WELCOME
TO PIÑON HILLS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Welcome! At Piñon Hills
Elementary School our goal is to give your child an education that will provide
him or her with a strong academic foundation while at the same time encourage
the building of respect for self and others.
To accomplish this goal, we need your help.
This parent handbook was prepared with this goal in mind. We hope it will give you information about Piñon
Hills that you will find helpful. You
are encouraged to ask questions and/or visit us at any time.
Together In Education,
Rommy Cronin
Principal
A
PARENT’S GUIDE TO PIÑON HILLS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Our
Program is built on the following beliefs:
§
PHES
will provide a safe, open, and respectful environment in which to work and learn.
§
All
people are responsible for the choices they make and for accepting
responsibility for their actions.
§
Learning
will be lifelong, enjoyable, and meaningful for both students and staff.
§
To
promote excellence, staff, students, and parents will work together to create
programs designed to meet the needs of the whole child.
What
are school office hours?
Office
personnel will generally be available to help you in person or over the phone
between the hours of 7:30 AM and 4:00 PM. However, school meetings may cause these
hours to vary occasionally.
What
are school hours for students?
Our day runs from 9:00 AM to 3:20 PM. Supervision of the playground
begins at 8:45 A.M.
so please do not have your child come to school prior to that time.
What
should I do if my child is going to be absent?
We
prefer that you call the office (267-3622) before 9:00
AM to let us know your child will not be at school for the day. If this is not possible, please send a note
with your student when he/she returns to school. If we don't receive a note or a call from you
within 72 hours of the absence, your child will be considered truant (see
truancy policy).
What
if my child is going to be tardy to school?
Students
who arrive at school after 9:00 AM are
required to check in at the office in the morning that same day. If you know your child is going to be late to
school, please phone, send a note, or come in to the office with your child. Please make note of the district’s attendance
regulations on acceptable and unacceptable excuses for tardies. Habitual tardies, even with a call or note
from you after a warning, could result in recess detention and/or further
discipline. It's critical that students make every effort to be at
school on time as entering class after it has started can disrupt the learning
process for the entire class.
Where do I drop off or pick up my student?
School
buses drop off or pick up students on the north side of the building along
Stephanie Way. Parent pick up and drop
off is located in front of the multi-purpose room on the east side of the
building. Do not leave cars in this area
unattended. Please park your vehicle in
a designated spot if you intend to leave your car.
What
are the attendance policies at Piñon Hills Elementary School?
Unavoidable
Absences
The
Douglas County School District Board of Education recognizes the following
reasons for valid student absence from school:
Procedures for clearing excused absences
are as follows:
1.
If
your child is absent, call the office or write a note explaining the reason for
the absence. We strongly recommend that parents or guardians call the school on
the date of absence. If a call or note is not received within three school days
after the first day of absence, the absence(s) will be listed as a truancy. For medical related absences, a note from your doctor is helpful in accounting for
your absence(s).
2.
Prearrange
all scheduled absences by contacting the attendance secretary in the front
office. Parents are reminded, that while the
prearranged absence may be excused, it still counts towards the total number of
absences allowed by law.
3.
If
your child will be leaving school during the day, you must send a parent note
or call the school. Work may be made up for excused absences. Students have one
class period plus one for each class period missed to complete makeup
assignments. It is the responsibility of the student to get the missed assignments
from their teacher. All work for excused absences is graded at 100%.
Unexcused
Absences/Truancies
Any
absence from school becomes unexcused if a parent or guardian does not provide
an excuse for it within three schools days (72 hours per NRS). Truancy is
defined as an absence from any part of a school day that is unexcused. It is
important that if your student misses any period of
time during a school day that you contact our office by phone or note to verify
and clear the absence. If this does not happen, then the absence will become a truancy.
Students who have truancies will
receive the following consequences:
1.
First
Truancy: The school will send a letter to the parent. A conference with the student will be held
with the site administrator, counselor, or attendance secretary.
2.
Second
Truancy: Student will have a conference with the site administrator,
counselor, or attendance secretary.
Disciplinary action is possible.
3.
Third
Truancy: The student will serve in-school suspension (AISI) and the parent will
be notified by letter that the student is being identified as a habitual
truant. The habitual truant indication follows the student through the entire
succeeding school year and is removed after that time if the student has not
incurred additional truancies.
4.
Fourth
and Subsequent Truancies: The student and his or her parents will attend a
truancy hearing. Some of the possible consequences given at the hearing could
be a citation and fine, and community service hours.
Work
may be made up for truancies, and the student can receive 75% credit per our
makeup work policy. It is the responsibility of the student to ask teachers for
missed work and to ensure that it is completed and turned in to the teachers.
How do
I send a message to my child during the school day?
If
you need to get a message to your student please call the office before
2:30 PM.
After that time we can't guarantee the message will be received. If you need to speak with your child during
the day, he or she will be allowed to use the telephone at their teacher's
convenience or at break. Exceptions to
both these guidelines will be made in the case of emergencies. We have had several problems with parents
calling or texting their child’s cell phones during the day. Parents are reminded of our cell phone
policy, which states that cell phones are not to be used or visible from 8:45
AM to 3:20 PM. Parents will be required
to pick up any cell phone that is confiscated for violations of this policy
May
another person pick up my child during school hours?
Students
will only be released to individuals listed as emergency contacts on the
student registration form. Releasing a
student to someone else will require a call or written permission from the
parent or guardian. Students are
required to be signed out, so students will not be released to
parents/emergency contacts who call from the front of the school asking us to
send the student out. We are responsible
for your child, and we take their personal safety very seriously. We ask for your understanding in regards to
our need to strictly enforce this policy.
Are students
permitted to bring cell phones to school?
Yes,
students are allowed to bring cell phones to school, but they are to be turned
off and not visible during school hours. Cell
phones are to be off and not visible from 8:45 AM to
3:20 PM on the PHES campus.
This includes the recesses and lunch.
If an emergency arises, and a student must call a parent, they may ask
permission to use the office or a teacher’s classroom phone. Use of a cell phone inside the building or
during prohibited times (see above), will result in disciplinary action,
confiscation of phone, and parent pick-up of the phone.
May another
person or I attend class with my child?
Parents
or guardians are always welcome to visit but must check in with the office
before going to a classroom. As a
general courtesy to teachers, we do ask you to provide at least 24-hours notice
if you plan to attend class with your child.
As a general rule, student visitors are not allowed due to the
interruption this creates within the learning environment.
What
if my child needs to take medication at school?
If your child needs to take medication at school, a parent or
guardian must fill out a medication assistance form. This form can be
picked up in the nurse’s office and must be filled out prior to any medication
being dispensed. All medications are to be brought to the nurse’s office
and kept there. Prescriptions must be in the prescription bottles with
dosages on the label. All prescription medications require both a parent’s
signature and also the physician’s signature on the medication assistance
form. There are additional procedures
required for controlled substances.
Over-the-counter medications such as Ibuprofen, Tylenol, allergy
medications, cough drops, etc. are not allowed in the possession of
students at any time. They too must be stored in the nurse’s office. Contact
our nurse, Carol Mortensen, for more information at 267-3622.
Are
there items my child should not bring to school?
Yes! Please help us by monitoring what your child
brings to school. Anything that is
illegal, unsafe, a toy or a nuisance should not be brought to school. PHES prohibits the use of electronic devices
that are not part of the educational objectives of the school during
instructional time (i.e. IPods, MP3 players, PSP players, etc.). The PHES staff and administration will not be
responsible for the loss of such items, and we will not investigate the loss of
an item students have been asked not to bring to school.
If my
child is absent may I request homework?
Yes,
but only on or after the second day of absence. Requests for homework will only be allowed for students who have or are
going to miss more than two days. Requests for homework should be
made in the morning. Homework will be
available to be picked up at the main office by 3:00 PM on the day following
when the request was made.
GENERAL
INFORMATION
What's
the best way to contact a teacher?
Teachers
generally work a minimum of an 8-hour day.
With the exception of recesses and lunch, they are with students from
9:00 AM to 3:20 PM. The easiest way to
contact a teacher is by email. You can
also call the school office and leave a voice mail message. The teacher will return your email or call at
their earliest convenience. Our email
address pattern is firstletterofthefirstnamelastname@dcsd.k12.nv.us for example, rcronin@dcsd.k12.nv.us.
What
are “Collaboration” Days?
The
Douglas County School District will continue to have Collaboration Days for the
2011-12 school year.
At the elementary level, six days (October 7, November 7, January 23,
February 21, March 23, May 2) have been designed collaboration days and will be
days where students do not attend school. The purpose of collaboration is to provide
time for teachers to meet professionally with one goal in mind…improve
instruction and student achievement.
What
should I do if it looks as if school might be closed due to inclement weather
or an emergency?
Listen
to the radio (most local stations will be contacted), beginning at 6:30 AM for information about delayed openings or
school closures. The information will
also be posted on the district’s website at www.dcsd.k12.nv.us. PLEASE DO NOT CALL THE SCHOOL OFFICE. Our phone lines need to remain open for
school district information.
What
should I do in case of a threatening situation or an emergency at the school?
Even
though the chance of a life-threatening situation occurring at school is
remote, we have worked in collaboration with the Douglas County Sheriff’s
Office to develop such an emergency plan for PHES. While we understand the emotional duress
parents must feel when a situation like that occurs, past experience has shown
that student safety is enhanced when parents DO NOT come to school, thus
allowing the police and staff to work with less confusion.
Therefore,
we would ask for our parents to do the following should such an emergency
occur:
§ Listen
to the radio or TV for information
§ DO NOT
COME TO OR CALL THE SCHOOL
§ Make
sure your student knows how to contact you.
We will have students call and leave a message as soon as possible.
§ If
instructed to do so, go to the designated gathering location to pick up your
child. Potential gathering locations are
Johnson Lane Fire Department, LifePoint Church, Jack’s Valley Elementary School.
Will
my child be allowed to leave the school grounds during the day?
No! PHES has a closed campus and once a student
arrives at school he/she is expected to stay on the school grounds. Students leaving campus without permission
will receive serious consequences for this infraction of the progressive
discipline plan. This also includes the
lunch periods and once they arrive on campus via bus transportation.
However, under certain
circumstances, a child may leave during the day. A parent, guardian, or an adult listed on the
registration form may come to school at any time and check out a student
through the attendance office. Friends,
relatives or other adults not listed on the registration form may not check out
a student without a signed permission note from the parent.
What is
the lunch program at PHES?
Students
may bring their lunch or purchase a selection of lunches, provided by the
Douglas County School District Nutrition Program, in the school cafeteria. Meal
choices are varied, but they all adhere to the Wellness Policy developed by
DCSD. Prices are $2.50 for lunch. A lunch calendar will be sent home at the
beginning of each month.Free and reduced lunches are
available upon approval of completed request forms.
If
your child forgets his/her lunch money and does not have money in his/her
account, he/she will not be allowed to charge a lunch. If he/she cannot contact a parent to get
money, he/she should see one of the adults in the cafeteria. We will see that a very basic complementary
meal is provided.
How will my child be graded?
It is expected that all teachers will teach state
and Common Core standards. Grades will
be determined in relationship to those objectives. All teachers in grades 3rd through
6th will utilize the plus/minus system to record grades in classes
that are required to give letter grades.
The percentage designations for +/- may not be changed and must be
adhered to.
Grade Point Average Achievement
(GPA) Letter
grades are defined as:
4.0
A+ = 98-100
4.0 A = 92-97
4.0
A- = 90-91
3.0
B+ = 88-89
3.0 B = 82-87
3.0
B- = 80-81
2.0
C+ = 78-79
2.0 C = 72-77
2.0
C- = 70-71
1.0
D+ = 68-69
1.0 D = 62-67
1.0
D- = 60-61
0.0 F = 59 or below
What amount of homework will be required?
The DCSD has determined that homework is to be
assigned to students for a specific amount of time each week (DCSD AR No. 214).
Weekly Time Schedule
20 – 40 minutes per week Grade Kindergarten
40 - 80 minutes per week Grades One through Three
60 - 120 minutes per week Grades Four through Six
What is Reading Counts ?
PHES utilizes a reading incentive program known as
Reading Counts. Monthly goals are
established school-wide for each grade level. Students read books at their
leave and take comprehension quizzes on the computer to earn points toward
their monthly goal. Students who achieve the monthly goal receive an incentive
sponsored by PTO. Parents and students
can identify what level a book is and how many points can be earned by
accessing our library catalog from the PHES website.
How does my child become involved in Student
Council?
Student council is comprised of one representative
from each class in grades 4, 5, and 6.
They meet during the last lunch/recess on Wednesdays. Student council members represent their
classroom in all student government activities and decisions within the school.
How does the school communicate with parents?
PHES school wide communication folders are sent
home on Thursdays, often referred to as “peechees”. These are sent with student papers, important
communications, and a conduct grade. The
classroom teacher is responsible for sending these out each week and parents
are requested to please sign the folder and return it on Friday.
What does the school do to recognize students?
Honor Roll –
PHES recognizes students in third through sixth grade who earn a 3.5 GPA or
higher.
Horseshoe Heroes – Each month teachers are asked to select several students to be
Horseshoe Heroes. Students may be
nominated for anything such as scholastic ability, sportsmanship, art,
etc. Once a month their names are called
and they have lunch on the stage with the principal. They also receive a special mustang marker, certificate,
and sign a horseshoe that is put up in the hall.
Mighty Mustang Cards –Mighty Mustang cards are given to students who
model positive behaviors, with a special focus on self-control. Upon receiving a Mighty Mustang card,
students put their name and their teacher’s name on the card and turn it in to
the Mighty Mustang box in the office.
Each Monday a student from each grade level receives a Might Mustang
Award, a self-control marker, and a coupon for a discount for an item from a
business in the community.
Principal Awards – At the end of each twelve (12) week period teachers are asked to
recommend students for principal awards. These awards include Attendance,
Academic Excellence, Principal’s Award (given for anything the teacher wants to
celebrate) and Honor Roll.
WORKING
TOGETHER
Can I
be a volunteer at Piñon Hills Elementary School?
Yes,
Yes, Yes! We highly encourage you to
commit time as a volunteer at your child’s school. Contact your child’s teacher for volunteer
information. We realize volunteering
during the school day is not always possible for parents that work. If that is the case, please know we have
numerous ways to get involved outside the regular school day. Parents are also encouraged to participate on
our active Parent Teacher Organization (PTO).
All
students, and their parents, have a role in maintaining a safe school
environment. Students who have knowledge
of an unsafe situation on campus (i.e. weapons, drugs, alcohol, fights,
bullying, etc.) are expected to report such incidents to an adult on
campus. All reports are anonymous and
can be made in a variety of ways. If a
student fails to report an unsafe situation for which they had prior knowledge,
they will be disciplined according to the progressive discipline plan. Please remind your child that being a
spectator at a fight, either on campus or on the way to or from school, would
fall under the discipline category.
A student doing their part to maintain a safe
environment is not a “tattle-tail or nark”.
As parents, you also have a huge role in helping us maintain a safe
school. Help your child understand their
role within the school and that providing information that could save a life or
prevent an accident is the right thing to do!
If your child shares information that makes you feel uneasy about their
safety, we would always prefer that you error on the side of caution by
contacting a school official.
What
can I do to help my child be successful at Piñon Hills Elementary School
Be
informed, involved, and keep the lines of communication open between home and
school. By working together we can make
your child's years at PHES successful.
Stay
informed! Read this handbook carefully,
it will give you the big picture of how things operate at PHES. Also read your child's peechee
that he/she receives, which will give you more information about school
policies and procedures. For parents of
students in grades third through sixth, we encourage you to regularly check
your child’s progress through Powerschool.
Use
the PHES website located at www.dcsd.k12.nv.us/phes. Our website will be a very valuable source of
information. I would recommend you make
our site your homepage at both home and work so you stay informed.
Get
involved! Participate in the PTO. Volunteer in the classrooms. Let us know how we're doing! If you have questions, concerns, or
compliments, give us a call or send an email.
We want to hear from you.
Get
acquainted with the school staff early in the year. Meet your child's teachers by coming to our
back to school night on September 2, 2011. Please also plan to attend our parent teacher conferences at the end of
November/beginning of December.
Take
time daily to talk with your child about what is happening at school.
Support
school assignments by assisting with projects, gathering resources, and making
sure your child has all the needed supplies.
STUDENT CONDUCT AND DISCIPLINE
What is the school-wide discipline plan?
Students
doing any of the following will meet with the principal to discuss
consequences:
1.
Disrespect
- by
any student to any student or staff member, or adult
2.
Danger
- any students who pose a danger to
themselves or others, including threat of violence, intimidation, or sexual
harassment
3.
Destruction
- any
student destroying school or personal property
4.
Disobedience
- by any student that is willful
or repeated
Piñon Hills Elementary School embraces a policy of progressive
discipline. Progressive discipline means
that each additional office referral will result in a more severe
consequence. Consequences
for the above behaviors could include time out, loss of recess privileges,
cleanup detail, payment for damaged items, work towards payment of damaged
items, an apology, Alternate In School Instruction
(AISI), or out of school suspension or expulsion. The
severity of the offense, determines the severity of the initial
consequence. Please note that the
consequences are listed in progressive order.
If your child is referred to the office again, the consequences will
continue to be progressively more severe, regardless of the reason for
referral.
Upon
the third visit to the principal’s office for disciplinary action, the student
could be assigned to a one-day AISI. The
fourth visit could result in a mandatory conference with the principal, teacher
and/or counselor, and parents prior to the student’s return to school. This conference would establish a behavior
modification plan for the student. Any
child who has a record of being suspended out of school for five or more times
for three days or more for any reason many be deemed a habitual discipline
problem and face possible expulsion from school.
Any
student who sees the principal for disciplinary action will receive a 4 (four)
in conduct for that week. A parent
contact will be made either by telephone or note to inform parents of any
incident involving an office visit. A 4
(four) in conduct makes the student ineligible for special class and school
activities until the next Thursday’s Student Folder grade is 3 (three) or
better.
What are the general school rules?
·
Each
classroom teacher is responsible for establishing rules of class conduct. These rules will be communicated to students
and parents within the first month of school.
·
When
inside the building, the rule is - WALK!
·
Students
must walk their bikes and scooters on campus.
·
All
walkers and bike riders leaving the campus on Stephanie Way must exit by the
yellow posts with the crossing guards.
·
Students
may also exit the school grounds through the south gate into the field off
Stewart Street.
·
It
is strongly recommended that students put their names on clothing, lunch boxes,
books, etc. The Lost and Found Box is
located near the multi-purpose room.
·
All
required books and materials are provided to every student free of charge. Students are expected to care for these items
as if they were their own. All textbooks
going home must be covered or protected.
In the event school materials are lost or damaged, students will be
assessed the prorated cost of the item.
·
No
toys are allowed at school. Toys brought to school will be confiscated and
returned at the end of the day. A second
occurrence will necessitate a parent retrieving the toy. Articles brought for show and tell must be
kept in the classroom. Electronic toys, MP3
players, and laser pointers are not allowed.
Trading items are considered toys and should not be brought to
school. Sports equipment may only be
brought if all students are allowed to use it and can participate in the
games. No skateboards, skate shoes,
roller blades, hard balls, or bats of any kind are allowed. If you are in doubt about the appropriateness
of an item, please call.
·
Gum
chewing is not allowed at Piñon Hills.
· Misconduct on the playground, in the library, music/art, P.E., or elsewhere will be reflected in classroom conduct grades. Students’ conduct goes with them wherever they go.
Is there a student dress code?
Douglas
County School District’s dress code requires that students pay attention to
personal cleanliness and not wear clothing that would detract from the
educational process. Bare midriffs,
spaghetti-strap tops, short-shorts, and clothing printed with inappropriate
language, double meanings, or substance abuse messages are prohibited. Clothing, accessories, and other items with
gang connotations are prohibited. Mid-thigh
shorts and tank tops with 2-inch straps are allowed. Hats may not be worn in the building. Sunglasses may not be worn unless prescribed
by a doctor. Shoes or sandals must be
worn.
What is the school and district policy on harassment and bullying?
Harassment of students by another student, by a student to a
District staff member, or by a member of the staff to a student, will not be
tolerated in this school or in this District.
Harassment by Board members, parents, vendors and others in this
Harassment on the basis of race, religion, sex, national origin,
disability, parental or marital status, or age means conduct of a verbal or
physical nature that is designed to embarrass,
distress, agitate, disturb or trouble students. Demeaning jokes, stories or
activities directed at the student are considered forms of harassment. Sexual harassment means unwelcome sexual
advances, requests for sexual favors and other verbal or physical conduct of a
sexual nature. Examples: verbal or written harassment or abuse; repeated
remarks to a person with sexual or demeaning implications; unwelcome touching.
The School and/or District will promptly and reasonably
investigate allegations of harassment. Any student who has knowledge of or
feels he/she is a victim of harassment should immediately report his/her
concerns to a staff member, counselor, the building administration, or the
Superintendent if the principal is the subject of the complaint. Violation of
this policy may result in discipline, up to and including suspension and
expulsion. The School/District has the authority to report students in
violation of this policy to law enforcement officials. Retaliation against a
student who has filed a harassment complaint or assisted or participated in a
harassment investigation or proceeding is prohibited. A student who is found to
have retaliated against another in violation of this policy will be subject to
discipline up to and including suspension and expulsion.
As stated previously in this handbook, it is critical for students
and parents to make the principal, counselor, or teachers aware of issues as
they arise. Reporting problems after the
fact does not allow school officials to intervene and bring about positive
changes.
What happens if my child is suspended from school?
Suspension is a serious consequence reserved for misbehaviors
including but not limited to fighting, serious defiance or disrespect, using or
bringing illegal items to school, vandalism, etc. If your child is suspended, you will be
contacted at home or work and be asked to pick your child up from school as
soon as possible. Students are generally
allowed to make up school work for time missed during the suspension (at 75% value)
but they may not attend or participate in any school activities such as sports,
assemblies, parties, etc. Students who
are suspended out of school are not allowed on any
What if my child needs to ride a different bus or get off at a
stop other than the usual one?
For safety reasons, students are expected to ride the same bus
every day and get off at the stop closest to their home. If your child needs to ride a different bus
or get off at another stop, a bus pass is needed. To get a bus pass, your child needs to bring
a note signed by you to the secretary in the main office and one will be
issued. Failure to comply with this
policy may result in a bus citation or other disciplinary action.
NOTICES
Notice
of NonDiscrimination
The
ANNUAL
NOTIFICATION OF RIGHTS UNDER
THE
FAMILY EDUCATIONAL RIGHTS AND PRIVACY ACT (FERPA)
The
Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) affords
parents and students over 18 years of age (“eligible students”) certain rights
with respect to the student’s education records. These rights are as follows:
1.
The
right to inspect and review the student’s education records within 45 days of
the day the Douglas County School District receives a request for access.
Parents or eligible students should submit to the school principal a written
request that identifies the record(s) they wish to inspect. The school
principal will make arrangements for access and notify the parent or eligible
student of the time and place where the records may be inspected.
2.
The
right to request the amendment of the student’s education
records that the parent or eligible student believes are inaccurate or
misleading. Parents or eligible students
may ask the Douglas County School District to amend a record that they believe
is inaccurate or misleading. They should write the school principal, clearly
identify the part of the record they want changed, and specify why it is
inaccurate or misleading. If the District decides not to amend the record as
requested by the parent or eligible student, the District will notify the
parent or eligible student of the decision and advise them of their right to a
hearing regarding the request for amendment. Additional information regarding
the hearing procedures will be provided to the parent or eligible student when
notified of the right to a hearing.
3.
The
right to consent to disclosures of personally identifiable information
contained in the student’s education records, except to the extent that FERPA
authorizes disclosure without consent. One exception, which permits disclosure
without consent, is disclosure to school officials with legitimate educational
interests. A school official is a person employed by the District as an
administrator, supervisor, instructor, or support staff member (including health
or medical staff and law enforcement unit personnel);
a counselor, a school psychologist; a person serving on the School Board; a person or company with whom the District has contracted to
perform a special task (such as an attorney, auditor, medical consultant, or
therapist); or a parent or student serving on an
official committee, such as a disciplinary or grievance committee, or assisting
another school official in performing his or her tasks. A school official has a
legitimate educational interest if the official needs to review an education
record in order to fulfill his or her professional responsibility. Upon
request, the School discloses education records without consent to officials of
another school, school system, or institution of postsecondary education where
the student seeks or intends to enroll.
4.
The
right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning
alleged failures by the school to comply with the requirements of FERPA. The
federal office that administers FERPA is:
Family Policy Compliance Office
U.S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Avenue, SW
Washington, DC 202024605