Laurel School Student and Parent Handbook

Student Conduct Rationale 

Character Education

Student Rules

Severe Clause

Before School Rules for Students

After School Rules for Students

Consequences

Incident Reports

Carpool

Dismissal/Release of Students

Cell Phone, Apple Watch, and Gizmo Rules

Other Important Information

Absences and Attendance

Birthdays

Laurel Handball Rules

Playground Rules

Volunteers

Laurel Rules

• Hands, feet, and Body to yourself.
• Use learning tools appropriately.

• Hands, feet, and body to yourself.
• Students will remain in sight of yard duty at all times.

• Students will remain seated in the arbor area while eating.
• No walking/running with food.
• No sharing food for the safety of students with allergies.

• Shoes must have secure backs.
• No flip flops, slides, or shoes with wheels or heels.
  
  

• No foul/disrespectful language permitted.

• Hats will remain off in the classrooms.
• No bare midriffs.
• Shirts will not be overly ripped.

• Students are not allowed in classrooms without adult supervision.
• No playing in restrooms.
• Keep restrooms clean.
  
  

• No littering.
• Pick up stray trash to pitch in for our school community.
• Walk on pathways, not on plants.
• Students will not damage school property (books, desks, buildings, learning tools, etc.).

Time: Students will arrive at school on time.

Severe Clause

Students will not willfully harm another person. This means that students will not:

• Fight
• Be defiant
• Throw objects
• Disrupt the class
  
  

If a student's behavior is so severe that it threatens safety or causes serious physical harm, the parent will be contacted immediately and the student will be removed from school.

Before School Rules for Students

The main yard is open and supervised for students to play beginning at 7:50 AM. Students may not use school equipment or bring equipment from home to use on the yard before school begins. Students are not allowed to wait for friends in the front of the school during morning drop off due to the high volume of cars and people. Students are only allowed to be on the yard, not  on the plaza, in the hallways, pathways, and around classrooms until their bell rings and students are dismissed to go to class. Skateboards, rollerblades, bikes, scooters, etc. are not allowed on the yard, breezeways, plaza, arbor, etc. beginning one hour prior to school starting.

After School Rules for Students

All students need to be picked up by an adult. Students can be picked up only at carpool or the arbor only. After supervision times expire, students will brought to the office. Exceptions can be made for third, fourth and fifth grade students with prior written consent from parents. Skateboards, rollerblades, bikes, scooters, etc. are not allowed on the yard, breezeways, plaza, arbor, etc. until 4 PM every weekday. Dogs are not allowed on campus, particularly when students are present due to anxieties and fears (unless prior consent from teacher/principal for special occasions).  

Consequences

If and when rules are broken each incident is handled uniquely depending upon the severity of the incident and each child’s needs and personality. We believe communicating incidents with parents/guardians is the best way to develop a partnership to best support students' behavioral success.

Consequences will likely include one of the following actions:

• Teacher, Principal, Assistant Principal or Counselor will call a parent/guardian immediately.
• Student will write apology letter.
• Student will clean up what s/he damaged.
• Student will miss recesses and/or lunch times.
• Student will stay after school to make-up work missed due to student's behavior.
  
  

Incident Reports

If a child violates a school rule, an Incident Report will be completed by the staff member who observed the behavior and sent home. Student and parents are to review it together and student will indicate an alternative choice should s/he find himself in a similar predicament again. "Next time I will…." Incident Reports do not become a part of a student's cumulative record. The main purposes are communication between school and home, and for student reflection.
 

Carpool

Students are assigned a carpool nametag and are expected to listen carefully while waiting in carpool. When a students name is called they quickly stand up and walk to the curb. Students are not allowed to take out toys or personal belongings while seated waiting to be picked up; they must be seated quietly, listening for their number.

Dismissal/Release of Students

No student may leave school grounds without written permission from home and approval from the office. Any student who must leave early, must be signed out through the office by a parent or guardian. Any person coming to the classroom to pick up a child, must be referred to the office first.

When a child is to be excused from class at a designated time, the child will not be excused to the office until the parent/guardian has arrived at the office and then the office will call for the student.

Cell Phone, Apple Watch, and Gizmo Rules

• Cell phones, Apple watches and Gizmos must be turned off and in backpacks while students are on campus. 
• If students need to call home, they may use our office phones.
• If students ride bikes or walk home, they may use their devices once they leave campus.
• We encourage students and parents to discuss their plans for dismissal and pick up in advance. Parents can even write down afternoon pick up plans for your child each morning. This will help promote independence in the children.

Other Important Information

Absences and Attendance

Attendance is taken in the classroom each day immediately after the bell rings. Students arriving late must stop by the office prior to going to class for a late slip. If your child will not be at school, please call the Laurel School office at 650-324-0186 x3001 on the first day of the absence. Scheduling appointments before or after school and not planning retreats during the school week would benefit your child's instructional program.

Birthdays

To avoid hurt feelings, private birthday party invitation should be mailed, rather than passed out in class, unless the whole class is invited. Check with your child's teacher for her policy regarding classroom celebrations.

Laurel Handball Rules

1. All students must stand behind the white line. If a student is pushing, shoving, or standing inside the court they have to go to the end of the line.
2. The ball must bounce before hitting the wall and must bounce once before being hit.
3. If the ball hits the wall and bounces on the line or outside the line, the person who hit it is out.
4. The first person in line is the line judge and makes the calls. The line judge stands on the opposite side of the wall. No one may argue with the line judges call. The line just must pay attention! (one re-do is allowed if the line judge is confused)
5. Rainbow-a student calls rainbow & the ball goes over their head (if the student gets hit with the ball they are out). The opponent then has to return the ball to the wall.
6. No other rules! Students will say rules like 'Ace', 'Holdie', etc. They are NOT allowed.

Playground Rules

Playground rules are for the safe conduct of playtime. Common sense is the basis for all decisions that are made when on yard duty. Specific rules are made to be clear and consistent for the students.

No balls or equipment from home are allowed on the yard during school hours.  Balls and equipment are not taken out before school each morning.

1. Students eat snack at the lunch table area (no running around at lunch tables), then they can go play. No food is allowed on the yard during recess.
2. Students are to go to the office only when given permission by yard supervisors. 
3. Students are to ask for permission to use the restroom or to leave the playground.
4. Children should freeze when a teacher blows the whistle or when the bell rings. Two whistle blows unfreeze the children.
5. Tackle football or other tackling activities are not permitted.
6. Students are not to play in and around the bathrooms.
7. Students are not to bring personal play things on the yards.
8. Children are not to climb trees or fences, or play in the bushes.
9. No standing on, twisting, or jumping off the swings.
10. Go DOWN the slide, one at a time, not up. Sit down while sliding.
11. Students count the times they see a child’s shoe soles - to 30 on Kinder yard, or 100 on Main Yard – until it is the next child takes a turn on the swing.
12. No tag games on or around the play structure. 
13. No tying the jump ropes.
14. To avoid collisions, bikes, scooters, Heelies, and skateboards are not to be ridden on the school grounds (unless previously approved by a teacher or administrator). Please walk bikes to the bike racks.
15. Unless cleared by the teacher/administration, no gum is allowed.
16. During school hours, yard usage is for Laurel students and staff only.
    
    

Volunteers

Please remember to sign in at the school office and record your time spent in the classroom, library, or elsewhere at school. This is necessary for reports made by the PTO and Site Council. In addition, it enables you to be covered by the PTO's insurance, and it helps us locate you if necessary.