Parent Handbook
HANDBOOK
DAILY BELL & OFFICE SCHEDULE
8:00 Principal and Secretary on duty
8:10 Teachers on duty at school
8:25 Instruction begins- All grades
10:00 – 10:15 Recess- Grades K-2
10:30 – 10:45 Recess- Grades 3-5
11:30-12:15 Lunch- Grade K
12:15 – 1:00 Lunch- Grades 1-5
1:30 (M,T,Th,F) Kindergarten Dismissal
2:00 – 2:10 Recess- Grades 4 and 5
2:35 (M,T,Th,F) Dismissal- Grades 1, 2 and 3
3:10 (M,T,Th,F) Dismissal- Grades 4 and 5
4:00 Office Closes
Wednesday Dismissal Times
12:00pm Kindergarten Dismissal
12:20 Grades 1-5 Dismissal
IMPORTANT DATES
● PTA Executive Board meetings are held on the first Wednesday of each month (September through
May) at 7pm over Zoom.
● PTA General Association meetings are held via zoom on the third Wednesday
in September, November, January, March and May at 7pm also held over Zoom.
● Parents are encouraged to attend all meetings. All votes count at association meetings.
School site council meetings:
Site Council Meetings are held four times per year. School Site Council members are elected for a 2-year term. These meetings are open to all parents. Contact the school office for more information on dates, times and locations.
Parent-teacher conferences:
You will work with your child’s teacher to schedule your conference. Conference days are minimum days. Check with your child's teacher to see whether or not your child should attend the conference with you.
● November 15, 17, 18, 21, 22 for grades K-5
● March 12, 14, 15, 18, 19 for grades K-5
Statewide Testing:
The CAASPP (California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress) is usually administered for grades 3-8 in early May. The STAR science tests in grades 5 and 8 are expected to continue until new science assessments are developed. Exact dates will be announced. California is fully committed to the Common Core State Standards.
School Holidays 2022-2023:
September 4, Monday: Labor Day
October 9, Monday: Indigenous Peoples Day
November 10, Friday: Veterans Day
November 22-24: Thanksgiving Break
December 21-31: Winter Break
January 1-8: Winter Break
January 8, Monday: Staff Development Day/Non-student day
January 9, Tuesday: First day back for students
January 15, Monday: Martin Luther King Jr. Day
February 19-23: Mid-Winter Break
April 8-12: Spring Break
May 10, Friday: No School
May 27, Monday: Memorial Day
June 7, Friday: Last Day Of School - minimum day
GENERAL INFORMATION
Back to School Night & Open House
Back-to-School Night in the Fall (parents only), and Open House in the Spring (families invited), provide opportunities to see your child’s classroom and meet his or her teacher. In the Fall, the teachers will speak about curriculum, classroom rules and consequences, schedules, special projects, and other aspects of the classroom. In the spring you may visit with your children to see and share their achievements in the classroom.
Books
Books and accompanying workbooks are Belmont-Redwood Shores School District Property. If your child loses or destroys a book or workbook, your family will be charged for the replacement cost.
Bicycles/Skateboards/Scooters/Roller Blades/Shoes with Built-in Wheels
Children are NOT encouraged to ride bicycles to school as the hills are not safe AND we cannot guarantee bike security. Children are not to ride skateboards or wear roller blades or shoes with built-in wheels to school, as the area is far too dangerous. Scooters are discouraged, but if a student rides a scooter to school he/she must wear a safety helmet.
Birthday Party Policy:
We understand your child’s birthday is a special day, and our teachers at Central have ways to honor students on their birthday. If you choose to bring something in for your child to share, make it a non-food item. Consider one pencil per student, or a set of stickers per student, or have your child give a gift to the classroom in his/her name (athletic equipment, books, board games, puzzles). Thank you for respecting Central’s birthday policy!
Central Scoop
Each Tuesday Central families and staff receive the Central Scoop, a consolidation of the week’s announcements, and flyers from various sources including the school district, PTA, sports, scouting, etc. It contains both important and fun information. Read it carefully to keep in touch with what’s happening in and around Central. Please use this link to sign-up.
Dogs
No Dogs Policy. This is a district wide policy. Dogs are not permitted on campus at anytime, unless they are sight dogs, it’s “Pets Week”, or they are pre-approved by the office. This includes after school and on weekends. There are signs posted throughout the school to remind you. If you bring a dog to school you will be asked to leave immediately.
Dolphin Park
Dolphin Park is a wonderful place for children to play and parents to chat. Please remember that a parent or other caregiver must supervise children while they are in Dolphin Park.
Dress Code
Parents should assume responsibility for seeing that students arrive at school properly dressed.
Kiddie Valet
This is a PTA service to make student drop-off more efficient and safe. Staff, parent volunteers, and trained fifth grade students assist students getting out of their vehicles at morning arrival.
Lice
Central has a NO NIT POLICY intended to keep our children lice free, nit free, and in school. Occasionally, lice will make an appearance. While this is nothing to be alarmed about, steps need lice while at school, you will be notified and asked to immediately pick up your child at the school office. If you find lice on your child at home, please notify the school office so that a notice can be
sent home with your child’s classmates. Your child’s name will not be listed on the notice. Please don’t return your child to school until all lice and nits are completely gone. All students must come to the school office for a head check before returning to class.
Lunch & Snacks
Lunch Period is from 12:15 – 1:00 p.m., during which students will have time to eat and play. Students will eat at outdoor picnic tables, weather permitting, or in their classrooms. Good manners will be expected. Please send nutritious lunches in marked lunch boxes or bags. Breakfast and lunch are provided free of charge.
For safety purposes, please don’t send your child to school with glass containers.
Lunch/Snack Guidelines:
We encourage healthy eating. Eating nutritious foods helps our children learn better. With childhood obesity on the increase it is important that children learn how to make healthy choices. DO NOT send the following foods during lunch or snack times: soda, candy, most types of chips, cookies, sugary cereal, and cakes/doughnuts. See below for some ideas.
fruits
applesauce
cheese
muffins
vegetables
beans
lean lunch meat
brown rice
whole grain bread
eggs
hummus
barley
whole grain pasta
popcorn
100% fruit juice
whole grain cereal
veggie chips
sunflower butter
granola
oatmeal
yogurt
soup
nuts
tuna
chicken breast
pretzels
graham crackers
For more great food ideas visit https://www.choosemyplate.gov.
Medication
Certain students may need to take medication during the school day. The requirements for prescription and non-prescription medication (e.g. aspirin, cold tablets, cough drops, nose or eye drops) are the same. The school administrator, or other persons designated by the superintendent, shall assist such students in taking their medication. All medications must be kept in the school office and a medical authorization form must be filled out and signed by both the parent and the doctor. Use this link for form.
A signed statement from the student’s physician detailing the method, dosage, and time schedules for the taking of the medication.
A signed statement from the student’s parent/guardian requesting the District to assist the student in taking the prescribed medication. All medication must be in the original container with the label, including the date dispensed, physician’s name, student’s name, and instructions for administering the medication.
A “hold harmless statement” signed by the parent/guardian and filed with the emergency card.
** If your child has any allergies that require an Epi-Pen, please notify the office immediately.
The parent/guardian of a student on a continuing medication regimen for a non-episodic condition shall inform the school principal, or other designated certified school employee, of the medication being taken, the current dosage, and the name of the supervising physician.
Multi-Use Room
The Multi-Use Room is available for community group meetings. Please call the school office for details and availability.
Outdoor Education
Fifth grade students and their teachers spend five days at Jones Gulch each year. Additional information will be forthcoming during the school year.
Parent Bulletin Board
The Parent Bulletin Board, funded and maintained by the PTA, is located in the hallway behind the amphitheater. It is a good place to get information about upcoming school and community events. If you’d like to place a notice, please check with the office first.
Parking Rules and Regulations
Traffic Rules and regulations have been implemented to ensure a safe environment for all of our students during drop-off and pick-up hours. We encourage those of you who live near other Central students to form morning and afternoon carpools or walking pools to reduce congestion. The following rules have all been made in conjunction with the Belmont Police Department and the Belmont Traffic Safety Specialist.
Respect STAFF parking. Parents park in non-staff parking only.
No parking around the flagpole, in the handicapped spaces without a permit, or in between or in front of the handicapped spaces.
No cars are to be left unattended in front of the Multi-use Room or Dolphin Park during drop-off and pick-up times. Please DO NOT ARRIVE BEFORE SCHOOL DISMISSAL. When you do arrive form a line behind the staff parking spaces next to Dolphin Park. Cars parked in front of school or blocking the staff parking spaces before the dismissal bell rings will be asked to move to an open parking space or to the back of the line of waiting cars.
Children are only allowed to get into a car that has reached the sidewalk area in front of the school. Children are not allowed to get into a car that is farther back in line. They are to be on sidewalks at all times unless accompanied by an adult.
Cars can stop in the red zone while dropping off or picking up. Cars cannot park in the red zone at any other time.
Cars cannot pull out of line to reach an open space in front of the school. This creates an extremely dangerous situation to parents and children getting into cars. If there is an open space in front of the school, you must wait to proceed until all cars in front of you have dropped off or picked up their passengers. (It’s OK if this slows down the process! You and your children’s safety is what matters.)
The California Vehicle Code is applicable on Central School property. It is illegal to drive at inappropriate speeds, to pass on the left while waiting in line, or to double park.
Children will be supervised in front of the school for up to 15 minutes after dismissal time. After that they will be taken to the amphitheater. In order to avoid waiting in the pick-up line, come approximately 5 minutes after dismissal. DO NOT ARRIVE EARLY. Arriving a few minutes after dismissal will avoid congestion and possible ticketing by a police officer.
Resource Specialist Program
This program is available to support students with specific learning disabilities. Students must qualify for the program. An Individual Education Plan is established with parents.
Rolling Backpacks
For safety reasons, rolling backpacks are discouraged. They can be a tripping hazard when students and staff are coming and going in the hallways. If your child does have a rolling backpack, they will be asked to carry it when inside the school.
Room Representatives
Each class has a room parent to represent the class. Responsibilities may include: organizing class parties, collecting supplies/funds for class projects, getting parents involved and more. Sign up at the beginning of school to represent your child’s class.
Safe Schools Program
The Belmont Safe Schools Program was developed as a cooperative effort between the Belmont Police Dept. and the public and private schools within the City of Belmont. It is designed to ensure the safety of our children in the event of a school related emergency. The BRSSD has adopted The Big Five response protocols in conjunction with the San Mateo County Office of Education and local emergency responders. At Central, we ask all of our families to prepare an emergency packet for each of our students (Sept-early October) for the event of an emergency (such as an earthquake). Our school conducts regular emergency drills.
School Site Council
School staff and parents work together on the School Site Council (SSC) to identify and implement curriculum and instructional practices that result in both strengthening the core academic program and ensuring that students have access to and success in the program.
The School Site Council meets four times per year for the purpose of planning, implementing, and evaluating our School Site Plan. The council is composed of five parents and five staff members. Parent representatives are elected for a 2-year term. Observers are also welcome at the monthly meetings. Contact the school office for this year's dates and locations.
Speech
Our speech therapist works with students who have a variety of speech- and language-related issues. This service is available through the School District, for pre-school aged children through elementary school aged. For questions about this program, contact your child’s teacher and/or the principal.
Student Leadership Teams
Fifth graders are expected to offer service to Central School. Responsibilities include Kiddie Valet, flag duty, office duty, and other areas as needed. Participating students receive a recognition party at the end of the year sponsored by the Carlmont Village Shopping Center.
Telephone Use
The school phone is available for your child to contact you if it is necessary. After-school and other personal arrangements are to be made at home. Please do not call the office to leave messages for your child unless it is an emergency. Please make arrangements before school hours. Often messages cannot be delivered immediately and sometimes become overlooked.
Cell phones are not permitted at Central School.
Visitor’s Pass
If you need to bring something to your child (a forgotten lunch, musical instrument, folder, backpack, etc.), please bring it to the office, not your child’s classroom. Taking items into a classroom disrupts the students and the teacher. The item will be taken to your child at the first available opportunity. *Please remember, whenever you visit the school, at ANYTIME for ANY REASON, it is MANDATORY that you sign in at the office and pick up your visitor’s pass.
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School Policies
Attendance
Please call the school attendance line, (650) 620-2810, or e-mail jdirstine@brssd.org before school begins to let us know that your child will be absent. We want and need to know that all children who left home arrive at school safely.
If you were unable to call, please send a written excuse when your child returns telling us the dates absent and the specific causes. If we do not receive a note, the absence is considered “unexcused”.
Absences for vacations are highly discouraged during the school year.
If you wish to have your child released from school early, please send a note to your child’s teacher and inform the office.
The school office should be informed promptly if your child has a communicable disease so that we can notify parents.
When to Keep Your Child Home From School Due to Illness:
(As defined and recommended by the Health Department and the American Pediatric Association)
Fever: Fevers are generally an indication that the body is attempting to fight off infection. Do NOT bring your child if s/he has a fever of 100 degrees or higher or if it has been less than 24 hours since they have been fever free, without the use of a fever- reducing medication (such as Tylenol or Advil).
Nasal Discharge: Do NOT bring your child to school if he/she has a clogged or runny nose with green or yellow mucus. The only exception is if he/she has seen a pediatrician and has been taking a prescribed antibiotic for a minimum of 24 hours.
Conjunctivitis: Commonly called “Pink Eye”, this condition is highly contagious. Symptoms include itchy, watery eyes, crusty discharge and redness of eyes. Please keep the child at home until symptom free, or after your child has been on antibiotics for a minimum of 24 hours.
Diarrhea and/or Vomiting: Do NOT bring your child to school if he/she has runny stool and/or is vomiting. These symptoms indicate a possible contagious disease. Children may return to school once they are symptom free for 24 hours. Children will be sent home if these symptoms begin at school.
Unexplained Skin Conditions/Rash: Before a child may return to school, any patterns of small bumps, blisters and blotches must be identified and diagnosed as NOT contagious by a medical professional in writing to ensure and contain spread of disease, including, but not limited to: Chicken Pox, Fifth’s Disease, Hand-Foot-Mouth Disease, Impetigo, Measles, Rubella, Scarlet Fever. Please report any of these conditions promptly to the school so we can inform all families of possible exposure.
Head Colds: A head cold, like most infectious illnesses, is most contagious at the onset. Please do NOT bring your child to school within the first 48 hours of a cold.
Other contagious illnesses: If your child has a contagious illness beyond what is listed above, please keep them home until they are symptom free. If you are unsure if your child’s illness is contagious, please contact your medical provider or call the school office.
How parents can help:
Support good attendance with the realization that good and poor attendance patterns are established as early as kindergarten.
Establish reasonable and logical consequences for non-attendance at a very early age and clearly explain these consequences to your child.
After these consequences have been established, should enforce them consistently and fairly.
Support the efforts of school staff to help your child achieve good attendance. Consult with them if you need help.
If your child is having difficulty with class, staff, or peers, communicate with the school and offer to help resolve the problem.
Recognize the fact that parenting is a difficult job and perfection as a parent or a child is impossible. Don’t be afraid to seek help.
Tardies- Children must come to the office to receive a pass to class if they are late for school. Encourage your children to be prompt. They are at a disadvantage when they enter class late, as they frequently miss directions given by the teacher. They also are disruptive to the rest of the class when tardy. You will be notified by letter if your student has excessive tardies.
Anti-Bullying Policy:
Bullying can have harmful effects on student learning and school attendance.Our district desires to provide a safe school environment that protects students from physical and emotional harm.Education around what bullying is, how students report bullying, and how it can be prevented is presented to students at the beginning of the school year.Bullying includes physical, written, verbal, or other means that are used to harass, sexually harass, threaten, intimidate, cyber-bully, cause bodily injury to or commit hate violence against any student or school personnel.Any student participating in bullying acts on school premises or off campus, that causes a substantial disruption of a school activity or school attendance, are subject to discipline.At Central, we focus on establishing a positive, collaborative school climate where our students can learn.
Belmont-Redwood Shores School District Discipline Policy:
District Philosophy
Discipline is a form of guidance respecting the dignity of each individual.
Discipline is to be administered in a kind, firm, and judicious manner.
Schools shall foster a learning environment that reinforces the concept of self- discipline and the acceptance of personal responsibility.
Students are encouraged to progress from adult-directed to self-directed behavior.
Schools are responsible for adopting rules for student discipline.
Student Responsibilities Include:
following the standards of behavior and obeying rules of the classroom, school, and district.
behaving in classrooms and on school campuses without disrupting or interfering with the rights of other students and staff.
attending assigned classes daily and on time.
accepting responsibility for their actions.
respecting the authority of all school personnel to enforce district and school rules.
Parent Responsibilities Include:
being familiar with discipline guidelines, helping their child accept responsibility.
supporting the discipline standards and procedures of the school.
sharing responsibility with the school by working together for the total development of the student.
School Responsibilities Include:
notifying parents and students of the school’s rules and regulations every year
providing a positive learning environment with student behavior guided by:
clearly defined rules and regulations
consistent use of discipline procedures
effective communication
providing due process.
Disciplinary Actions May Include:
• student counseling
• parent conferences
• detention
• assignment of special tasks
• suspension
• referral to site administrator
• loss of privileges (i.e., graduation, athletics, etc.)
• expulsion (ref. CA State Educ. Code #48900)
The Belmont-Redwood Shores School District complies with state laws that prohibit use of any tobacco products on any school district property by any person, adult or child BP3513.3. A full copy of the District Policy is available at the School or District Office.
Central School Rules of Student Conduct and Discipline Policy
General Expectations
Students are to:
conduct themselves with responsibility and integrity.
be on campus only during school hours when supervision is offered.
refrain from using bicycles, roller blades, shoes with retractable wheels, skateboards, or scooters on campus.
report to the office when arriving late or leaving early.
walk, not run, in the hallways.
remove hats when entering buildings.
refrain from any “hands-on” behavior or fighting.
use appropriate, respectful language.
Chewing gum is not allowed on campus.
Classroom Expectations
Students should:
come with all materials needed to be prepared for the day’s activities.
demonstrate respect to all fellow students and adults.
follow all classroom-specific rules.
Playground Expectations
Students are to:
remain within the boundaries of the playground. (The following areas are off limits: hillside, grassy strip along classrooms, Dolphin Park without adult supervision, multi-use room.)
use all playground equipment as it was intended.
refrain from contact sports.
remain on the playground and refrain from reentering hallways and classrooms.
eat snacks at the benches and dispose of all trash in cans.
“freeze” at the bell and line up quietly when the whistle blows.
make every effort to “talk it out” when problems arise.
refrain from throwing bark, rocks, or any other item that could cause injury.
Lunch Table Manners
Students are expected to:
eat politely
remain seated while eating
clean up after themselves
wait to be excused
Homework:
Belmont-Redwood Shores School District Homework Policy
The Board believes that it is the responsibility of the District through the staff to initiate, support, monitor, and evaluate homework. The Board further recognizes that homework is a vital component in the school life of children and is a life-long process. Extending the pursuit of educational success beyond the classroom into the student’s home is to be encouraged by the District.
Purposes:
1. To encourage development of independent study habits, skills, and responsibilities.
2. To reinforce, enrich, and extend learning by providing a variety of educational opportunities outside the classroom.
3. To provide a transition of required amounts of homework between elementary and intermediate grades and between intermediate grades and high school.
4. To provide an additional opportunity for family involvement in the child’s education.
Responsibilities:
1. The principal has the responsibility to coordinate with staff members a homework plan that implements District policy and to communicate this plan to parents.
2. The teacher has the responsibility to communicate and explain homework expectations to students and parents, and to monitor and evaluate homework.
3. The parent has the responsibility to cooperatively support this portion of the educational program by encouragement and involvement with the student.
4. The student has the responsibility to complete all assigned tasks.
Guidelines:
The type of homework assignment and length should vary according to the student’s potential and need. The following times, therefore, are recommended as an average and approximate amount of homework to be given at the various grade levels:
Kindergarten
5-10 minutes of family homework, 4 times a week
10 to 15 minutes nightly reading
Grade 1
Math 15 minutes, 4 times a week
Spelling 5 to 10 minutes nightly (beginning November)
Reading/Phonics 20 minutes nightly
Grade 2
Math 10 to 15 minutes, 4 times a week
Language Arts/Spelling 10 to 15 minutes, 4 times a week
Reading 10 to 20 minutes, 4 times a week
Grade 3
Math 15 to 20 minutes, 4 times a week
Language Arts/Spelling 10 to 15 minutes, 4 times a week
Reading/Reports 20 minutes nightly
Grade 4
Spelling/Science/Math/Reports/Projects 40-50 minutes nightly
Reading 20-25 minutes nightly
Grade 5
Vocabulary/Science/Math/Reports/Projects 50 to 60 minutes nightly
Reading 30 minutes nightly
these times may vary by grade level according to teacher and individual child
Legal reference: Education Code §51000 et seq. (General instructional programs, especially §51002: development of local programs within guidelines).
Central School Homework Policy
Our goal is to extend the learning day with homework assignments that are consistent with the curriculum.
Homework assignments should:
Prepare students for upcoming lessons (by asking them to gather data, attempt solutions to complex problems, write rough drafts, do background reading, or otherwise provide a story basis for in-class learning activities);
Extend classroom learning (by transferring them to situations in the child’s home environment); and
Create new understanding (by calling on students to create original work products that integrate or synthesize diverse skills or concepts)
All students in the elementary grades should be assigned on a regular basis, homework that piques their curiosity, taps their inventiveness, and engages them in a variety of unpredictable learning adventures consistent with the thinking curriculum.
How much time should your child spend on homework? Clearly, the nature of the assignments themselves has an impact on how much time is appropriate. Homework that involves active explorations and includes peer or family participation provides an entirely different experience from assignments that focus on repetitive drills. It would be inappropriate, for example, to ask a first or second grade child to do an hour’s worth of computational exercises, but an assignment to go to the store with mom or dad and help read and compare prices, add up the cost of items, count change, and so on could easily take longer, but be entirely appropriate.
Many homework assignments do not require students to find the “one right answer.” Rather, they invite students to find original solutions. For example, students might be asked to answer this question: How far is it around the block where you live? One child might attack the question by pacing off the distance. Another might measure the number of lengths with a garden hose. Still another might clip a card to a bicycle tire, counting the clicks that occur and multiply them times the tire’s circumference. All students should be given time to discuss how they arrived at their solutions and compare the advantage of their different strategies. Such activities reinforce the notion that there are multiple pathways to a given intellectual destination. They also demonstrate that learning occurs everywhere—not just in the classroom—and that it is a lifelong endeavor.
VOLUNTEER PROGRAM
The Importance of Volunteers
Central welcomes a high level of parent participation. When parents are involved in their children’s schooling, both the children and the school benefit. One way to become involved is to volunteer at your child’s school. Whether you work outside or inside the home, there are hundreds of volunteer opportunities available to you at Central. Some volunteer positions require a significant output of energy and time; others require less than one hour per school year. Please read the following to consider how you can fit some Central volunteer time into your busy schedule. It is deeply appreciated by everyone at the school, including your own child.
How you can help
In the Classroom:
Set up displays of children’s work
Write dictated stories (K, 1)
Assist with word processing or typing stories
Correct papers
Tutor individuals and small groups of children
Help with the Scholastic book orders
P.S. As a classroom volunteer, you accept the responsibility of confidentiality.
As a Speaker:
Parents can serve as speakers on career and multi-cultural topics. Parents who have special interests or hobbies are fascinating speakers for classrooms or small groups of students. The curriculum is enriched by such presentations, and the students gain a deeper, more complete understanding of a topic.
PTA and Site Council:
You can become a PTA board member or Site Council representative, attend PTA or Site Council meetings, or work on various PTA or Site Council committees.
Other:
Assist on field trips
Make instructional games
Provide classroom supplies
Collect science or arts & crafts supplies
Make posters or other visuals
Cut paper or other materials
Type
Sew
Help with school plays, performances, or assemblies
Make copies
P.S. Many of these can be done at home…
Volunteer Requirements:
Volunteers who may be alone with students must have fingerprint clearance with the Department of Justice. Fingerprint clearance will be valid for a volunteer’s entire time in the Belmont-Redwood Shores School District.
Volunteers may also be required to have a TB test depending on the amount of time they are volunteering. Volunteers who are transporting children in their own vehicles are required to show proof of insurance.
For further information, and to complete the necessary forms, visit BRSSD volunteer information.