Student Handbook

** Means new, important additions or changes

Community Council

Glenna Parker, Joe Stapert, Mike Hightower, Byron King,
Lisa Perkins, Jenny Schmidt
Becki Monsen, Linda Stewart, Barbara Thornley,
Lynne Farnsworth, Dorthea Gray

Our Vision for Hunter

Hunter Elementary is an environment where:

Students:

feel safe, accepted and are comfortable expressing their ideas.
are accountable for consequences of personal choices.
are actively engaged in learning.

Parents:

are welcomed, needed and appreciated.
know the vision for students is being met.
are accountable for reinforcing school expectations at home.

Teachers:

are valued as professionals.
are united in working as partners with students, parents and the community.
are united as a faculty for the success of the school vision.

ARRIVAL and DEPARTURE

Granite School District does not provide for student supervision on elementary school playgrounds before or after school. Therefore, it is recommended that students arrive at the school as close to the beginning time as possible. School doors are open 20 minutes before and close15 minutes after the designated school hours. If students are to be kept after school, parents will be notified.

ATTENDANCE PROCEDURES

Any student entering the school late or leaving before the end of the school day must check in or out at the office. Please send a note to school following an absence explaining the reason for our child’s absence. Written notes for absences are required by the State and are kept. If a doctor's appointment cannot be scheduled before or after school hours, a note from the doctor's office will be required upon entering school. Please contact the school office if your child will be out for more than three days. When a child will miss two weeks because of illness or accident, please inquire about a home teacher. Excessive absences will be tracked for further intervention. Please refer to the “Granite School District Attendance Policy” included in the folder.

RELEASE OF STUDENTS DURING SCHOOL HOURS

If it is necessary for the child to be dismissed from school, the child is to bring a note to the office before school. Parents, please remember to do this and avoid calling by telephone except in case of emergency. The office cannot always determine whether a telephone call request is legitimate; we do not want to risk your child's safety. If it is necessary to pick up your child during the school day, please come to the office. Students can only be released to those individuals listed on the card. Do not go directly to the classroom or playground. Please remind your children that they should not leave the school grounds during the day (including recess and lunch time) unless he/she has been excused by the office. This will be done only with written or verbal permission from the parent.

ANIMALS AT SCHOOL

Pets brought to school for special times need to be penned or leashed and supervised by an adult. Animal control will pick up any stray animals.

BICYCLES

Students should walk their bikes when entering or leaving the school grounds. Bikes will be placed and locked at the bike rack which will be off limits during the school day.
The school is not responsible for stolen or damaged personal items.

DRESS AND GROOMING

We support the position that parents should oversee their children's dress so that it is modest, clean and appropriate. Students may not wear clothes that advertise profanity, drugs, alcohol, tobacco, suggestive remarks, or which provoke illegal acts. Clothing with holes or shredded, tank tops, short-shorts, mini-skirts, halter tops or bare midriffs are prohibited. Hats are not allowed because of health concerns.
Please make sure your children are dressed appropriately for the weather conditions. With few exceptions, students will go outdoors during recess and lunch times. On exceptionally cold or stormy days, students will remain indoors.

DISCIPLINE POLICY

The Hunter Way is to be Safe, Respectful and Responsible. Hunter Elementary’s Citizenship plan is a positive approach based on the concept that teachers have the right to teach and students have the right to learn. To ensure this, we have joined with the State Office of Education to promote an “absence of threat” philosophy. We believe that all student can learn and behave. Each classroom will develop rules, consequences and rewards. There are SCHOOLWIDE RULES for out-of-classroom areas such as restrooms, lunchroom, halls and playground. The principal and school staff will counsel and work with the student at each level to help him/her overcome problems. Students who choose to break school rules will receive a disciplinary slip called a “white slip” Listed on the white slip is the rule broken. “Red slips” are issued when a more serious behavior has occurred. Consequences for a red slip are meant to change problem behavior. It may include: parent conference; restricted recess; In-school suspension (ISS) ; out of school suspension (OSS). Inflicting physical pain on another person will not be tolerated; play fighting is considered as fighting. The school’s special services team will be asked to help with repeated severe discipline problems. If a student violates the District “School Safety Policy” which includes any act of violence, possession of any type of weapon or look alike, any form of organized gang activity, sexual harassment or any type of criminal behavior the consequences are:

Automatic suspension from school
Immediate referral to law enforcement officials
Mandatory parent conference at school
Referral to District Pupil Services

Note: See District Safe School Policy included in this packet.

According to state law, students who touch other’s private areas, either skin or on top of clothing, will be referred to either the police or the Dept of Child and Family Services.

HEALTH AND ACCIDENTS

Parents are urged to keep children home when they show symptoms of illness. **A parent may write a note daily for a child to stay in from recess, for up to three days in a row. After the 3rd day, the child is sick enough to be seen by a doctor and a doctor’s will be needed to remain inside. After 10 days of absence, cumulative during one school year, the school will request a verification of illness from a doctor. The school staff can only administer bandaids and ice to students involved in minor accidents. If the staff has any question regarding the seriousness of an injury, parents will be notified immediately. **Paramedics may be called to help diagnosis questionable injuries. They can diagnosis for free. If parents are unable to be contacted and and the First Aid Trained staff has concerns, paramedics will be called and possibly transport the injured child. If necessary for a student to be sent home because of an accident or illness, the parent will be notified to come and get the child. Please call for your child at the office and sign him/her out. If parents cannot be reached, the person designated for emergencies will be notified. If none of the designated persons can be contacted, the principal or her designee will decide what to do. It is important that the school be provided with up-to-date residence, work and emergency numbers.

**HEALTH RECORDS

Utah law requires proper immunization information to be submitted upon registration in public school. Students with incomplete, necessary information will be given one month to get the information complete. At that time the student may be asked to not to attend until the immunizations are complete.

HOMEWORK

Homework Philosophy: “Homework is the assignment and preparation of work to be completed outside the classroom. It should be assigned in such a way as to insure student growth and to reinforce, supplement and compliment learning that takes place in the classroom.” Handbook - Granite School District Homework

Homework for lower grades may be 15-20 minutes of reading each night and reviewing of math facts. Upper grades may have 45-90 minutes of assigned homework. Teacher’s Disclosure papers may deal more specifically with homework expectations for that particular class.

When your student is absent, and you wish to get the missed assignments for those absent day/days, please call the office before lunch recess. This allows the teacher at least one recess to pull homework together.

INSURANCE

A medical accident insurance plan is available for students at a nominal cost. If you do not have family insurance, we would encourage you to consider one of the plans offered.

MEDICATION

Any prescribed or over-the-counter medication you wish your child to take at school must be in the original container, properly labeled, accompanied by Granite District Permission to Administer Medication form signed by both the physician and the parent. The container label should indicate the name of the medication, amount, and time it should be given. This form is available in the office. When a child takes the same medication all year, one completed form is acceptable. Trained staff members oversee and record when the student uses the medicine. Medications must be delivered to the school by an adult in the appropriately labeled container.

PATRIOTIC EDUCATION

“The student has the right not to participate in reciting the pledge. A student shall be excused from reciting the pledge upon written request from the student’s parents or legal guardian.” No disciplinary action will be taken if a child is formally exempted. Exempted students may not be disruptive during the pledge. Requests for R277-105-5 “Waiver of Participation in School” forms are available in the office.
The pledge is recited daily either on a schoolwide or individual class levels.

PERSONAL ITEMS FROM HOME

The only time students should bring toys to school is when the teacher requests them to do so (show and tell, for example). Students will assume responsibility for any personal items brought to school, although every effort will be made to help find lost items. Items specifically not to be brought include skate boards, rollerblades, scooters, electronic games, radios, cameras, tape recorders, guns (or facsimiles), pocket knives, or other equipment. The school is not responsible for items students choose to bring from home, but we will help in its recovery.

**CELL PHONES

According to Granite School District Board Policy 9-21-2004, schools may prohibit all use of communication devices during instructional time regardless of whether the use is to send or receive messages. Communication devices will be confiscated when in violation of these rules. Parents will need to make plans for the return of the device. Hunter Elementary accepts no responsibility for loss of or damage to any communication device.

PROMOTIONS AND RETENTIONS

The question as to the advisability of retaining or giving special promotions to children should be referred to the Principal who will convene a team meeting to study the proposal. The team will consist of parents, classroom teacher, principal, psychologist, resource teacher and others necessary to make an informed decision. Because research shows these to be poor alternatives, the team will use many sources before making a decision. In case of special needs, or lack of consensus, the Student Services Department of our district will be consulted for review and decision.

**RECESS

Daily outdoor recesses are valuable in promoting healthy classroom conditions. Your child is expecting to participate in playground activities which take place during recess. Children should be dressed appropriately for the weather. Children recovering from illness must bring a note daily to stay inside. If it is to be for an extended period of time, over three days, instructions written by the doctor should be included.

SAFETY PATROL

Safety Patrol provides a special service to our school. We ask 6th graders to apply. Students chosen for Safety Patrol must maintain good grades and citizenship. Students and parents should pay attention to Safety Patrol, treat them with respect and follow their directions.

**SCHOOL BREAKFAST & LUNCH

Hot lunches can be purchased for $1.20 and breakfast for $0.75 per day. Students bringing cold lunch may purchase milk for $0.30. Anyone else eating hot lunch with students pay the adult price, $2.25 in cash. Lunch money may be paid on a weekly or monthly basis. Please stay current with payments; students will call parents when they are two lunches behind. Meals cannot be served on a credit basis. A partial meal may be given so a child doesn’t go hungry, if money isn’t paid. An application for free or reduced lunch is available through the office.

SCHOOL SAFETY POLICY

We are committed to providing a safe and orderly environment where all people are treated with courtesy and respect. Granite School District prohibits the following:

All forms of sexual harassment, including verbal, written or physical conduct, are prohibited.
Any threats or acts of violence
Possession of any type of weapon, real or facsimile, regardless of intent
Gang-related activities
Criminal behavior
Destruction or defacement of school property
Willful disobedience or persistent defiance of authority

SCHOOL SUPPLIES

Children are held responsible for the condition of all textbooks, library books or calculators checked out to them. A charge may be assessed if these items are lost or damaged beyond the usual wear and tear.

SEXUAL HARASSMENT

Granite District has adopted an attitude of zero tolerance of sexual harassment. Any kind of sexual harassment by students or employees is against the law. Offensive, demeaning sexual comments or behavior will not be acceptable. See the Granite School District Safe School Policy in this folder. According to state law we must call police or DCFS if someone touches another’s private areas.

TREATS/BIRTHDAYS

All treats must be “store bought”. No homemade treats are allowed for students.

TELEPHONES

Students may not use school phones except in emergency cases. During school hours, students will need to get a phone pass from the classroom teacher before using the phone. Students are to go home immediately after school and should not use the phones to make other arrangements.

VISITORS

Parents are always welcome to visit the school. When you do visit, please check in at the office and receive a visitors pass. We cannot honor requests for friends, relatives and pre-school age children to visit in the school or go on school buses.

Disclaimer: Granite School District and its schools are not responsible for information obtained through links to non-school, non-district sites. Please contact school or district web site staff if you are concerned about a link to a non-school, non-district site.