Important Parent/Student Handbook Information

The information below was taken directly from our Parent/Student Handbook. Please take the time to read these policies, as they may be different from last year.

Early Release from School:

***Please be prepared to show your identification when checking your child out of school early. Students cannot be released without proper identification to ensure student safety. Student safety is our number one priority.

To maximize instructional time, please schedule appointments before and after school. However, if a student needs to leave school early, they must be checked out in the office by the parent or legal guardian no later than 1:30 PM. This policy helps minimize classroom disruptions and allows the office staff to effectively support end-of-day dismissal procedures.

Students must be signed out at the Attendance desk before departing early. Students will wait in the Office for their parent or legal guardian.

If you are aware that your student requires an early release from school, please contact the Attendance Hotline or Attendance Email at least 24 hours prior to the date of early release. For same day early release, please contact the Office directly at 858-748-8540 and speak with us live.

If your student will be returning to school after an early release, they are required to be signed back in at the Attendance Desk before returning to class.

NOTE: We are not able to guarantee last minute requests for early release. Your patience & understanding is appreciated.

Please make all same day early release requests prior to 10:00 a.m. When planning for an early release, please note your student’s schedule (PE, Art, Lunch, VAPA Day, etc.). Being proactive will allow us to work together to reduce delays in having your student ready for early release, and minimize interruptions to the classroom.

Regarding Lunch: Unexpected early release requests during lunch are typically delayed as it requires us to work with our Character Coaches to locate a student and the student will still need to retrieve their things before they can arrive in the Office for release. Our lunches take place between 10:50 a.m. - 1:10 p.m. on M, Tu, W and Friday. Thursday lunches take place between 10:10 and 12:20

***If you receive a call from our Health Office to pick your student up early due to illness or injury, your student will wait in the Health Office until you arrive to sign them out. Please notify the front desk when you arrive that you are picking up a student from the Health Office.

Events and Celebrations

BIRTHDAYS

Party Invitations: As a courtesy to all, birthday party invitations are not able to be distributed at school (unless the entire class is invited). Students planning to invite only a few classmates to any parties outside of the school day should distribute invitations outside of the school setting. Birthday functions are not allowed to begin on campus at the end of a school day.

Food: Due to allergies, sensitivities, cultural differences, and guideline restrictions students may not bring any edible birthday treats to share with the class. If you would like to provide birthday “treats” for the class, we encourage a small goodie like pencils, erasers, highlighters, school supplies, stickers, fidgets, or donate a book to the class. If you need ideas or have a question, please contact your classroom teacher.

Balloons: Balloons are not allowed on campus, and we are not able to hold them in the office. Please save balloon surprises for after school.

CLASS CELEBRATIONS

Special classroom celebrations will be decided on by the classroom teacher (i.e. Halloween, Winter Party, Valentine’s, etc.) and may involve food from a teacher-approved list. There are specific guidelines around what kinds of foods are allowed. Ask your child’s teacher about restrictions and alternate solutions.

FOOD AT SCHOOLS GUIDANCE

Clarification has been provided to all elementary schools regarding food provided to students at school for events like class parties and class activities. The following information comes from PUSD BP 5030 and AR 5030 (Student Wellness).

All foods and beverages sold, served, or given to students on school grounds between midnight and 30 minutes after school ends, shall comply with federal, state, and District nutrition standards. This includes but is not limited to fundraisers, student stores, vending machines, classroom celebrations, and all other foods and beverages provided to students at school.

Nutrition Standards for Foods and Beverages: The District shall utilize the most current federal, state,and local statutes and regulations for its nutrition standards, and shall apply those standards to all foods and beverages sold, served, or given to students at school. In addition, the following restrictions apply:

Coffee and tea may not be served or sold to students on campus during the school day.
Beverages containing herbal supplements or non-FDA approved additives may not be served or sold to students. This includes energy drinks such as those containing gingko biloba, ephedra, ginseng, guarana, ma huang, etc.
With the exception of foods and beverages provided by the Food & Nutrition Department (F&ND), foods and beverages that do not have ingredients and nutrition facts shown on the package label may not be served or sold to students.
Foods or beverages in glass containers may not be served or sold on school premises.

So, simply translated, when organizing a class party or event during the school day that involves food or beverage provided to students, we will need to work with our Food and Nutrition Department to order and supply edible items. Store purchased pizza, for example, will not likely comply with school nutrition standards (whole grain, low fat, low sodium). The good news? With our reimbursable lunch program, room parents and classrooms can coordinate with the Food and Nutrition Department to host a pizza party for lunch, free of charge to the classroom. F&ND will provide large pizzas in traditional boxes for serving, fruits and vegetables (like a salad bar), low fat milk, fat free chocolate milk, and serve lunch in the classroom (advanced scheduling required)! Similarly, fat free chocolate milk can be warmed to mirror hot chocolate, and frozen treats can be ordered through F&ND to be shared with students.

Families are always able to provide foods and snacks for their own children to enjoy at school. This information only pertains to instances where foods and beverages are being provided to more than just their own children.

If you are planning an event and unsure how this pertains to your planning, please reach out to Dr. Ramsinghani!