Please
review the following Meadows practices with your child. Following these
guidelines helps to ensure a safe, smooth school year for all of us.
Parents: Please
subscribe to the Principal’s E-List to receive weekly newsletters and safety and
emergency announcements via e-mail. You can subscribe to this list by clicking
here.
Take the safest route(s) to and from
school. Observe crosswalks.
Coming directly to school
in the morning and going directly home from school.
We have no supervision
after school. The only exception is students who are working in the library or
attending an after school class. Students need to leave or be picked up
immediately. Students may not play ball or other games on the primary
playground after school, even when supervised by parents.
Student Arrival
Time/Playground Supervision:
Supervision is not
available on the playground until 8:10 A.M. Children are not to arrive
before that time, even when supervised by their parents. “Late Birds”
should not arrive earlier than five minutes before starting time, as there is
no staff available for supervision. Responsible conduct to and from school is
important for your child’s safety.
When dropping your child
off in the Rowell drop-off zone, only the first two cars in the first two
spaces may let students out. Please wait until your car has reached the
drop-off point before letting your child exit the car.
Students in Grades 3
through 5 may ride bicycles to school. Bicycles are secured on the upper
playground and must be locked. Students riding bicycles to school must follow
safety rules. No bicycles may be ridden on any area of the playground or
walkways.
Skateboards, roller
blades, skates are not permitted at school. Scooters may not be ridden
to/at any of the Manhattan Beach campuses. “Wheelie shoes” are not permitted.
In addition, wheelie shoes may not be worn without the wheels. The wheels have
a way of wandering out of the backpacks and onto the shoes!
A crossing guard is
stationed at Meadows Avenue and Manhattan Beach Blvd. There is also a crossing
guard stationed in front of the school and behind the school. Parents are
requested to use the crosswalks, also, in order to provide a correct role
model for children.
A parking supervisor, who
is a school district employee, is stationed at the Rowell drop-off area.
Please follow his directives. You may not park in the red zones or stop to
converse with friends while in your car. Both these actions cause the traffic
flow to stop, preventing other parents from dropping their children off safely
and in a timely manner.
Children may not play on
playground equipment on the primary playground while parents are waiting for
siblings to be released from class. The noise from this play is very
distracting to the students in nearby classrooms.
Emergency Card
Information: This information is VITAL to your child’s welfare. It is IMPERATIVE that the
school be notified immediately if you have a change of address, employment,
phone numbers, etc. Please return these cards tomorrow.
Permission to Leave
School:
Parents must come to the office and sign student release form. The office will
then send for your child. Children are released from the office and not
from classrooms. Students are not released via telephone contacts.
Children will be released to only those adults who are listed on the Emergency
Card. Proper identification is required.
Absences:All absences are to be confirmed by a signed note from the parent.
Please contact the office as soon as possible if your child contracts a
communicable disease such as mumps, measles, strep, chicken pox,
conjunctivitis or head lice.
Health and Emergency
Procedures: If
your child becomes ill or is injured at school, you will be notified promptly
using the information on the emergency information card. The school will
follow the directions you give on the emergency card concerning your physician
and others who are to be notified if you are unavailable. The school gives
first aid only, never “second aid” or retreatment for prior conditions or
those occurring away from school. School personnel cannot administer
treatment to students. Children taking medication during school hours must
have a note signed by a physician and parent specifying the conditions and the
dosage. All medication must be kept in the school health office and should be
brought to school in the original container by the parent or other adult.
Cafeteria Procedures:
Cafeteria lunches are $2.00, which includes milk. Extra milk is 35 cents.
Prepaid lunch tickets are $37.00 for 20 lunches or $330 for a yearly pass and
may be purchased in the school office at any time. If your child loses or
forgets his or her lunch money, the office will loan money, so please have
your child repay the money promptly so that it is available for others and
so that your child learns the habit of responsibility.
Items Brought to School:
Children are discouraged from bringing large sums of money to school. We
cannot be responsible for its loss. Balls, and items to share as part of
the school program, are the only personal articles that children may bring to
school. Only basketballs, volleyballs, soccer balls, kick balls, or
tetherballs are part of the school program. Please do not bring footballs,
tennis balls, small rubber bouncing balls, super balls, hacky sacks, etc.
School Dress:
The Meadows School Community has traditionally expected students to attend
school with general cleanliness, dressed neatly, safely and appropriately for
the activities of the day. Clothing with spaghetti straps or bare midriffs
or questionable sayings may not be worn. Sleeveless tee-shirts with large
armholes must have another shirt worn underneath. We do expect shoes and
clothing to be appropriate for both indoor and outdoor activities. Appropriate
shoes are an especially important safety factor during physical education.
This program focus makes thongs (go-aheads) and most sandals impractical and
often unsafe.
Weekly Envelopes:
Each Tuesday an envelope will be sent home. It will contain a number of
papers, such as information regarding upcoming events and functions sponsored
by PTA, school and/or district information, classroom assignments, homework,
notes from your child’s teacher, etc. You are asked to sign and return the
envelope promptly each week.
Marking Children’s
Possessions:
All jackets, sweaters, coats, rainwear, balls and lunch boxes should be
labeled with the child’s name for identification. Many articles are
lost at school, and remain unclaimed, because they are not labeled.
Lost and Found:
If an item is lost, have your child check either at the office or cafeteria
where lost clothing is displayed on racks. Parents may visit the office to
inquire about lost articles. At the end of the year, we give unclaimed items
to local charitable organizations.
School Library:
We encourage children to use our library and the public library to widen their
reading experiences. Children are allowed to take library books home from
school. Books may be checked out for one week and may be renewed for a longer
period. Students are financially responsible for lost or damaged books and
textbooks.
The library also has a collection of books on a
special shelf under the title, “Give Me Life”. These are new books
waiting to be purchased and put into circulation for $5.00. Children/parents
are encouraged to participate in this program on special occasions, such as
birthdays, holidays, etc. Our librarian will place a decorative label in the
front of the book, with the child’s name and the date that it was donated to
the library. It’s a great way to say “thank you” to someone or to recognize a
child’s birthday. Most of the books have values far greater than the $5.00
donation because the PTA subsidizes the program. Please help increase our
circulation!
Parties:
The PTA sponsors two parties each year. We discourage additional parties
because they distract from instructional time. Please do not send food, candy,
favors, etc., to school for your child’s birthday. We discourage this practice
district-wide.
Food/Drinks:
Students are not permitted to eat or drink any items not approved beforehand
by their parents. You will receive notice from your child’s teacher of any
food to be consumed in the classroom for special activities. Please send
healthy snacks and lunches with your child. Soft drinks and candy are not
permitted.
Also, please give us your full cooperation in making Meadows a
“peanut-free” zone. Several of our children have life-threatening allergies to
peanuts, which can even be triggered by smelling the breath of a
student who has consumed peanuts.
Visiting Classes:
You are encouraged to visit and assist in your child’s class, but we require
that you make an appointment beforehand. If you are interested in seeing a
particular subject, a note to the teacher in advance will permit the teacher
to inform you about when that subject is taught. We encourage you to volunteer
and help in the classroom on a regular basis, or to share a special
talent/skill or information on a short-term basis. Please check in at the
office before your visit, to obtain a visitor’s badge.
Teacher Inservices:
A staff development day will take place on October 14, 2005, and March 17,
2006, to maintain and extend the professional skills of our teachers. You will
receive a reminder notice of these dates later.
Major Emergency:
In the event of a major emergency in the area, emergency School information
will be broadcast every fifteen minutes over station KEZM FM (107.5), giving
you pertinent information in an attempt to keep the phone lines clear. Meadows
regularly practices fire, earthquake and other disaster procedures.
The
School
District Calendar for the current school year will give you information
related to modified days, parent conference days, staff development days, and
holidays. In addition, an up-to-the-minute school calendar will be issued
electronically every month by the principal, covering any additions or
changes, etc. Our Meadows Handbook, as well as the Meadows website, contains
much helpful information about our school and PTA. The handbook will be
published in the fall.
On behalf
of the Meadows staff, welcome back to Meadows School. We look forward to another
year of learning, friendship and teamwork!
