West Creek Academy Parent & Student Handbook 2020 - 2021 Dear Parent or Guardian: Governing boards of school districts are required to notify parents or guardians of certain rights and responsibilities as specified in the Education Code and other state and federal regulations. This booklet contains the Education Code sections that are concerned with these rights and responsibilities, along with other important information. Your signature on your child’s emergency card or online registration acknowledges that you have received this notice. (Please return the emergency card immediately if you did not register online.) SAUGUS UNION SCHOOL DISTRICT Excellence in Elementary Education Board of Trustees Julie Olsen President, (Trustee Area 3) Laura Arrowsmith Clerk, (Trustee Area 2) David Powell, Ph.D. Member, (Trustee Area 4) David Barlavi Member, (Trustee Area 1) Christopher Trunkey Member, (Trustee Area 5) RESPECT | INTEGRITY | LEARNING | TEAMWORK | ENTHUSIASM Site-Specific Information This Parent and Student Handbook contains an information section specific to your school, district- wide information, as well as information which the state requires districts provide to parents and guardians annually. Please take the time to familiarize yourself with the contents of this handbook. If you require additional information, the school office will assist you. LETTER FROM THE PRINCIPAL Welcome to the 2020-2021 school year at West Creek Academy! As the new school year begins, we would like to welcome you and your children to West Creek Academy, a California Distinguished School. Everyone at West Creek Academy has made a commitment to provide the best educational program possible for our students. We are dedicated to ensuring that our school provides a welcoming, stimulating learning environment where students are actively involved in learning academics as well as positive character values. Our teachers are highly qualified and fully credentialed by the State of California. As educators we constantly strive for excellence. We are committed to providing our students with a challenging academic program aligned to the Common Core California State Standards that enable all students to achieve their fullest potential. At West Creek our staff and students participate in Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports where behavior expectations are explicitly taught with an emphasis on our students being Honest Optimistic Willing Leaders. We also encourage our students to learn and follow the Six Pillars of Character: Caring, Citizenship, Fairness, Respect, Responsibility and Trustworthiness. We are confident that they will gain the skills, attitudes, and understanding necessary to be successful 21st Century citizens. The education programs at West Creek Academy are designed to meet the needs of each individual student, and ultimately each individual student’s efforts will be part of their educational growth as well. To increase the degree of educational success, it is important that teachers, parents and administrators communicate openly and regularly concerning the progress of students. Parents are encouraged to get involved in their child's learning environment by attending school events, serving on a school and PTA committee, and helping out in the classroom or library. This handbook has been designed to serve as a source for information between the Saugus Union School District, West Creek Academy and your home. It details the procedures we utilize to create an atmosphere that promotes academic excellence, character development, unity, and a thirst for lifelong learning. We hope you will have a greater understanding about West Creek, its programs, policies, and vision for students. Please remember that together we achieve more and we welcome ou to share your ideas, concerns, possible solutions, and comments. Working together, we will make this school year a memorable and rewarding experience for your child! Sincerely, Sue Bett Principal MUSIC PROGRAM AND T.E.A.M. PATHWAY Complexity and learn how the five Content Imperatives West Creek Academy teachers and staff are dedicated to empower them to accomplish even more in 3rd, 4th, 5th, providing music and performing arts education to K-6 and 6th grades. These students also engage in independent grade students. We are proud to partner with Santa Clarita research activities to develop their own curiosity. based California Institute of the Arts through the Cal Arts Community Partnership (CAP) program and College of The teaching staff at West Creek believes that inspiring the Canyon Performing Arts programs, and Los Angeles and motivating students is fundamental and is dedicated to Opera in school program. differentiated instructional practices to maximize all students' potential. When children are challenged in creative and academically motivating ways, they K-3 students participate in General Music and K-2 accomplish and achieve more. will participate in African drumming classes. Students in 3rd and 4th grade will have keyboarding classes. Our 4th graders have participated in choir. ADMINISTRATOR CONTACT Our 6th grade students will have animation filming. The Cal Arts classes are taught by Herb Albert School of The Principal and/or the Assistant Principal can be Music faculty and student instructors from Cal Arts under contacted during office hours (7:45 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.) by the supervision of Mr. James Waterman, CAP Music email, a message in ParentSquare, or by contacting the Program Coordinator. Office Manger to schedule an appointment or conference with the Principal/Assistant Principal. Administration will 5th grade students will participate in Voices for make every effort to respond to communication and return Tolerance and LA Opera through LA Philharmonic. telephone calls within 24 to 48 hours. 6th grade student will participate in 8 weeks of Hip TEACHER CONTACT Hop. Teachers are available for conferences before or after These programs have been made possible thanks to school. These can be arranged by contacting the teacher donations made by our PTA. via ParentSquare. Teachers are not available for conferences during regular school instructional hours. This time is designated for classroom teaching. S.T.E.A.M. Pathway classes are taught by our highly qualified teaching staff, in conjunction with Cal Arts, to provide a unique, enriching learning experience for our PRIME TIME INSTRUCTION students in grades 4-6. Students are offered the Uninterrupted instructional time is critical in the educational opportunity to explore various pathways in Science, process. To help promote best learning practices we Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Music both during will not make phone calls or disrupt the classrooms school and after school. Some of the after school pathway before lunch recess. Children's textbooks and homework classes include Theatre, African Drumming Ensemble, brought to the office will be placed in the teacher's mailbox. Orchestra and Beginning Strings, and Beginning We will only interrupt the classrooms during Prime Time Woodwind. for emergencies. WEEKLY BULLETIN ADVANCE LEARNING PROCESS FOR ALL SCHOLARS (ALPS) A school bulletin is sent home each week via The Advanced Learning Process for all Scholars (ALPS) at ParentSquare. The purpose of the bulletin is to provide West Creek Academy provides opportunities for students parents with current information about school and district to be inspired and challenged through meaningful programs, policies and upcoming events and activities. instructional strategies. The Dimensions of Depth & Complexity and the Content Imperatives promote a OFFICE PROCEDURES AND sophisticated analysis and are the foundation for ALPS, COMMUNICATIONS and foster high-level thinking skills for scholars to succeed in the 21st century. Students learn the eleven Dimensions In case of an emergency, parents wishing to leave of Depth and Complexity and apply them in the core messages for their children may do so by contacting the curriculum in Kindergarten, 1st, and 2nd grades. Students school office by 12:00 noon. We avoid unnecessary continue to utilize the Dimensions of Depth and interruptions to the instructional program, especially during Prime Time. Any articles to be delivered to Please furnish the following information if your child is children should be left in the office. “PRIME TIME” absent: instruction is from 8:10 am until lunch recess. There are 1. Your name several ways that parents can be of assistance in regards to 2. Child’s name communication: 3. Your child’s teacher’s name 4. Date of absence 1. Check with your child prior to leaving for school to 5. Reason for absence (specific illness) see that he/she has a lunch or lunch money and all necessary materials for class. If possible, please email at [email protected] 2. If there will be a change in your child's regular routine, or call prior to 8:30 a.m. on the date of absence. We are please make your child aware before leaving for school asking you do this to protect your child, as we have in the morning. Please send a message via Parent occasionally had children absent from school without Square to the teacher. parents’ knowledge. 3. Avoid calling the school to leave a message for your child during the last 45 minutes of his/her school day. 4. Any change in transportation for children going home Tardies We know that it is not always easy to get children requires a message or written note from parents, to school on time, but we ask that you make every effort to which should be sent or given to your child's teacher. ensure that your child attend school on time. Arriving on This includes a friend, neighbor, or relative who will time promotes responsibility and benefits student success in take them home. school. If your child arrives late, he/she is required to go to the office to obtain a pass. Tardy arrival takes away learning It is requested that children not use the school phone for time from all students in the classroom, not just the student personal reasons unless for emergency. arriving late. When a student arrives late to class, the teacher must stop teaching to bring the tardy student up to date, collect his/her homework, change the attendance, etc.