WILLIAMS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL THREE RIVERS SCHOOL DISTRICT Student Handbook 2020-2021 Williams Elementary School 20691 Williams Highway ~ Williams, OR 97544 ~ (541) 846-7224 ~ FAX (541) 846-722 2020-2021 School Board Members Kate Dwyer………………………………...Board Vice-Chair, Zone I Danny York………………………………...Board Chair, Zone II Rich Halsted………………………………..Board Member, Zone III Paul Kelly…………………………………..Board Member, Zone IV Jennifer Johnstun…………………………..Board Member, Zone V ​ Board meetings are held every third Monday of the month at 7:00 pm. They are public meetings usually held throughout the district at a different Three Rivers school each month. Please contact the district office for the location of meetings. Three Rivers School District Superintendent David Valenzuela Williams Elementary Principal Steven Fuller Williams Elementary Office Manager Mindi Gallegos Williams Elementary MISSION AND VISION STATEMENT VISION: Williams Elementary School is committed to creating a nurturing environment in ​ which each child is encouraged to become a lifelong learner. MISSION: Within a safe, nurturing environment, Williams Elementary School will provide a ​ developmentally appropriate educational experience to assure that students will attain their full academic and social potential as responsible, productive, global citizens. 1 Parents Quick Glance Information: ABSENCE EXCUSE NOTES/CALLS When your child will not be in school, it is essential we receive a phone call. ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE TIME “NO SCHOOL ON FRIDAYS” Our day begins Monday - Thursday from 7:20am and ends at 2:25pm. There is no ​ ​ supervision for your child before 7:00am. Breakfast is served at 7:00 am for all students and ends promptly at 7:20am. In the case of inclement weather please listen to all InTouch ​ messages or rely on your radio, television, or our website www.threerivers.k12.or.us for ​ information regarding a delayed start or school closure. If there is a delayed start school will ​ ​ start TWO HOURS later than normal and end at the regular scheduled time. Students should ​ ​ ​ be picked up no later than 2:20 pm. Buses leave promptly at 2:20pm. ​ ​ ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE PROCEDURES All children need to be signed out and released in the school office. Please do not go to the ​ classroom to pick up your child. ATTENDANCE We reward students for good attendance at Williams. Attendance is critical to the success and growth of our students. Attendance on any given day means that a student arrives to school on time and does not leave until school is over that day. Leaving early is given the same ​ consideration as a tardy. Please note that we do not punish students who have poor attendance. They may be excluded from an attendance reward due to poor attendance. BUS PASSES PARENTS: If you need to change the transportation plans for your child, please notify the ​ office by sending a note with your student that morning or CALL THE OFFICE BEFORE 2:00pm. For your child’s protection and to minimize interruptions, please read this page carefully. Students riding buses other than their own, or getting off at a stop other that their ​ regular stop must have a bus pass from the office. ​ ​ Bus passes, or passes issued for a change in a student’s regular end of day plans will be issued only after the office receives a written note from the student’s parent or guardian. *PLEASE ​ NOTE: we require a note for your child’s safety. IN AN EMERGENCY, passes will be issued on request of the parent or guardian via telephone. ​ The Principal or Office Manager is the only person authorized to verify the identity of a caller and issue a pass. Please call with any changes to your child’s afternoon transportation plans before 1:15 p.m. Parents may request other adults to pick up their children if the school has on file authorization and/or the name and address is listed on the information sheet as an emergency contact person. When a child is going home with another student, written notes must be received from both ​ students’ parents. This way we can confirm that both families know that a child is visiting. ​ ​ Kindergarten students must have someone at the bus stop to meet them unless there is an older child with them on the bus. The bus driver will not let them off the bus and will bring them back to the school. 2 BICYCLES If you ride a bike to school you must have a bike helmet on your bike to ride on to campus. It is ​ also recommended that you bring a bike lock. CELL PHONES If you want your child to carry a cell phone the phone must be kept off in ​ his/her backpack until school has been dismissed at the end of the day. If a student is caught using his/her phone during the day the phone will be confiscated and kept in the office for a parent to pick up. CUSTODY AND RESTRAINING ISSUES FOR STUDENTS Unfortunately, custody issues exist for some of our students. The only way we can stop a ​ divorced, separated parent, or relative from picking up a student is to have current legal paperwork (restraining order) on file in the school office. CYBER-BULLYING Bullying through the use of social media, texting and email is commonly referred to cyber-bullying. While the Williams School staff does not discipline actions that take place out of school, we must intervene if off-campus, on-line behavior begins to impact students directly when at school. When cyber-bullying prevents a student from fully accessing their education it becomes a disciplinary issue. Students engaging in cyber-bullying or any other forms of bullying that has this effect on other students will be subject to our student code of conduct and disciplinary matrix. DELAYED STARTS/STAFF DEVELOPMENT DAYS Please note that Three Rivers School District uses Fridays for staff development. Every Friday we will have a one hour late start. Check the district calendar for other additional dates. DROP OFF/PICK UP In order to accommodate the bus schedule, and for the safety of our students, we ask that parents/guardians drop off and pick up students at the front entrance only. Parents /guardians should pull through the gate at the Williams Library and follow the drive and exit on the north side of the school. The north gate will be locked from 8:00 am to 1:45 pm. SHOES AT SCHOOL All shoes must have a back or heel strap. Sandals with a heel strap are acceptable, exposed ​ toes are susceptible to injury. Our playground has climbing and uneven aspects and bark, creating an issue for exposed toes. FLIP-FLOPS are NOT allowed. “Heelies” or shoes with a ​ ​ wheel in the sole are not permitted at school. SODA, CANDY AND JUNK FOOD We provide free breakfast and lunch to all students. We do not allow students to substitute candy, soda or energy drinks for breakfast or lunch. TOYS Electronics, CD players, MP3 players, Tech Decks and other toys such as spinners and other fidget toys are not allowed at school. These items disrupt the educational process and can be stolen. Items will be confiscated and could be retained until a parent conference is held. Trading or selling of toys, collectibles or other items at school is not allowed. 3 Williams Elementary Student Handbook Grades K-5 PREFACE The material covered within this student handbook is intended as a method of communicating to students and parents regarding general district information, rules and procedures and is not intended to either enlarge or diminish any Board policy, administrative regulation or negotiated agreement. Material contained herein may therefore be superseded by such Board policy, administrative regulation or negotiated agreement. Three Rivers School District does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, disability, marital status, sex or age in providing education or access to benefits of education services, activities and programs in accordance with Title VI, Title VII, Title IX and other civil rights or discrimination issues; Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended; and the Americans with Disabilities Act. ADMISSION New Kindergarten students must be five (5) years old on or before September 1st of the school ​ year in which they are enrolling. Children with birthdays from September 1st - October 1st may ​ ​ qualify for early entry if testing and observations rank the child at 98% or above in skill levels. Applications for Early Entry must be filed by August 1st so that assessments can be given to the ​ child, by a district team, before school starts. Entry applications can be obtained at the district office. All Kindergarten students must have complete registration forms, birth certificate, and up-to-date immunization records prior to the start of school. No exceptions will be made. ​ ​ Students grade K-5 will attend all day Monday- Friday. ABSENCE EXCUSE NOTES/CALLS When your child will not be in school, it is essential we receive a phone call. If you are not able to call, please send a written note the next day. Absences will be marked as unexcused if we do not receive a call or a note within 3 days of the absence. When sending notes please include your student’s name, the date of absence, the reason for the absence, and parent or guardian’s signature. ANNOUNCEMENTS/NEWSLETTERS Daily announcements are given during the morning flag salute and assembly. Students are encouraged to stay informed with events and activities at school. Please listen attentively! A monthly newsletter will be emailed and sent home with students to help keep you informed of ongoing activities. Please keep an updated email address with the office.