Handbook

First grade through Fifth grade:

Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday: 8:15 am to 2:50 pm

Wednesday : 9:15 am to 2:50 pm

Traditional Kindergarten:

Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday: 8:15 am to 11:35 am

Wednesday : 9:15 am to 12:35 am

Discovery Kindergarten:

Monday through Friday: 8:15 am to 11:35 am

Any changes to the schedule will be advised by teacher.

Minimum Day Schedule

Kindergarten: Any changes to the schedule will be communicated by the teacher

First Grade to Fifth Grade: 8:15 am to 12:30 pm

Please have your student to school on time.  When students come to school late, they miss valuable class instruction and can be disruptive when entering a classroom that has already gotten underway for the day.

For students’ safety, campus supervision begins 15 minutes before school starts and continues for 15 minutes after school.

If abusive tardy problems persist, Truancy officers are contacted.

When your child is absent from school, please call the ATTENDANCE LINE, (925) 484-3031 as soon as possible, leaving a message including the reason for your child’s absence.  If you do not call, the office staff will have to call you to determine why your child is not at school.

Walnut Grove does not receive state funds when a child is out of school for illness, funerals, trips or appointments.  Please help us retain our funding by not taking your child out of school.

Walnut Grove will receive funding if you complete an independent study form (your child must be absent for at least 5 days).  Independent study forms are available in the office.

In order to ensure the safety of our students, during drop off and pick up times please keep in the mind the following:

When parking: 

• Park on the street, restrain from using parking lot designated for staff use.  

• Do not park or get off the car on the curb in front of the flag pole, these lanes are for drop-off and pick-up only.

• It is not allowed to park or use the parking lot next to Walnut Grove Park as a drop-off / pick-up lane.

• Do not park next red lines marked as fire lanes.

• Avoid blocking neighbors driveways.

• Use cross walks to keep yourself and your child safe as you cross the street.

When using the drop-off and pick-up  curb in front of the flag pole. 

• Don't park or get off your your car - it holds up the entire line of cars behind you.

• Pull forward as much as you are able to allow more cars to drop off at the same time.

• Unload your children from the passenger (right) side of the car.

• If you need to enter the building or get out of your car for any reason, you must find a place to park. 

• If your child does not dismiss from the building in a timely manner, you may be asked to find a parking spot to wait for him/her.

A good day at school starts with getting there safely.  Please follow all traffic laws and drive slowly and carefully in the blocks around our school.  Always come to complete stops at stop signs, don’t make U-turns mid-block, and watch for children crossing the streets.   Be alert and drive defensively, and make sure ALL our kids have a good safe start to their day.  The school zone speed limit is 25 mph, but it doesn’t hurt to slow it down even more.  Remember to be careful not to block our neighbors’ driveways when you park.

Remind kids who walk or ride bikes or scooters to school not to dart out between cars and to look carefully before crossing streets, specially at those intersections where there is no crossing guard.

Walk, bike and car “pools” are a great way to alleviate traffic around our schools.  For information on Pleasanton’s School traffic calming program, visit www.Pleasantonschoolpool.org, or call 925-931-5039. 

Bikes and Scooters

The bike rack is located behind the multipurpose room.  If you ride your bike to school, please lock your bike in the bike rack.  All students in grades 2 through 5 may ride their bikes to school.  First grade students need to bring a note from their parent. Please remember when you ride your bike:

1. Follow all bike safety rules including wearing helmets (this goes for scooters also)

2. Walk your bike inside the bike rack.  No riding on any area of the campus.

3. Bring a lock for your bike.  You must lock your bike and you cannot lock up with a friend.  You may not lock up on the outside of the bike rack.

4. If you vandalize or take a bike without permission, you may lose bike privileges for the remainder of the school year.

5. Please be extremely careful when you leave school to go home.  Walk your bike off campus, then ride home carefully.

6. The school has no legal responsibility for bikes.  Damaged or stolen bikes are the financial responsibility of the owner.

7. We encourage you to register your bike with the Pleasanton Police Department or city hall.

Crossing Guards

There are crossing guards at Valley Avenue and Northway, Harvest Road and Northway, Black Avenue and Harvest Road, and also, Hopyard Avenue and Black.

To help ensure the safety of children, faculty and staff, all school visitors are required to sign in at the office, and pick up a visitor badge to wear while on campus.  Please return the badge and sign out before leaving Walnut Grove.

If you plan to use your personal vehicle to drive on any school field trip during the 2010-2011 school year, you must complete a form to establish that you have the required insurance coverage.   A new form must be submitted each year, even if last year’s insurance coverage remains valid.  You can pick up a copy of the form at Registration Day or in the office.  Attach a copy of your insurance, including policy limits, and submit them back to the office for the principal’s signature.  Be sure to take care of this well in advance of any field trip you may wish to drive on.  

Please note that preschool age children are not permitted to accompany chaperones on field trips.

Walnut Grove encourages high standards in our students academically and socially. These standards are better maintained when our students are appropriately dressed.

The following attire is not permitted:

• Short shorts, gym shorts, jogging shorts, swim trunks, men’s boxer shorts, and biker shorts (mid-thigh length Bermuda shorts are appropriate for hot weather)

• Bare midriffs

• “See through” clothing

• Tank tops, tube tops, halter tops, half shirts, mesh tops

• T-shirts with suggestive words or obscene gestures on them

• Cut off or baggy pants with ragged hems or rips

• Hats, caps and visors indoors

• Gang related attire

• Footwear is required at all times and must be safe and appropriate for indoor and outdoor activity.

We encourage our students to eat a well balanced lunch each day.  Milk and juice are available for purchase during lunch.  Hot lunches are available for purchase.  Forgotten lunches may be left in the office for student pick up during recess or in the cafeteria during lunch.  Please remind your child to check in the office for forgotten lunches.  A student may only charge up to $10.  After that they will be offered fruit, yogurt, milk and/or juice.

You may charge money to your child's account visiting mynutrikids.com

All prescription and over the counter medication administered at school requires a written statement signed by the parent and physician as follows:

A statement from the physician detailing the method, amount and time schedule by which medication is to be taken.

Physician’s standard form with signature will be accepted in lieu of school district medication authorization form.

A signed statement from the parent or guardian concurring with the physician’s statement.

All medication must be in the original prescription container.  Over the counter medication must be in the original container with dosage and frequency clearly indicated.

Physician/parent authorization forms must be renewed annually.

Medication left in the school office at the end of the school year will be discarded.

For more information and links to forms, please visit:

http://www.pleasanton.k12.ca.us/educationalservices/pupilservices/healthservices.cfm

Forms are also available in the Walnut Grove office.

Remind children about after school activities and transportation arrangements before they leave for school.

Drop forgotten homework and lunches in the office.  Students may not leave class to pick up articles until recess or lunchtime.

Office staff will not call a classroom unless there is an emergency, so please tell your child to check with the office for any messages or forgotten items

• Birthdays:  We celebrate birthdays two ways at Walnut Grove.  Once a month there is a birthday table during lunches where birthday people may sit and eat ice cream.  If a student wishes to celebrate his/her individual birthday, we have the birthday book program.  The student may bring a book to be donated to the classroom library.  Students may paste a photograph and inscription in the front cover. All students will have the opportunity to be recognized at our monthly birthday table.  August birthdays will be included in the September celebration and July birthdays will be celebrated in June.

• Spirit Days: Walnut Grove  spirit days will be celebrated by the wearing of special clothing and special class activities.

•  Assemblies: Students will meet periodically through the school year as a student body to experience special programs which will enhance their educational needs.  These gathering may offer enrichment opportunities to students, or they may be held to celebrate or Character Education program.

• Class Parties: This is an activity that takes place outside of the normal academic routine.  Each class is allowed a maximum of three parties per year at the discretion of the teacher.  This policy does not preclude positive incentive programs which teachers might have for their students who display outstanding academic achievement and/or behavior. Food must follow District guidelines. 

• Field Trips: Class or grade level trips off the school grounds will apply learning from the classroom to the real world.  All trips will be explained fully to parents and must show relevance to the curriculum.  All trips will be cleared in advance with the school administration.

• Fundraising: These activities have become necessary to provide extra materials and equipment.  Fundraising is kept to a minimum and is coordinated through the PTA.

The counseling program offers support for students through small group instruction on various topics, such as social skills, study skills, and self-esteem.  A second aspect of the program is parent support in the form of parenting workshops, support groups and newsletters.

Our GATE program offers identified students an opportunity of classes to meet their special needs and interests.  Special testing for identification is done in spring for students in grades three through five only.  Parents and teachers can recommend students for testing.  Special interest courses may be offered for all GATE students after school throughout the district. 

Walnut Grove offers the advantage of small group instruction by resource specialists for students who, after testing, qualify for the program.  Teachers recommend students for testing based on their academic achievement in the classroom.  Prior to testing, a formal meeting is held to discuss the student’s needs.

In accordance with Pleasanton Unified School District policy and in the interest of educational excellence, we ask those participating in school sanctioned field trips abide by the following guidelines.

Role/Responsibility of Teacher

• Align and connect field trip experiences with school goals and curriculum;

• Inform parents of all trips, their purpose, destinations, mode of transportation, costs (if any) and secure positive written permission from parent/guardian;

• Inform students of behavioral expectations and take appropriate action where needed;

• Provide the administration with a list of chaperones as well as each chaperone’s assigned students;

• Provide clear driving directions (parent drivers) as well as parking instructions as needed;

• Provide the office with one or more cell phone numbers for emergency contact;

• Take attendance/headcount before embarking (to and from destination)

• Bring the following and distribute to chaperones as needed;

  • Student Emergency Cards (copy)

  • Emergency backpack

  • Class list

Role/Responsibility of Chaperone

• Receive clearance from school administration for participation (Volunteer Form);

  • All forms are subject to background check

• Complete vehicle insurance requirement form (if driving);

• Valid only once signed by principal (documentation required)

• Follow safety guidelines

  • Seatbelts and appropriate restraints (car seat for less than 60 lbs. & under 6 years of age

  • No small children in front passenger seat if auto has passenger airbag

  • Obey all driving laws and regulations

• Find alternative childcare for siblings;

• Be punctual;

• Be aware of behavioral expectations for students and report any questionable behaviors to teacher;

• Become familiar with your assigned student group;

• Have a great time!!!

Role/Responsibility of Students

• Unless otherwise directed by teacher, follow all routine Walnut Grove behavioral expectations;

  • All behavior should reflect respect and safety

• Obey chaperone at all times;

Role of Principal

• Oversee and approve all field trip activities in accordance with policy, safety, instructional compliance and common sense.

Tobacco Free Policy

Students, employees and visitors should be aware that Board Policy 1510:

• Prohibits tobacco use in all district buildings

• Prohibits tobacco use in district vehicles

• Prohibits tobacco use in outdoor areas on district owned property and school sitesIs in force 24 hours a day