Welcome to Madrone Elementary School
Home of the Mustangs
The Rincon Valley Union School District pursues excellence in education within a challenging curriculum by providing an academic foundation, which emphasizes the mastery of basic skills, and by promoting the development of positive character traits, which enable students to make responsible decisions.
Madrone School Mission Statement
The mission of Madrone Elementary School is to help students acquire the knowledge, skills, patience, and attitudes necessary to become happy, healthy, well adjusted, productive adults and responsible citizens; to help students become enthusiastic, lifelong learners who are able to manage change; and to help students to have a positive impact on their families, their communities, their country, and their world.
MADRONE SCHOOL PLEDGE
As a member of our Madrone School Community, I pledge:
To respect myself by making good choices,
To respect my classmates by treating them kindly,
And to take responsibility for all my actions
.
Our principal, Rene Molina, and office manager, Beth Ackerman, will be happy to answer your questions about Madrone. The school office works hard to accommodate the needs of children, staff and parents. Please check into the office before visiting the classrooms or instructional areas. A visitor’s pass is required when on campus. The office is open from 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. The Madrone office phone number is 539-9665.
MADRONE SCHOOL RULES
1. Be Safe
2. Be Respectful
3. Be Responsible
4. Be Kind
DISCIPLINE POLICY
The primary objective of the school discipline policy is to minimize disruptions in order to establish a safe, orderly environment in which all students can receive maximum benefit from the total school program and develop to their fullest individual potential academically, emotionally and socially. The following resources are used to establish the expectations for students’ behavior.
§ Rincon Valley USD Code of Behavior (See first day packet from district)
§ Madrone School Rules, Common Area Procedures and Leveled Behavior Chart (See back of parent handbook)
§ Teachers’ classroom rules
§ The California Education Code
The teacher talking to a child resolves most of the student discipline issues. However, occasionally it is necessary for the principal to counsel a student. Parents may be contacted and, if necessary, a parent conference will be scheduled and/or a student behavior contract written. On rare occasions it is necessary to suspend or in extreme cases expel a student from school. California Education Code provides the following reasons for a student to be suspended.
§ Fighting
§ Battery
§ Possession of a weapon (gun, knife, explosive, dangerous object)
§ Possession, using, furnishing alcohol/ intoxicant/controlled or look alike substance
§ Robbery/extortion
§ Damage to school/private property
§ Stealing or attempting to steal school/private property
§ Use/possession of tobacco
§ Obscenity or habitual profanity
§ Possession of unlawful drug paraphernalia
§ Disruption of school activity/defiance of valid school authority
§ Receiving stolen property
§ Possession of imitation firearm
§ Sexual assault/battery
§ Harassed, threatened, or intimidated a witness in school discipline matter
§ Sexual harassment (grades 4-6)
§ Attempted, threatened, caused hate violence (grades 4-6)
§ Engaging in harassment threats or intimidation (grade 4-6)
§ Making a terrorist threat
Positive behavior is recognized through classroom and school-wide awards, certificates, and participation in special privileges.
DRESS CODE
Students need to be dressed in a manner that is safe, healthy, and respectful towards others. The district expects students to wear clothing that is appropriate to a learning environment and expects clothing will be neat, tidy and worn properly. Hats and visors may not be worn indoors or worn backwards. Clothing which has printed messages of a profane nature, is gang related or has messages related to substance abuse, alcohol, tobacco, and/or of a sexual nature is offensive and is not acceptable. Logos should be respectful of appropriate school values. Student dress that distracts from the learning environment is not acceptable. Tops must cover the midriff and not reveal undergarments. Spaghetti straps, tube tops, crop tops and backless tops need to be covered by a shirt or sweater. Footwear should be of a type that can be worn safely on the playground and during physical education. Shoes and sandals must have a back or a strap to securely hold the foot in the shoe. Hair should not be worn or colored in a way that is distracting to the instructional mission of the school or is symbolic of gang membership. Make-up is not appropriate at the elementary school level and is discouraged.
VALUABLES
The school is not responsible for personal items that are brought to school. Electronic equipment like IPODS, radios, cameras, CD players, and small videogame counsels are not permitted at school. Although some parents insist that their child have a cell phone accessible, cell phones are not to be used during school hours. Cell phones that are used during school hours will be confiscated and held in the office for a parent to pick up. Playground balls may be brought to school if they are labeled with the student’s name.
Kindergarten:
8:10 – 9:30 Class
9:30 – 9:50 Recess
9:50 – 11:15 Class
11:10 – 12:00 Lunch
12:00 – 1:15 Class
1:15 – 1:30 Recess
1:35 – 2:35 Class
Grades 1 – 3 Grades 4 – 6
8:10 – 9:30 Class 8:10 – 9:55 Class
9:30 – 9:50 Recess 9:55– 10:10 Recess
9:50 – 11:30 Class 10:10 – 12:00 Class
11:30 – 12:20 Lunch 12:00 – 12:45 Lunch
12:20 – 1:15 Class 12:45 – 1:35 Class
1:15 – 1:30 Recess 1:35 – 1:45 Recess
1:30 – 2:35 Class 1:45 – 2:35 Class
Every Wednesday we have early dismissal for all grades at 1:35 p.m.
***Also, parent/teacher conference days and the last day of school
have early dismissal.
Consistent school attendance is essential for your child’s success in school. You play the vital role of getting your child to school each day. It is difficult for students and teachers to make up for days absent. When lessons are missed, learning opportunities are lost. Generally, illness should be the only reason a child is not in school. Should your child be absent, please contact the school office at 539-9665 by 9:00 a.m. Habitual non-excused absences will be referred to a School Attendance Review Board as a truancy.
We greatly appreciate it when parents encourage their children to complete school work when they are absent from school. This helps students keep up with their lessons and not fall behind. Remember that not all of the work that will be done in the classroom on a given day will be able to be sent home. Please follow the guidelines below when requesting, picking up and returning work.
· If a child is sick, please leave a message in the office in the morning that you would like to pick up work for your child for work missed during their absence. The teacher will prepare the work and it will be available for pick up at the end of the school day.
· Please make sure that all work sent home is returned to school when your child returns, even if it may not be completed. The materials may be needed in class for the next lesson.
An independent study student contract can be arranged in advance if a child is going to be out of school for at least five consecutive days. Parents should notify teachers of the length of the absence and request a contract at least five school days prior to the absence. By agreeing to do an Independent Study Contract, the parents and student commit to completing all work and returning it to school when the child returns.
Students are expected to be in class no later than 8:10 am. They are considered tardy if they are not in their classroom when the tardy bell rings at 8:10 a.m. A bell rings at 8:07 a.m. to inform the students to line up, meet their teacher and be ready to learn in their classrooms by 8:10 a.m. Students who are tardy must check in with the office to receive an tardy slip before going to class. If your child is chronically tardy, a remedial plan will be implemented. Letters will be sent to families when a child is late for school three or more times in a month. Habitual tardies that are not remediated will be referred to a School Attendance Review Board as a truancy.
An extended day care program serves our students in grades K-6. The extended day care program operates on a fee basis during regular school days. The childcare is available before school beginning at 7:00 AM until morning supervision on the play yard begins. After school day care begins at the conclusion of the school day and continues until 6:00 PM. Our school district is pleased to provide childcare services for our students in grades K-6 at a significantly lower cost than privately operated businesses.
2009 – 2010 Extended Day Care Program weekly fees:
Full Use (5 days) $75 weekly per child
Part Use (3-4 days) $65 weekly per child
Limited Use (1-2 days) $55 weekly per child
An application form can be picked up from the school office.
Hot lunches and milk or juice are available for purchase daily. A district breakfast and lunch menu is published monthly with information on how to prepay for meals. For more information on the breakfast and lunch program, please refer to the food and service section on the www.rvusd.org website. Payment can be in the form of cash, (the exact amount you want credited must be turned in since no change will be issued), or you may write a check made out to RVUSD. Payments should be in an envelope with the child’s full name, grade and teacher’s name and submitted to the office before school begins. LUNCH MONEY IS NOT ACCEPTED IN THE LUNCH LINE.
Every student who participates in the school lunch program will be issued a lunch card. When a student goes through the lunch line, his/her lunch card will be debited $ 2.85 (unless the child is receiving free or reduced price lunch.)
Milk and juice are available daily for purchase for $0.50 cents.
Breakfast is offered at Madrone thirty minutes before school begins (7:45 am) at the daily price of $1.50. If a family qualifies for the reduced lunch program, the reduced breakfast fee is $0.40. Breakfast needs to be paid separately from lunch, because they are two different programs.
Free and reduced lunch application forms are sent out in the first day packet and are available both at the district website (www.rvusd.org) and in the office. If you feel your family qualifies for free or reduced priced lunches, please fill out the application and return it to the office. Only one application per household is needed.
Students are encouraged to bring a nutritious snack for mid-morning recess. Nutritious snacks include fruit, granola bars, nuts, cheese, and other foods with protein. Candy, soft drinks and/or chips are not considered appropriate school snacks.
HEALTH & SAFETY
Emergency Cards
Emergency cards are sent home at the beginning of the school year and must be filled out completely. Please provide at least three contact phone numbers in case of an emergency. These cards are of vital importance in case of an emergency involving your child. Current information regarding your child’s health, allergies, phone numbers, etc. must be accurate. Please contact the office immediately with information regarding changes.
Should it be necessary to close school for an emergency, information will be disseminated to parents through the KSRO (AM 1350) radio station. Since it would not be possible to contact all parents about a school closing, each child must know what to do in case parents are not home or immediately available. Please discuss and periodically review your family safety plan so each student knows what to do until parents arrive home. Students will only be released from school to parents or to persons whose names are listed on the child’s emergency card. In addition to procedures for school closure, Madrone School also practices fire and earthquake drills throughout the school year, and has a school emergency plan in place that includes a procedure for student release.
Rolling Blackouts
In the event that electricity is temporarily shut off at Madrone, please be assured that the students will be safe and under the continuous supervision of the staff. Madrone will remain operating according to the normal schedule. School bus pick-up and delivery schedules will not be affected. A district-wide two-way radio communication system is available at all schools when necessary.
Medication at School
State law requires that ANY MEDICATION intended for students including over-the-counter medications, must be accompanied by instructions and the signature of the doctor, and signed permission from the parent. Forms are available in the office. All medications must be stored in the office. For the safety of all students, medication cannot be kept in student’s backpacks or in the classroom.
Our school nurse is on our campus one day a week. She is available to assist parents with any medication concerns.
TRANSPORTATION
Bicycle Riding/Scootering/Rollerblading
Only children in grades 3-6 are permitted to ride bicycles and scooters to and from school provided students are wearing helmets. Bikes, scooters, skateboards and roller blades must be walked or carried while on school property. This includes the sidewalk in front of the school. Students who choose to disregard this rule will lose the privilege of bringing them to school. All items brought to school should be safely secured during the school day. Locks are needed to secure bicycles and scooters to the bike rack.
Bus Transportation
Bus transportation is available to students living a distance from the school. This year district bus services will be provided by Rincon Valley Union School District. Bus pass applications and schedules are in the first day of school packet and on the district website. Questions concerning bus transportation should be directed to district website or the school office. The school office phone number is 707-539-9665.
Walking
Students who walk should use crosswalks and sidewalks. Two city/district crossing guards assist students crossing Mission Street. Please review safe street crossing procedures with your child.
Drop Off/Pick Up
In the morning, students may be dropped off in the loading zone in the drive-through parking lot or at the sidewalk in front of the school. Please do not park in fire lanes, crosswalks, or bus loading zones. Also, please do not block driveways of those individuals living near the school. Our parking spaces at Madrone are in short supply. Parents and visitors are requested to park their vehicles in front of the school if parking spaces are not available in the lot in front of the school. Only teachers, staff and district maintenance vehicles are permitted in the east parking lot behind the gate.
The drive-through parking lot is closed to cars after school so students can safely exit the campus and walk through the parking lot.
If you come on campus to meet your child at the end of the school day, please wait for your child at the tables next to the office. This allows teachers to walk their classes to the front of the school without obstructed hallways. We appreciate your help and understanding, and thank you in advance for helping make our dismissal smooth.
Dismissal time for all students is at 2:35 pm, except for every Wednesday when students are dismissed at 1:35 pm. (School also dismisses early on parent/teacher conference days and the last day of school). Since adult supervision is not available after dismissal time, students must exit the campus promptly after school. Students may not “hang out” on campus after school.
Please make after school transportation arrangements with your child in the morning before school begins so there is no confusion as to what he/she is to do when school is dismissed. Students may not use school phones to plan after school activities with friends.
Arrival Time and Returning to the Campus
Students are not allowed to come to school before 7:40 am, as there is no supervision available. Your cooperation with this rule is important for the safety of the children. (Students enrolled in Day Care are an exception and may be dropped off in the daycare room beginning at 7:00 am.) Because of supervisory and liability concerns, students are NOT to return to the campus after school, unless under adult supervision, until after 6 PM, when our Extended Day Care Program closes.
COMMUNICATION
Effective communication between school and home contributes to the quality of your child’s education. We encourage you to contact the school by phone or write a note should a concern arise. The school provides informative messages on its website (http://madrone.rvusd.org/) and telephone system. Voice mail messages may be left for most employees and the PTA. Please keep in mind, however, the importance of helping your child become an independent problem-solver and consider teachers’ need to balance communication and problem solving with their need to spend time preparing and teaching daily lessons. Watch for the monthly school newsletter and other important school communications that will come home with your children every Wednesday.
Please communicate messages to your child before he/she comes to school. Phone calls to the office during the school day that require school personnel to give your child a message from home should only be reserved for rare emergency situations. It is disruptive to the instructional classroom setting when children receive messages via the office and home. Also, in order to respect the classroom-learning environment, parents may not call the classrooms directly when school is in session. Parents should call the school office and we will forward parent calls to the teacher’s voice mail.
SCHOOL SUPPLIES
Supply lists, by grade level, are available in the school office. A list of desired donated supplies may be posted in your child’s classroom at Back to School Night. Also, you may be asked to provide items occasionally for special projects. A backpack is recommended for all students. The school provides Madrone purple folders to all students K-6. Important information is sent home every Wednesday in these purple folders. In addition to the purple folders, children in grades 3-6 receive homework planners to stay organized and to keep track of assignments.
Parent/teacher conferences are held biannually. All parents are invited to the fall conferences. The spring conferences are scheduled by teacher or parent request. See the calendar in front of this handbook for specific conference dates.
The school year is divided into trimesters. The first reporting period is in November when parent/teacher conferences are scheduled. At the end of the second and third reporting periods, written report cards are issued to students. We encourage parents to contact the teacher at any time during the school year if they have a concern about their child’s progress. Keeping you informed and working closely with parents is key to ensuring every students’ success.
MUSIC AND CHORUS
All primary (K-3rd grade) students have music with the District Music teacher and their teacher in the students' classrooms. Fourth through sixth grade students may choose to participate in chorus and instrumental music programs. At the beginning of the school year, there is an assembly for 4th-6th grade students at which time the music teachers explain the criteria for participation in band and chorus. Greater skills in listening, self-confidence, poise and music ability are gained through participation in the elective music program.
Volunteer art docents enrich the visual fine arts program in our district. Students experience a variety of art techniques and forms when the docents teach grade-level appropriate lessons in the classroom. Dance docents are also available to enrich the classroom fine arts program. Parents may volunteer to assist by completing the docent program application forms in the first day packet.
Madrone School has a tradition of having students in grades 4-6 perform a musical drama production. Interested students are welcome to audition for the acting, singing and dancing roles.
Fourth, fifth and six grade students may try out for the school sports teams. Games are played in the fall and spring against other Rincon Valley schools. This year basketball will be played in the fall and volleyball in the spring.
Each year specific activities are planned during the year, which correlate with the curriculum.
4th Grade – Mission Day
5th Grade – Colonial Day
6th Grade – Outdoor Education Camp
All classrooms participate in fieldtrips that are funded by the Madrone PTA.
The Student Council’s goal is to foster positive leadership, student involvement in decision-making and school pride. Experiences in student government are a valuable part of learning to live in our democratic society. The Student Council consists of an elected president, vice president, secretary, treasurer and classroom representatives. Students in grades 3 – 6 participate in Student Council. Meetings are held during lunch every other week.
Parents are encouraged to get involved in their children’s education through participation in the PTA, as room parents, serving on the School Site Council or assisting with classroom activities and field trips. Volunteer forms and PTA membership applications are sent home the first weeks of school. Any parents interested in volunteering at school should complete the volunteer form, notify your child’s teacher or call the school office at 539-9665.