Parent Student Handbook

District policy prohibits bringing pets or other animals on school grounds without prior permission by the teacher and/or principal. Also, please take steps to assure that pets do not follow your child to school. This is important for student safety

 Children are to arrive between 7:50 and 8:15 am. The gates will be opened at 7:50 am. Student supervision is not available before 7:50 am; students should not be dropped off before this time. Students who arrive after 8:15 (when gates are closed) must report to the office to receive a tardy slip.

 School attendance is vital for school success, but children should not be sent to school if they have a fever or are vomiting.

 Parents may call to request missed work for excused absences, and the work will be available for pickup within 24 hours.

 Please avoid scheduling vacations or trips on school days. Such absences are unexcused and represent lost instructional time, which cannot be made up.

 Please remember to call the office the morning of your child’s absence.

 If your child is leaving during the school day, you must sign them out in the office. Students will only be released to individuals listed on the emergency card. All adults (parents and those listed on Emergency Card) signing out children must provide a photo identification at the time of check-out.

 All students must leave promptly after school unless they are attending an after school event or program.

Birthday celebrations must be pre-arranged with the classroom teacher. All items are to be dropped off in the front office. Non-food items or healthy snacks are highly encouraged due to severe food allergies (bags of apples, stickers, pencils, erasers, etc). Balloons and flowers are not allowed on school campus. If these items are sent, they will be held in the front office until the end of the school day.

It is expected that all students shall dress appropriately in order that the educational process is not disrupted. Students should wear clothes and shoes that allow them to participate in all school activities (including recess and physical education). If attire is not appropriate, parents will be contacted for replacement clothing. If attire is deemed unsafe, students may be excluded from activities including recess and physical education. Guidelines include the following:

• Closed-toe shoes that permit students to play safely outdoors. High heeled shoes, sandals, flip-flops and heelies are unsafe and not permitted. Shoes should be laced securely.
• Pants, shorts, and skirts must allow safe and modest movement. Very tight pants, shorts, or skirts are not allowed. Pants that hang low and expose underwear are not permitted. Skirts and shorts should reach the end of the fingertips when standing with arms hanging to one’s side.
• Shirts should fit appropriately and be free of inappropriate messages. Shirts that depict violence, weapons, blood, gang affiliation, alcohol, tobacco, or disrespectful language are not permitted. Shirt straps must be at least 3 fingers wide. Bare midriffs and backs are not permitted.
• Extreme hair styles that distract students from learning are not permitted including cut and hair color other than a natural human color (including tinted hair tips).
• Hats and sunglasses are permitted outdoors at recess and lunch. All hats must be worn facing forward.
• Earrings should permit safe outdoor play. Dangling earrings are not permitted. Hoop earrings should be small enough that a finger does not fit through the hoop.
• Makeup is not permitted.

• Emergency cards must be completed and returned to school as soon as possible. NOTE: Children cannot be released to persons who are not listed on the Emergency Card.
• It is vital that the information on the cards be updated when changes occur for your child’s safety. Contact the school immediately when there is a change in telephone numbers and/or an address.
•  Persons authorized to pick up your child: Please list local persons/telephone numbers as emergency contact.

Information and permission slips will be sent home whenever there is a field trip planned. Students MUST have a properly completed permission slip, with parent signature, to attend the field trip.

• Students may bring their lunch from home or participate in the optional hot lunch program. The hot lunch program is available at school for $2.50 per day and includes a drink. Breakfast may be purchased for $1.75.
• Students (or guardians) can bring money to the designated box located in the health office before the start of school. Accounts can also be accessed online https://paypams.com/
• Menus for lunch are sent home monthly and can also be viewed online. http://www.schoolnutritionandfitness.com
•  To apply for free or reduced priced meals, you must complete an application and submit it to the office each year. These take a week to two weeks to process and approve. http://www.schoolnutritionandfitness.com
• Lunches brought from home should be labeled with your child’s name. We do not have facilities available for children to chill or heat lunches brought from home.
• Sharing food is not allowed at school. This includes bringing outside food for students other than your own (pizzas, etc)
• If you bring a lunch to school for your child you may leave it for them on the designated table with their name on the package. Please alert your child before school that they should come to the office to avoid excess calls to rooms and delays while the office attempts to locate them on the playground.
• Soda is not permitted at school and should not be included in lunches brought from home or delivered to school.

School phones are to be used by students only in emergencies. We receive a number of requests from students to use the phones, often to confirm arrangements for going home. Please be sure your child understands the arrangements for the day and all other important information before leaving for school. Students with cell phones are required to turn them off and leave them in their backpacks during the school day. As with other electronics, the school is not responsible for lost or stolen devices. Students are NOT permitted to have phones in their pockets or with them outside at recess/lunch times. Students who do not adhere to this rule will be subject to the following consequences:

• First offense- phone will be given to the principal. A parent will need to meet with the principal to retrieve the phone.
• Subsequent offense- phone will be kept in the office until the end of the school year

We are fortunate to have an outstanding parent association, which is very supportive and involved with our school. PTA is involved in planning and conducting school events, maintaining close home and school communication, and fundraising. Please look for newsletters and information from PTA on ways that you can contribute to enhancing the learning environment at our school.

Students are strongly encouraged to bring a healthy snack, which they can eat during recess time. Children who eat a healthy breakfast and snacks are able to focus better than their peers and succeed in school. Snacks should be of high nutrient value, such as fruits, vegetables, low- fat dairy or whole grains. Chips, cookies, and candies provide little or no nutrition and seldom keep students satisfied and focused.

Electronics other similar objects are not permitted at school due to theft and safety. Toys, fidget spinners, and other similar items are not allowed at school. Please clearly label all lunch pails and sacks, jackets, sweaters, and other articles of clothing with your child’s name. Many items of clothing go unclaimed each year and are given to charity.

• It is vital that all information on the emergency card is completed.
• Inform the office of any special health concerns.  No medication of any kind may be brought to school by students. This includes common medicines such as aspirin, cold medicine, cough drops, etc. State law requires that parents complete certain forms if their child needs to take any medication while at school, which requires a physician’s signature. Contact the office for more information.
• La Veta has a health clerk who is trained in “first aid” procedures, but is not trained to diagnose or treat health problems. For that reason, sick children must be picked up at school and taken for treatment by the parent. In the event of an emergency, paramedics may be called if a parent is not available.
• Any child who is running a fever above 100 degrees or is vomiting will be sent home and may not return for 24 hours (more health information is available on our school website).

Visitors are always welcome. There are however, some procedures that are mandated by state law and/or district policy that must be observed.

• Visitors must come to the school office, sign in, and get a visitor’s pass. By law, no one is allowed on school campuses during class hours that is not a registered student, staff member, or approved visitor.
• Volunteer parents need to sign in at the office and wear a visitor’s badge.
• If you wish to observe a class, please contact the teacher to arrange the best time. We ask that you try to limit each visit to a maximum of 20 minutes, to keep disruptions to a minimum.
• If you have questions or wish to conference with a teacher when you visit, please arrange for another time. Teachers cannot meet with parents during class time.
• Children under the age of 18 and who are not enrolled at La Veta may not come on campus during school hours.
• Younger siblings and children are welcome to attend school programs, promotions, and assemblies if accompanied and supervised by an adult. 
• Siblings attending La Veta cannot be pulled out of class to attend school programs, promotions, and assemblies.
• Balloons, flowers, and gifts for students are not allowed on school campus.

We welcome parents, grandparents and community volunteers at La Veta. Volunteers may work in the classrooms, the library, the office or help with special projects. Please contact your teacher, the librarian or the principal if you are interested.

• Volunteers need to contact the staff member regarding times and activities.
• Volunteers must sign the Volunteer Book in the office and wear a volunteer badge while on campus.
• Younger children are not allowed to be in the classrooms while parents volunteer.
• Volunteers should refrain from using the teacher’s lounge and work room during teacher breaks.
• Volunteers at class parties must be pre-arranged by the classroom teacher. Children under the age of 18 may not volunteer or attend class parties.

Parents are urged to help their children who will be riding bikes without adult supervision to learn the safest route to and from school, and to practice good citizenship at those times. Please emphasize:

• Children in grades 4-6 may ride bikes to school if they have a signed bike contract on file for the current school year. Riders must observe all traffic and safety rules.
• The school cannot be responsible for theft or damage to bikes. Bike riders must wear approved helmets whenever riding, including to and from school.
• Always walk your bike on campus, beginning at the edge of school property.
• Be extremely cautious of cars entering and exiting the parking lot.
• Stay on sidewalks; avoid walking on private property – especially lawns, flower beds, etc.
• Cross streets carefully at crosswalks.
• Cross streets with crossing guards where they are provided.
• Never stop to talk with someone you don’t know.
• Bikes locks are required. No bike should be left overnight or on the weekend. In the event of illness or family emergency, please notify the office, and we will make every effort to assist with storage. The school is not liable for damage to bikes.
• Skateboards, skates, and scooters may not be brought to school. *Violations of rules will result in loss of the privilege of riding bikes to school.

Each day, over 650 students come and go from La Veta, and many of them enter and exit from the parking lot. Although we are often rushing from one place to the next, it is essential that we use caution and remember that we must all work to ensure that our children come and leave school safely. Safety rules for our parking lot include:

• There are two lanes for drop off and pick up - the curb lane closest to the school and the right side lane in the center of the parking lot (see diagram). Students should only exit and enter cars from these lanes.
• Parents and students walking through the parking lot must use the designated crosswalk.
• Cars are not to be left unattended in the drop off lanes. If you need to leave your car, please pull into a marked parking space or park your car on the street.
• The left-side lanes are for passing through only. Students are not permitted to enter or exit cars from these lanes (see diagram).
• Please pull forward in the drop off/ pick up lanes to permit access to other cars.
• Traffic from the first exit should only turn right during school hours. ALTERNATIVE PICK-UP AREA The back gate located on Larkstone Street will be opened for all students, Grades 1-6, at the end of the school day. There will be a staff member supervising the area to ensure the safety of all students waiting for a ride.