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Handbook

Harry Dewey Fundamental Elementary

Our school's mission is to provide an excellent educational experience for all of our students. Dewey embraces the philosophy that academics and community go hand in hand. We believe that creativity, communication, collaboration, critical thinking skills and connection, coupled with family support of the school’s efforts, is essential for student success.

MIND

• Critical thinking

• Collaboration and Communication

• High academic expectations

• Kind, respectful and accepting behavior

• Problems solvers

HEART

• Responsible citizens

• Pride in accomplishments

• Respect for self, others, and property

• Community commitment

• An embracing of diversity

BODY

• Self-discipline

• Safety

• Perseverance

• Visual, physical and musical movement

• Healthy lifestyle choices

School Arrival/Dismissal:

School begins at 8:55am. Students may NOT be dropped off or appear on campus before 8:45am as there is no supervision before that time.

Students are expected to arrive at school in a timely manner. Tardy or late students must stop at the office to check in and get a late slip. Students who do not check in will be marked absent and a parent will be called. The total number of tardies and absences are reported on each student's report card each trimester.

Release During Class Hours

For the welfare and protection of your children, your cooperation in the following procedures will be appreciated.

  • Children leaving school during the day for any reason should bring a signed note from the parent or guardian permitting us to excuse your child.
  • The parent or authorized adult must come to the office where he/she will be required to sign the checkout log giving their name, relationship, and reason for taking child from school.
  • While the adult is recording this information, the classroom will then be called and asked to send the child to the office. ID will be checked.
  • A child may be checked out by someone other than the parent or guardian only if the parent has given authorization by note, phone call, or the person is listed on the child’s emergency card.

Dismissal Safety- Drivers

  • Please have a consistent pick up routine for your child no matter who is picking them up. Set a standard location for your child and have each adult adapt to that standard location.
  • Children being picked up in cars will wait at the front of the school. Cars will drive single-file through the pick-up area. Adult supervisors will load the students into the cars. No cars may be parked and left unattended in the pick-up line.
  • Approach the school on Falcon going west to Goodyear in a one-way direction.
  • During drop off and pick up, Falcon Rd is a one-way street. Do not pass the car line or block neighbors' driveways.
  • Please observe the parking restriction signs on Falcon Rd. The CHP will cite illegally-parked vehicles.
  • Students are to be picked up immediately after dismissal. There is no supervision provided beyond that time period. If students are not picked up and a parent or emergency contact cannot be reached, the Sheriff’s department will be called.
  • Traffic is a problem. You may want to pick your child up at the Papaya or Rockland kiddie walks.
  • Please be courteous, drive slowly, and do not block our neighbors’ driveways.

Dismissal Safety- Students

  • Students report directly to their dismissal location when the bell rings.
  • Students are to be attentive to the supervising adults, looking at and listening to them for information.
  • Students are to raise their hand and step forward when they see their vehicle.
  • Students are to be focused on quickly and safely getting in the vehicle; do not run.
  • This is not the time for playing, chasing, raising voices, nor are there to be balls or musical instruments out or used.

Bicycles/Skateboards/Scooters

  • Bicycles must be locked properly in the bike rack at all times.
  • Learn about and obey all laws relating to bike riding to ensure safety.
  • Students may not ride their bicycle/skateboard/scooter on the school grounds at any time.
  • Students are required to wear helmets as stated by CA law, when riding a bike.
  • No motorized recreation vehicles are permitted on school grounds.

Attendance and Emergency Information:

Reporting an Absence

Please notify the school if your child is going to be absent as soon as possible. To do so, call the attendance hotline at (916) 971-7020 or email deweyabsence@sanjuan.edu to report the absence. Please state the student's name, teacher, date and reason for the absence.

Student Attendance

Your child's teacher carefully plans each day in order to introduce new learning and concepts, as well as build upon ideas and prior knowledge. This makes it necessary that your child attend school each day in order to get the most from his/her education. Students also miss valuable instructional time whenever they are late or leave early from instruction. Every minute at school builds on a child's education and increases the knowledge needed for learning. If a student is tardy or absent an excessive amount, the school attendance clerk, along with the principal, is obligated to refer the student to the San Juan Unified School Attendance Review Board (SARB) for further action. We feel punctuality and attendance are very important for our students' academic success at Dewey.

Student Emergency Information

At the beginning of the school year, families are asked to fill out emergency information online, in the parent portal (i.e. medical information, phone numbers, addresses, notification of adults in case of emergency). It is necessary that we have this information filled out for each student so we can act promptly in an emergency situation. Please advise the school of any change in this information immediately. When a friend or family member's name is provided as a contact in the parent or guardian's absence, the friend or family member should be informed. It is imperative that this information is updated and accurate at all times. A student may not be released to any person not identified on the emergency card. Also, student information may not be shared with anyone on the card. Please remember, the office cannot release your child during the school day to anyone other than parents and those persons who are specified in writing as emergency contacts on the Emergency Cards.

School Communication

  • Teachers will inform parents of class activities when necessary.
  • The school will send home a weekly school newsletter.
  • Parents will be immediately notified about their child’s quality of work, behavior, academic progress, test results, and assignments when necessary.
  • PFO meetings will be scheduled on a regular basis.
  • Parent conferences will occur on a formal and informal basis by appointment.
  • Classes will not be interrupted to give students or teachers messages from parents unless it is an emergency.
  • The school will use Talking Points, a two-way messaging system, to communicate with families.

Home Communication

  • Take a look at everything your child brings home. Respond promptly to communications sent by the school, which require a parent signature and/or response.
  • When requested by teacher, parents will promptly acknowledge receipt of homework, work or tests completed and absentee assignments.
  • The absence line is (916) 867-2021 or email deweyabsence@sanjuan.edu. Parents are asked to call in when their child is late or absent. If the school is not notified by 9:45 am, the parent will receive a message.
  • Parents will inform the school if the home situation is changing, difficult or there is an unusual event (i.e. divorce, death, remarriage).
  • Ask your child to tell you about school. Ask 'how' and 'why' questions.
  • Give praise if possible—give hope and concern if praise is not possible.
  • Share ideas!

Student Rights

Students have the following rights:

1. Respect from adults and peers

2. Privacy (including restrooms)

3. Fair treatment

4. Freedom to express opinions and beliefs in an appropriate manner

5. Opportunity to progress at their own rate

6. A positive and collaborative classroom

7. Competent teachers, adequate materials and facilities

8. Safe environment—physically and mentally

9. Rules and expectations that are clearly defined

10. Freedom from slurs that are racial, ethnic, religious, sexually demeaning, or that relate to handicapped people.

Student Responsibilities

Students are responsible to:

  • Know and follow school rules
  • Demonstrate respect for:
    • Themselves
    • Others (Peers and adults)
    • Property
    • Possessions
      • Students will be responsible for neglect or vandalism of all school materials or equipment.
  • Deliver communications to and from home and school (including absence notices).
  • Demonstrate proper conduct in classroom:
    • a. Neatly completed tasks
    • b. Neatly completed and returned homework
    • c. Have necessary tools to work
  • Maintain regular attendance.
  • Arrive on time (No more than 10 minutes early).
  • Be neat and clean at all times.

Family Responsibilities

Families are expected to:

  • Assure regular attendance and the prompt arrival and departure of their child.
  • Respond promptly to communications sent by the school that require a signature and/or response.
  • Notify the school of the reason for a child’s absence.
  • Attend appropriate parent meetings.
  • Help in correcting discipline problems.
  • Support the homework guidelines.
  • Help in the total school program, at school and/or at home.
  • Families are encouraged to volunteer 1 hour/week/student.
  • Schedule vacations during regular school holidays.
  • Support the dress and grooming guidelines.
  • Encourage a positive attitude toward the school.
  • Sign a commitment to support the philosophy and guidelines of the Dewey Fundamental program.

Student Medication at School

It is the policy of the San Juan Unified School District to cooperate with the pupil's parent/guardian and his/her physician by administering and providing a safe place for the storage of medication deemed necessary for pupils who have potentially LIFE-THREATENING MEDICAL CONDITIONS or who need medication administered during the school day. Selected school personnel may store and/or dispense such prescribed medication to pupils upon written request of a physician only when the medication is in the original container. A Medical Release form (filled out by your physician) for any medication is required to be on file prior to administering. Medical Release forms are available in the office. Inhalers must be kept in the office when a child is at school. No medication may be with a student at any time unless we have medical authorization on file in the office.

*Please do not ask the office or teaching staff to dispense medication to your child, such as cough drops, pain relievers, and/or over the counter medications. We are not allowed to do this. All medication MUST have a Medical Release Form completed by your child's physician and parent in order for medication to be dispensed.

Cell Phones and Smart Watches on Campus

Current state law allows students to bring cell phones/smart watches to schools, with parental permission, for use during an emergency. District policy permits the use of cell phones/smart watches for emergencies only and their presence on school grounds will be allowed as long as students follow these guidelines:

  • Cell phones/smart watches are to be turned off while on school grounds, except during extreme emergencies.*
  • Cell phones/smart watches are to be kept out of sight at all times while on the school campus. This includes before and after school. If a student fails to abide by these rules, he/she will lose the right to carry a cell phone/smart watch with him/her during school hours. If the parent states that a cell phone/smart watch is required for after school reasons, it will be left in the office during school hours.
  • Cell phones/smart watches are not to be used to call parents, friends, or relatives while on campus or in place of school phones except during extreme emergencies.*
  • The school is not responsible for cell phones/smart watches brought to school and will not be liable for damaged, destroyed, or lost cell phones/smart watches.
  • Cell phone/smart watch permission slips must be completed and turned in prior to cell phones/smart watches being brought on campus.

Items that should stay at home

Knives, gun replicas, squirt guns, iPods, handheld games or music devices, radios, silly bands, headsets, earbuds, cell phones, magazines, sports equipment, stuffed animals, dolls, spinners, trading cards, electrical devices or battery-operated objects, personal property, toys, etc... should not be brought to school. Prior permission must be obtained from a student's teacher before any deviation from this rule can be made (i.e. sharing, cell phone permission slips). These items tend to distract student learning and become available for theft and loss.

Behavior Expectations

Students have the right to know what is expected of them and what is considered to be appropriate behavior. School rules will be reviewed and discussed with students regularly in each classroom. Parents and staff will act as appropriate role models.

Consequences

Students are expected to follow the rules of the school. Non-compliance can result in the following disciplinary measures:

1. Visual warning

2. Verbal warning

3. Loss of privileges

4. Campus community service

5. Parent notification (teacher’s discretion)

6. Principal conference

7. Suspension

Suspension/Expulsion

Students may be suspended or removed from ongoing instruction for any of the following reasons:

  • Causing, attempting to cause, or threatening to cause physical injury to another person.
  • Possessing, selling or furnishing any unauthorized firearm, knife, explosives or other dangerous object.
  • Possessing, using, selling, furnishing or being under the influence of any controlled substance, alcoholic beverage or intoxicant.
  • Unlawfully offering, arranging or negotiating to sell any controlled substance, an alcoholic beverage, or an intoxicant of any kind, and then either selling, delivering or otherwise furnishing to any person another liquid, substance, or material and/or representing the liquid, substance or material as a controlled substance, alcoholic beverage, or intoxicant.
  • Committing robbery or extortion.
  • Causing or attempting to cause damage to school property or private property.
  • Stealing or attempting to steal school property or private property.
  • Possessing or using tobacco.
  • Committing an obscene act or engaging in habitual profanity or vulgarity.
  • Offering, arranging, or negotiating to sell any drug paraphernalia.
  • Disrupting school activities or willfully defying the valid authority of supervisors, teachers, administrators, school officials or other school personnel engaged in the performance of their duties.

Students may be expelled or removed from the immediate supervision and control of school personnel for any of the following reasons:

  • Causing, attempting to cause, or threatening to cause physical injury to another person.
  • Possessing, selling or furnishing any unauthorized firearm, knife, explosive or other dangerous object.
  • Possessing, using, selling, furnishing, or being under the influence of any controlled substance, alcoholic beverage or intoxicant.