsupervised as well. Students should go directly home after school unless supervised by a parent or guardian or enrolled in the after school program.

General Information / Policies

Attendance

Regular attendance is important and required by law. Effective learning requires a planned sequence of instruction and frequent or daily reinforcement. Please avoid scheduling vacations and appointments during regular school days. If such absences are unavoidable, contact the teacher well in advance so homework or independent study may be provided during the absence. (Independent study contracts may be written only for absences of five or more consecutive days per state law, see page 5) Please report any absence due to a communicable or in infectious disease to the school office immediately.

Steps to Follow if Absent

A parent or guardian may phone the school to report an absence or send a note with the student when they return to school. Within 72 hours of returning to school the absence should be cleared. Our office staff follows up with monthly attendance letters informing parents of truancies or tardies.

Notes need to have the following information:

*Name of student	*Date of absence
*Reason for absence	*Signature of Parent or Guardian

The student should ask the teacher for make-up assignments. Assignments not made up may be reflected in the student's grades. According to District Policy, students are allowed 1 day for make ups for each day of absence.

An excused absence per State Ed Code:

*Student illness	*Medical or dental appointment
*Funeral	* Judicial Appointment

If there is no phone call or note returned within 72 hours, the student may be marked truant.

** At Padan, in order to receive Perfect Attenance students must be present every day, have no tardies, and may not go home early for any reason.

Campus Supervision

Our campus is supervised for the safety of everyone. Adults (non-staff) without visitor passes will be stopped and directed to the office to sign in. Supervisors are on patrol during the day and can be easily identified by brightly colored vests. Following the directions of the supervisors and staff ensures that everyone is provided a safe and secure environment in which to learn. Playground supervision begins at 8:00 AM. Students arriving early for our breakfast program may enter the cafeteria at 7:45 AM.

Cell Phones

Cell phones are recognized as a safety precaution for parents and children before and after school. Cell phones and other personal electronic items may not disrupt the educational program or school activities. During the school day, bell to bell, all cell phones must be turned off and out of site. Students should check with his/her teacher to use the phone in the classroom during the school day. If a school employee finds it necessary to confiscate an electronic device, the item will be secured and recorded in the Confiscated Item Log in the office. The first time, the phone will be returned to the student after school. For all subsequent confiscations, the phone will be held in the office until an adult is available to pick it up in the office.

Class Assignment

Should you feel your child's classroom placement is of concern please adhere to AR 6152 procedures:

• Meet with teacher to identify problem in writing and seek solutions.
• Develop a plan and implement with agreed upon modifications.
• After 2 weeks, if consensus cannot be reached, Administration may approve a class placement change.

Conferences

Parent-Teacher conferences are scheduled at the end of the first trimester and are optional the second trimester. We encourage you to maintain contact through email or regular communication with your child's teacher. Sharing information helps the teacher make informed decisions as to how best to help your child. Knowing the classroom routines makes students more successful in class. You may request additional conferences at any time.

Discipline and Confidentiality

Discipline is based on a progressive model; however every situation presents its own unique set of circumstances. Please remember that confidentiality is important and that we are not at liberty to discuss other student's consequences even when involved in the same incident. It is our goal to ensure that all staff and students at Padan feel safe and are treated respectfully.

Dress Code

Students are expected to dress neatly and appropriately for all

school activities. As outlined in District Policy 5470 (appendix F)

1. Students are not allowed to wear anything that advertises alcohol, tobacco, or drugs.
2. Make-up, short shorts, halters, backless, and tube tops are not allowed. Spaghetti straps or mesh shirts must be worn only with a t-shirt underneath. Tank tops must be at least 2 inches wide. Shirts must cover the waistline: no skin showing. Undergarments must not be visible.
3. Pants may not be worn low off the hips. (no sagging)
4. Closed-toe shoes with low heels must be worn at all times. Sandals without backs, flip-flops and Heelys are not safe for elementary school activities and should not be worn to school.
5. Hats and sweatshirt hoods may be worn outside only. Hats are NOT allowed in classrooms, the office, cafeteria or library. Brims must be worn straightforward and should shade the face for UV protection.
6. Hoods, bandanas, hair nets, scarves, and headbands are not to be worn on campus except for religious purposes.
7. Hats worn improperly or any headwear that does not conform to these standards will be confiscated. Stocking caps will only be allowed during severe winter temperatures.

Emergency Disaster Drills

Throughout the year, Vacaville Unified School District will be conducting emergency disaster drills. These drills could be lockdown drills, fire, earthquake or any other emergency disaster drills. If you need to pick up your student while Padan is conducting a natural disaster drill, please wait for the drill to end. No one will be allowed admittance in the event of a lock down drill. In the event of a true emergency you will be notified as quickly as the situation allows.

Field Trips

All students will be given the opportunity to participate in grade level field trips unless permission is denied by a parent or other circumstances prevent the student from attending. Occasionally grade levels may ask parents for a donation to help offset costs, however no student will ever be denied to attend the field trip due to the inability to donate money. Field trips are an optional activity intended to enrich the curriculum. At any given time, should the cost of the field trip surpass the school's ability to pay for it the field trip will be cancelled.

Field Trip Procedures

1. Permission slips must be signed and returned to school prior to the day of the field trip. Phone permission is not allowed on the day of the field trip.
2. Chaperones must complete a "Volunteer Form" and be finger printed. Finger prints must clear before the day of the field trip in order to chaperone students.
3. Chaperones are to ride on the bus with the students unless there is not enough room on the bus. If chaperones are needed to transport students other than their own child, it is necessary to complete "Proof of Insurance" forms prior to the day of the field trip.
4. Field trips have an educational purpose. Siblings are not allowed to attend class field trips.
5. Due to space constraints on the bus or destination there may be a limit on the number of adults who may attend.

First Aide

The school is equipped to provide basic emergency first aid. Children who become sick or injured will be sent to the nurse's office and may need to be picked up. Please make sure to have listed emergency contacts available to pick up your child if we are unable to contact you.

Health and Safety

Change of Address, Telephone Number, Email, Doctor and Emergency Contacts:

Please notify the office whenever there is any change in your address, home or work telephone numbers, cell phones, email and/or other contact information. It is very important to have accurate information if an emergency should arise and it becomes necessary to contact you quickly. In the event of an emergency, your child will only be released to people listed on the emergency card.

Independent Study

If you find that you must take your child out of school and will be gone for 5 or more days, you may complete an Independent Study Contract. Please see the front office for current restrictions and procedures.

Interruption of Classroom

To keep the classroom interruptions to a minimum please follow these requests:

1. Make after-school arrangements before students come to school.
2. Write your child's teacher a note regarding early dismissals. This allows teachers time to get homework together.
3. Call with messages for your student prior to lunch time; notes will be placed in teacher's boxes by lunch time to be given to your student.
4. Leave items (homework, folders, lunches, instruments, etc.) in the front office. Students may check in the office at recess/lunch time.

Lost and Found

Please put your child's name on all articles of clothing or personal possessions that are brought to school. Please check the Lost and Found often in MPR. Items that are not labeled or claimed are donated to a charitable organization each month.

Lunch

The Vacaville Unified School District participates in the National School Lunch and Breakfast Programs. We serve meals that meet or exceed the nutritional requirements set by the US Department of Agriculture and are audited by our state's Department of Education Nutrition Services Division. These meals are available to all children who attend our schools, regardless of the income level of the family, but to become eligible for free or reduced-price meals, please follow these guidelines:

1. A new application MUST be completed each school year.
2. There is a 30 day grace period at the beginning of the school year for those students who received free or reduced-price meals in our district the previous year.
3. You will receive written notification from the Child Nutrition Department letting you know if your child will be receiving free or reduced lunch.
4. Students may bring a lunch from home or purchase a lunch from the cafeteria. We encourage you to pay for school lunches on a weekly or monthly basis. Send a check to school and the cafeteria will keep track of the breakfasts/lunches purchased. A menu is sent home monthly

*Please encourage your students to not trade or share food at school due to health reasons.

Medications at School

We follow the procedures as mandated by the State of California. Students required to take medication prescribed by a physician, or who may occasionally need to take 'over the counter' medication, need to have a written physician's statement and a parent authorization on file in the health office. All medicines (prescription and over the counter meds such as Tylenol, cough drops, throat lozenges, etc.) MUST have a written okay from the doctor and be transported to and from school by parents. Students are not allowed any medication in their backpacks at school. All medicines are to be kept in the health office and school personnel will assist in the administration. Medication must be in the original container. You can obtain a medication authorization form in the school office.

Parking Lot

Our parking lot is open for drop off and supervisors are on duty to help with traffic flow and the safety of our children. PLEASE make sure you move slowly (5mph) while in our parking lot and follow the directions of our staff. Remember our primary concern is the safety of our students, families and staff. Please adhere to the traffic signs posted at our entrance and exit. Vacaville Police Department regularly patrols and tickets for violations.

Pets

Only service animals are allowed on campus. No other animals or pets should be brought on campus unless special arrangements are made with the teacher and principal for sharing pets during a designated time.

Permission to Leave School

If your child needs to leave school during the day for an appointment or other reason, a written request should be given to the teacher and an authorized adult must sign the student out in the office. We will call a student out of class when an authorized adult with photo identification is in the office to sign them out. Students will only be released to people authorized on the emergency card.

Personal Items

Bringing personal items such as toys, PE equipment, games and iPods are not allowed at school unless specifically requested by classroom teachers for a special event. Padan Elementary assumes no responsibility or liability for these items and may not spend time investigating if these items are lost or reported stolen. The school and VUSD do not accept responsibility for any loss or damage to any electronic equipment or signaling device, including cell phones, that students bring to school.

Padan Booster Club: Padan's Parent/ Teacher Club

Our Booster Club is a volunteer child advocacy organization. Padan School Boosters is a not-for-profit association of parents, educators, students, and other citizens active in our school and community. The Padan School Boosters are very active and sponsors many events and projects throughout the year. Please see the monthly newsletter and Booster flyers for upcoming events.

Reporting Concerns Regarding School Staff

We encourage parents to maintain an open dialogue with school staff and administration. If a concern arises which involves a staff member please follow the listed procedure:

1. Contact staff member by email, phone, or in person to discuss concerns and work on resolution
2. If unresolved please request a meeting with the staff member and their supervisor, this may be scheduled in our front office.
3. If no resolution is reached as outlined in AR 1312.3(a) An individual may then file a written complaint to the District Office. (see Uniform Complaint Procedure available at www.vacavilleusd.org)

School Snacks

Padan is proud to be participating in the VUSD Wellness Policy Program. Please help your child select only healthy snacks for school. To celebrate special occasions and birthdays, families are encouraged to bring healthy snacks and drinks or inexpensive party favors for their child's classmates.

Skateboards, Bikes, Roller Blades, and Scooters

Bikes, skateboards, roller blades and scooters may be used as a mode of transportation to and from school. They may NOT be ridden on campus as this creates a safety issue. Students should be sure to lock these in the bike rack. The school is not responsible for damage or theft to personal property. Please obey all safety laws and make sure to wear a helmet.

Social Media / Peer Conflict

Parents are highly encouraged to monitor their child's activity on social media sites (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter…). Misuse or inappropriate postings which cause a school disruption can result in disciplinary action. Misunderstandings and disagreements are a part of human relationships in any setting. How students learn to handle these situations when they develop has an impact on the school environment and their academic achievement. Padan Elementary does not condone spreading or listening to gossip, name-calling, confronting in public, making defensive or bragging statements regarding physical toughness, questioning others about their willingness to fight or resulting to actual physical violence. Students who become aware of a personal misunderstanding or disagreement with another student are directed to inform a staff member or complete an incident report immediately.

Special Deliveries to Students

When parents or family members wish to recognize students with balloons, flowers etc., we ask that you bring the item to the office. The student will be notified about the delivery and will be able to pick up the delivery at the end of the day. Padan does not discourage these recognitions; however such items can be distracting to other students and interrupts the learning environment.

Student Birthdays

Parents who wish to celebrate their child's birthday at school should plan to bring healthy treats. We suggest fruit, yogurt, vegetables, or any type of healthy snacks. Another idea is to purchase a book for the school library in your child's name. Birthday invitations are not to be passed out in the classroom. Parents may pass them out after school. Although tempting, cupcakes or cookies are not a healthy choice and should not be brought to the classroom.

Teacher Requests

It is not our policy to accept classroom teacher requests. Parents are welcome to write a request with justification for the request. Administration will review these and determine if the request is educationally warranted. A written request does not guarantee a change in placement.

Textbooks

All basic textbooks are loaned to students for their use during the school year. Textbooks should be kept clean and handled carefully. Parents will be required to pay for lost or damaged books. Final report cards will be held until book loss or damage fees have been paid.

Visitors and Volunteers

Safety is very important to Padan and VUSD. According to AR 1250 (a); Ed Code 32211; and Penal Code 627.6 visitors must register at the office upon arrival, visibly wear a visitor's badge and shall state their purpose for being on campus. All visitors may be asked to provide identification before being allowed on campus. The principal or designee may refuse to register any visitor if he/she reasonably concludes that the individual's presence or acts would disrupt the school, students, or employees.

Website

Be sure to visit our school website at www.padan.schoolloop.com and keep current on everything Padan.

The Leader In Me

Our Journey to make Padan a Leadership School began in 2013.

All students will learn and live the 7 Habits of Highly Effective Students

The Leader in Me is a whole-school transformation model that acts like the operating system of a computer - it improves performance of all other programs. Based on The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People®, The Leader in Me produces transformational results such as higher academic achievement, fewer discipline problems, and increased engagement among teachers and parents. Better yet, The Leader in Me equips students with the self-confidence and skills they need to thrive in the 21st century economy.

visit http://www.theleaderinme.org/ and click on the parent link.

Habit 1 - Be Proactive- You're in Charge

I am a responsible person. I take initiative. I choose my actions, attitudes, and moods. I do not blame others for my wrong actions. I do the right thing without being asked, even when no one is looking.

Habit 2 - Begin with the End in Mind-Have a Plan

I plan ahead and set goals. I do things that have meaning and make a difference. I am an important part of my classroom and contribute to my school's mission and vision. I look for ways to be a good citizen.

Habit 3 - Put First Things First- Work First, Then Play

I spend my time on things that are most important. This means I say no to things I know I should not do. I set priorities, make a schedule, and follow my plan. I am disciplined and organized

Habit 4 - Think WIN-WIN- Everyone can win

I balance courage for getting what I want with consideration for what others want. I make deposits in others' Emotional Bank Accounts. When conflicts arise, I look for third alternatives.

Habit 5 - Seek First to Understand then to be Understood -Listen before you talk

I listen to other people's ideas and feelings. I try to see things from their viewpoints. I listen to others without interrupting. I am confident in voicing my ideas. I look people in the eyes when talking.

Habit 6 - Synergize- Together is Better

I value other people's strengths and learn from them. I get along well with others, even people who are different than me. I work well in groups. I seek out other people's ideas to solve problems because I know that by teaming with others we can create better solutions than anyone of us can alone. I am humble.

Habit 7 - Sharpen the Saw- Balance Feels Best

I take care of my body by eating right, exercising and getting sleep. I spend time with family and friends. I learn in lots of ways and lots of places, not just at school. I find meaningful ways to help others.