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Seitz Elementary SchoolCommunity Guide

2016-2017

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SEITZ ELEMENTARY SCHOOL - TABLE OF CONTENTS

SCHOOL INFORMATIONWELCOME 4MISSION STATEMENT 5MOTTO 5ABOUT OUR SCHOOL BUILDING 5

ATTENDANCE, ARRIVAL, DISMISSALATTENDANCE 5TARDIES AND ABSENCES 6TRUANCY 6STUDENT ARRIVAL 6TEACHER DOORS 7GEARY COUNTY SCHOOLS CALENDAR 8DISMISSING STUDENTS EARLY 9DISMISSAL 9GUESTS IN OUR SCHOOL 9CHANGE OF RESIDENCE, PHONE NUMBERS, EMERGENCY CONTACTS 9MOVING PRIOR TO THE END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR 10

STUDENT MANAGEMENT AND SCHOOL SAFETYOUR SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT 10FOUNDATIONAL BELIEFS 10BEHAVIOR EXPECTATIONS 10‘I’ MESSAGES 11BULLY PREVENTION 11LOGICAL CONSEQUENCES 11POSITIVE BEHAVIOR SUPPORT TEAM 11RESPONSE TO INAPPROPRIATE BEHAVIORS 12SEVERE BEHAVIORS 12PLAYGROUND PROCEDURES 12BICYCLES AND SKATEBOARDS 12TOYS AND ELECTRONICS 12ANIMALS AT SCHOOL 13DRESS CODE 13EMERGENCY DRILLS 13KANSAS SCHOOL SAFETY HOTLINE 13EMERGENCY SAFETY INTERVENTIONS 13

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CURRICULUM, HOMEWORK, EXCEPTIONAL STUDENT SERVICES, SPECIAL PROGRAMSCURRICULUM AND CURRICULUM 16REPORT CARDS AND GRADING 16EXCEPTIONAL STUDENT SERVICES 16ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS 16TECHNOLOGY 16BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SUPPORT TEAM 17STUDENT COUNCIL 17LEARNING CENTER 17BOOK CHECK OUT POLICY 17LIBRARY CARDS 18

SCHOOL GUIDELINESBREAKFAST 18LUNCH 18MEAL ACCOUNTS 18SNACKS 19MONEY AT SCHOOL 19BOOSTER CLUB 19PARENT COMMUNICATION 19TELEPHONE CALLS 20LOST AND FOUND 20SCHOOL GATHERINGS 20BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS 20FIELD TRIPS 20HEALTH CENTER 20SPECIAL HEALTH CONCERNS 21MEDICATION 21SCHOOL PHYSICAL 21IMMUNIZATIONS 21ILLNESS AND FIRST-AID 21HEAD INJURIES 21MEDICAL CONCERNS FOR PHYSICAL ACTIVITY 21

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Dear Seitz Families,Growing up in a rural Kansas community I always dreamed of the military life. Honor, adventure, and world travels were at the forefront of my mind as a child. Today, I am honored to impact the lives of our nation’s children of the Army as the principal at Seitz Elementary School. In this role I can celebrate and support the life of the military family while living my life right here in Junction City, Kansas. It is truly an honor!I have been an educator for 21 years and 19 of those years have been in USD 475 Geary County Schools, teaching first and third grades, before moving to Seitz Elementary as assistant principal in 2012. My husband, Randy, and I have raised our own children in the Junction City community and this school district. We are extremely proud of the adults they have become. Our grandsons, Anthony and Alexander, are growing up in JC while our son, Tim, is a teacher at Junction City Middle School. Our daughter, Erica, is married to an Army officer, Jacob. They currently are residing at their first duty station, Fort Drum. Together they have two daughters, Kaisley and Klyne. Erica is also in the teacher profession working with third graders. Though Erica and Jacob are away from Kansas, we are all very passionate about the Junction City/Fort Riley community and are proud to call it home. Welcome to our home! We hope you enjoy it as much as we have I’d be thrilled to help you make community connections. Just let me know what you’d like more information about in Junction City.I am also extremely proud of our Seitz Elementary staff who will work with your children. They are passionate, caring, and energetic people who truly work together, with your children as our common goal. I’d like to welcome you to visit the school at your convenience and to become an active member of our Booster Club. We believe you are a very important part of your child’s educational team. As a team of educators we know that children learn best in caring communities where they feel safe and significant. Our vision is to build a school-wide community where all staff, students, and their families feel as if they belong at the school and the school belongs to them. Everyone plays a part in making the school feel welcoming and safe.Please know I am here to work with you and can be reached quite easily at 717.6510 or JodiTesta@usd475.org. Never hesitate to get in touch with me. I look forward to meeting you and to an amazing school year as a Seitz Dragon!

Dragons All the Way, Jodi TestaPrincipalSeitz Elementary School

NOTICE OF NON-DISCRIMINATIONGeary County USD #475 does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, or age in its programs and/or activities and provides equal

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access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups.

For questions or complaints based on race, color, national origin, sex or age, please contact: Director of Human Resources at 123 N. Eisenhower, Junction City,

KS 66441 Telephone 785.717.4000.For questions or complaints based on disability, please contact: Director of the Exceptional Student Services Division at 123 N. Eisenhower, Junction City, KS

66441 Telephone: 785.717.4000

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Mission StatementThe Seitz Elementary community is committed to enriching the lives of military-connected children by developing academic excellence and inspiring actions that positively impact the world.MottoLearning, not just for school, but for life!About Our SchoolSeitz Elementary is located in the Camp Forsyth area on Fort Riley and is the fifteenth USD 475 elementary school. The school is named after LTG Richard Seitz. Our school building was designed to be a LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Silver building. As part of the LEED initiative, our school is designed so that:

- 90% of all occupied spaces have direct line of vision to the exterior.- classrooms have two lighting levels; general illumination and A/V.- classrooms have controllers to turn off the lights nearest to the window

when day lighting levels are sufficient.- rain water collected from the roof and stored in underground tanks is

used to flush toilets and provide water for the cooling tower.- storm water removed from the site is allowed to naturally clean itself

before being removed off site.

Attendance

The Seitz Elementary staff believes, and research shows, that a direct correlation exists between regular school attendance and academic achievement. We believe that students, through the efforts of their parents, must begin early to develop habits of regular and punctual attendance at school. Parents of elementary children share, with the school, the responsibility for guiding students so they will develop a good attendance record. We understand soldiers write a Family Care Plan which outlines a commitment to getting children to school on time and consistently. We ask parents/guardians to cooperate with the school in the following ways:

Please make every effort to see your child arrives by 8:00 each morning. Whenever possible, medical and dental appointments should be made outside

of the school day. When your child is absent please phone the school at 785.717.6500 by 8:15

a.m. We have an answering machine so please leave a voicemail when calling prior to 7:30 a.m. Purposes for all absences and tardies are recorded in the Student Information System.

Students who are absent during the school day should not attend school-sponsored activities that same evening.

If you are taking block leave, please submit documentation from your commander to our registrar or receptionist before you leave.

Once your child has accumulated six illness absences during a school year, the school requires a doctor’s note to continue excusing the absence.

The site of our school allows for the majority of students to be within walking distance. Our school has limited parking available. We highly encourage walking and biking to school as a means of conserving energy, promoting healthy

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For an absence over three days contact your child’s teacher to discuss the need for appropriate homework assignments for your child. Please give the teacher advance notice in order for the teacher to have adequate time to prepare.

Tardies and AbsencesStudents arriving after 8:15 a.m. and leaving prior to 3:30 will be counted as tardy or absent. USD 475 defines a tardy as any time a student is not in attendance for 3 hours or less. So this means that if your child misses school for a doctor’s appointment in the middle of the school day and is gone for less than three hours then he/she is marked as tardy during that time. For those appointments that require an extended time (more than 3 hours) away from school on a single day students will be counted as absent for ½ a day. Any absence from school impacts your child’s education, regardless of the reason. All tardies and absences are recorded on students’ permanent records.

Tardies are excused for medical or deployment appointments. Absences are excused for illnesses, medical appointments, deployment

activities, and deaths in the immediate family. If the school is unaware of the reason for the tardy or absence, or it does

not meet the criteria above, the tardy or absence will be marked as unexcused.

Excessive unexcused tardies and excused absences are at the discretion of the principal and may require an attendance agreement to be signed by the guardian. The soldier’s commander and Family Advocacy may also be contacted in an effort to increase your child’s school attendance rate.

TruancyOnce Kansas’ Compulsory Attendance Guidelines are violated, truancy procedures will be processed. You will receive a courtesy letter if you are nearing the process. Continued violation of attendance regulations will ultimately result in a referral to Family Advocacy.

Kansas Statute 72-1113 and 72-111 in Senate Bill 38 states: a child is not in compliance with the State Compulsory Attendance Statute if any of the following occurs:

o He/She accumulates 3 consecutive unexcused absences.o He/She has 5 unexcused absences in a semester.o He/She has 7 unexcused absences in a school year.

USD 475 Truancy Action Stepso Notice of Non-Attendance Letter Mailed to Home Addresso Informational Truancy Meeting Held with School Administrationo Guardian Participates in Due Process Hearing with 475 Administrationo Report of Truancy to Family Advocacy on Fort Riley

Student ArrivalSeitz Elementary is a neighborhood school which encourages students and their families to walk to and from school. Since our school is centered in your neighborhood our parking spaces are very limited.

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Students arriving by car need to arrive in the rear parking lot. Please park your car, get out, and help your child safely exit the parking lot using the sidewalk provided. On days when we are lining up inside students may enter the building at door 14, closest to the rear parking lot, so they don’t have to walk so far in the weather. We have found that traffic is extremely heavy during inclement weather so we encourage carpooling as much as possible. Thank you for doing your best to help the traffic flow as smoothly as possible. When everyone does their part to follow the traffic expectations our Dragons and their families are all safe. We need your cooperation with this each day.

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Earliest arrival is 7:50 for students eating breakfast, which is served 7:50 – 8:05. Enter at door 14.

If you are bringing your child to school in a car, please follow these guidelines:o Observe the one way flow of traffic.o Park, get out of your car, and help your child safely exit the

parking lot using the sidewalk. Outside supervision begins at 8:00. Students enter the school at the sound of the 8:10 bell. Students will line up outside their assigned door until 8:10 unless it is colder

than 20 degrees. In these instances, students will line up outside their classroom door.

School begins at 8:15. Students arriving after 8:15 will be issued tardy slips at arrival doors until

8:25; after 8:25, tardy slips will be issued in the office.

Teacher DoorsGrade Level Teacher Room Door

Kindergarten

Sowell B103Door 12Beins B104

Hedlund B105Mrs. Schafer B101

Door 13Mann B102Tabb B111

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Lowry B110 Door 10Hill C11Kinderknecht B106

Door 11Youngers B107Luck B108Mills B109

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Mr. Schafer C101 Door 10Beck C102

Door 9Cairns C103McGrath C104Meyer C105

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Colp C109Door 7Patton C108

Maples C110Monzon C106 Door 8Warren C107

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Kelly D100 Door 4Peterson D101Reifenberger D102

Door 6Gipson D103D104

5Then D108 Door 4Jaslow D105

Door 5Lopez D106Schoeman D107

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Geary County Schools Calendar

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Dismissing Students EarlyDue to the traffic issues near our school we ask that parents either pick students up for appointments before 2:45 or wait until we dismiss as we normally do at 3:30 each day. With a student body of 600 dismissal can be very tricky and the safety of our students is most important! Parents need to come to the office to sign their child out when picking their child up early. Please do allow time in your schedule for your child to get to the office. Many times students are learning in areas other than the classroom and must return to the classroom for a book bag before coming to the office. This can take a while in such a large school. A child will only be released to those individuals listed in the student’s file unless the parent has notified the school granting permission for someone else to pick up their child. Teachers will not release a student from the classroom or the playground unless office personnel have notified them. Personal identification should be shown when picking up students early.Student Dismissal

Kindergarten students will dismiss at 3:25 and all other grades will dismiss at 3:30.

All students will be dismissed out assigned doors. See Door Assignment table. If you are picking up your child in a car, please follow these guidelines:

o Observe the one way flow of traffic.o Park along the outside edge of parking lot.o No students will be dismissed to the parking lot without

parent/guardian. SAS and ESS bus riders will load the bus at the front of the building.

According to Kansas law, POVs are not to use the bus lane. The playground will be closed from 3:25 – 3:55 daily.

School grounds can be accessed using the walking bridge off Eagle Pass Road. The staff parking lot is available to family use between 8:30 – 3:00 daily. Overflow parking is available at the Scout Hut located across Rifle Range Road.Guests in Our SchoolParents are encouraged to visit the school and their child’s classroom to become a part of our school family. In an attempt to provide security and prevent disruptions of learning, we ask that parents and visitors stop at the school office to present their personal identification, sign in, and pick up a visitor’s badge before going to classrooms. This is a USD 475 policy practiced for the safety of all students and staff. Conferencing with the teacher during instruction is not allowed due to the disruption of learning. Please do set an appointment with your child’s teacher.Volunteers are very important to the success of Seitz Elementary School. Opportunities are available in your child’s classroom, the office, and the Learning Center. Contact your child’s teacher for information. Be prepared to sign in at the office, present your ID, and pick up a volunteer badge.Change of Residence, Telephone Numbers, Emergency ContactsPlease update your child’s file by stopping in our office or submitting changes in the Skyward Parent Portal. Please do plan to bring your personal identification. It is important to update your child’s file in case your child gets sick or is in need of emergency care. It can be frightening for a child and school staff when there is a

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serious injury and the parents/guardians cannot be reached.

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Moving Prior to the End of the School YearWe understand that Fort Riley policy grants soldiers a minimum of 10 day notice to leave the installation. When you are informed that you will be leaving the area, please notify the office. We need a 7 day notice for processing of school records. When parents/guardians withdraw their child prior to the last ten days of school, an Early-Out Letter is issued rather than a grade level promotion on the end- of-year report card.Our School EnvironmentWe strive to help students understand the positive feelings associated with intrinsic satisfaction of a job- well-done. There are multiple ways we work to create a positive school environment in our school.Students are recognized for good behavior daily through the distribution of “Medals of Merit.” Staff members give our merits when they spot a student or a class demonstrating positive behavior choices. We partner with the Junction City Kiwanis Club to select one “Student of the Month” and a “Terrific Kid” per grade level each month to further recognize academic and social excellence. Each week classes are rewarded for positive behavior on the playground with “Recess Ribbons.”Foundational Beliefs from the Responsive Classroom Guiding Principles

1. The social curriculum is as important as the academic curriculum.2. How children learn is as important as what they learn. Process and content go

hand-in-hand.3. The greatest cognitive growth occurs through social interaction.4. To be successful academically and socially, children need to learn and

practice specific social skills. Five particularly important skills are: cooperation, assertion, responsibility, empathy, and self-control (CARES).

5. Knowing the children we teach – individually, culturally, and developmentally – is as important as knowing the content which we teach.

6. Knowing the families of the children we teach is as important as knowing the children we teach.

7. How we, the adults associated with the school, work together is as important as our individual competence. Lasting change begins with the adult community.

Behavior Expectations

Seitz Elementary teachers and staff look forward to working together with students and parents to create a safe, challenging, and joyful learning environment. Our school behavior plan embraces CARES.

Cooperation: As Seitz Dragons, we make a constant and earnest effort to work in harmony to achieve common goals. We have a deep sense of belonging together in our school community.

Assertion: As Seitz Dragons, we stand up for our own ideas without hurting others or negating their ideas. We think for ourselves, even in the face of peer pressure.

Responsibility: As Seitz Dragons, we are reliable and accountable, and we understand that our individual choices affect the entire school community. We accept the consequences that come from our choices, and learn from

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mistakes so we do not repeat them. Empathy: As Seitz Dragons, we work to have strong relationships with each

other. We can put ourselves in another’s shoes to understand how they are feeling. We make others feel welcome and respected, and take care of each other emotionally.

Self-Control: As Seitz Dragons, we choose our words carefully and make safe decisions about our actions. We do what is necessary and sensible without needing to be urged by someone else.

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“I” Messages Teaching children to give “I” messages will develop habits of encouraging

direct and respectful language. It is taught under the CARES life skill of Assertion. “When you I feel because . I would like you to .”

Bully Prevention

The Olweus Bullying Prevention Program and The Responsive Classroom approach is used to address bullying and other negative behaviors among school children. Each classroom will conduct a focus meeting weekly with topics such as; establishing classroom rules, school rules, applying consistent consequences against bullying, and identifying children who bully and their victims in order to address their individual needs. During focus meetings, a specific skill is focused on through a hands-on, interactive, fun activity. This allows the classroom teacher the opportunity to instruct students on how to be successful in many different areas at school such as on the playground, during assemblies, in the hallways, in the bathrooms, and in the café. Seitz Elementary will strive to make certain that all children feel safe in our school and have the greatest opportunity to learn.

Logical ConsequencesOur staff will use logical consequences to correct student behavior and to guide students to become responsible learners. The consequences will be respectful, related, and realistic and may include fixing that which was broken, losing a privilege, or quiet time in the Take A Break Chair.Should choices become a disruption to other learners, the child will be asked to use the classroom Take A Break Chair where he/she will calm and regain expected behaviors and then return to studies within a short time. This can be a student choice or teacher choice. In the past, students have chosen to go to the Take A Break Chair when they feel a bit out of control.A buddy classroom’s Take A Break Chair will be used if and when the student is not able to get back on track within his own classroom. The buddy room is designed for the student to take a break in a distraction-free spot, with the buddy teacher keeping an eye on his safety. When the student has had sufficient time to pull himself together, his classroom teacher warmly welcomes him back into the classroom activity and the focus on academics continues.During those times a child cannot remain in a learning environment due to repeated or disruptive choices he/she will visit a Student Support Monitor (SSM) in the Reflection Room. The Reflection Room is a positive, calm environment for the child to take a necessary break in order to calm down and talk in a one-on-one setting about his/her choices. For repeated visits to the Reflection Room, parents will receive a note home in their child’s Dragon folder. This note will need to be signed and returned to the Student Support Monitor the following day.Positive Behavior Support Team

Jodi Testa – Principal

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Nicholas Morgan – Asst. Principal Jayci Hamm – Asst. Principal Heather Boland – Student Support Monitor (SSM) Kayla Slack – Student Support Monitor (SSM) Rich Najera – Student Support Monitor (SSM) Hailey Ramirez – Counselor Jamie Guelker – Military Family Life Consultant (MFLAC)

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Our Student Support Monitors (SSM) work closely with all staff members focusing on providing time and space for those students whose choices keep themselves or others from learning in the classroom. They provide opportunities for students to calm down, reflect, and set goals. The ultimate goal is achieved when students return to the classroom to learn and grow with their peers.Response to Inappropriate Behaviors

Stage 1 – All students begin the day here – great day Stage 2 – Reminder of behavior expectations – teacher modeling,

gestures, whispered expectation, eye contact, proximity of teacher Stage 3 – Take A Break Chair – student will sit in the Take A Break Chair and

still participate in the learning while working to regain proper classroom behavior

Stage 4 – Buddy Classroom’s Take A Break Chair – student will sit in the chair and still participate in the learning while working to regain proper classroom behavior

Stage 5 – Reflection Room with the SSM – see options belowo Step 1 – apology of action, calming strategies, student reflection

with goal setting, positive behavior books reado Step 2 – silent lunch, logical consequences, parent contact via phone or

form lettero Step 3 – behavior plan for consistent difficulty, referral to Student

Improvement Team with parent invite These steps may or may not be completed in order dependent upon the

nature of the incident.

Severe Behaviors

Hands-on incidents, bullying, emergencies, dangerous situations, or repetitive inappropriate behavior choices will not be tolerated. These may result in in-school suspension, out-of-school suspension, and/or alternative school.

Playground Procedures

The playground is closed from 7:30 to 3:15 and 3:25 to 3:55 on days when school is in session. The playground equipment should be unused during arrival and dismissal times to ensure the safety of our students. This ten-minute window allows siblings to play on the equipment while waiting for the dismissal bell.Bicycles and SkateboardsBicycles, skateboards, RipStiks, Heelys, and any modes of transportation are not to be used on school grounds or in the school building. All modes of transportation must be walked until off school grounds. Bicycles must be locked while parked in the bike racks at the classroom entrances to avoid being damaged or stolen. Please have students wear proper safety gear and obey traffic rules while avoiding grassy areas and private property.Toys and ElectronicsStudents are not to bring toys, sports equipment, handheld electronics, or music

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devices to school unless given special permission by a staff member. Items brought without permission will be secured by a staff member for safekeeping and will be returned at a later time. Students are to keep cell phones turned off and in their backpacks unless they are part of the classroom instruction. If phones are used outside of these guidelines they will be collected by the teacher or administration and parents will be contacted.

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Animals at SchoolAnimals are not allowed on the school grounds or in the building unless previous permission has been given. In an effort to maintain safety for all, families should not bring pets when picking up their children from school.Dress CodeStudents are to dress accordingly during all school functions, day or evening. Clothing should not advertise drugs, alcohol, weapons, smoking, or inappropriate language. Students are not to wear excessively sagging clothes, half shirts, see-through clothing, tube tops, or backless tops. Girls in dresses should wear a pair of shorts underneath. Students are not to wear skates in the building or on the school grounds. Students wearing flip-flops are to be cautious of splinters and thorns. Athletic footwear is required for P.E. See grade level flyer for P.E. schedules.Emergency DrillsEmergency drills are very important exercises and should be taken seriously. State-required fire and tornado drills will be conducted periodically throughout the school year. Students and staff must respond to all alarms according to the prescribed building procedures.Staff and students will participate in lock down drills. These drills will mimic the type of emergencies that require us to secure all students, either inside or outside, due to an extreme emergency situation. We will announce an all-clear via district media outlets after the fact so parents are aware of the drills.Kansas School Safety HotlineThe Kansas Highway Patrol staffs a statewide school safety hotline for students and parents who have knowledge of impending school violence. The information given will then be forwarded to the building administrator. The toll free number is 1.877.626.8203 and is available 24-hours a day.Administrative Guidelines for Emergency Safety Interventions (ESI)

Safety for students and staff is always our number one concern. There are times when a student may demonstrate physically dangerous and/or destructive behaviors. In those situations, the student, peers and school personnel are at an increased risk for injuries, and the student’s behavior may require an immediate use of Emergency Safety Interventions (ESI) by specially trained school personnel. The purpose of using ESI is to safeguard and help the student regain control so that learning may continue. In such situations, school personnel may physically restrain the student to protect him/her from injury, from hurting other students or adults, and from violent actions that may be destructive to property.Another intervention may be to remove a student from the scene of imminent danger or injury for a brief period of time. The purpose of this temporary removal is also to prevent students from harming themselves or others.

Emergency Safety InterventionsThe board of education is committed to limiting the use of Emergency Safety

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Interventions (“ESI”), such as seclusion and restraint, with all students. Seclusion and restraint shall be used only when a student’s conduct necessitates the use of an emergency safety intervention as defined below. The Board of Education encourages all employees to utilize other behavioral management tools, including prevention techniques, de-escalation techniques, and positive behavioral intervention strategies.This policy shall be made available on the district website with links to the policy available on any individual school pages. In addition, this policy shall be included in at least one of the following: each school’s code of conduct, school safety plan, or student handbook.

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Definitions (See K.A.R. 91-42-1)“Emergency Safety Intervention” is the use of seclusion or physical restraint when a student presents an immediate danger to self or others. Violent action that is destructive of property may necessitate the use of an emergency safety intervention.“Seclusion” requires all three of the following conditions to be met: (1) the student is placed in an enclosed area by school personnel; (2) the student is purposefully isolated from adults and peers; and (3) the student is prevented from leaving, or reasonably believes that the student will be prevented from leaving, the enclosed area.“Chemical Restraint” means the use of medication to control a student’s violent physical behavior or restrict a student’s freedom of movement.“Mechanical Restraint” means any device or object used to limit a student’s movement. “Physical Restraint” means bodily force used to substantially limit a student’s movement.“Physical Escort” means the temporary touching or holding the hand, wrist, arm, shoulder, or back of a student who is acting out for the purpose of inducing the student to walk to a safe location.“Time-out” means a behavioral intervention in which a student is temporarily removed from a learning activity without being confined.Prohibited Types of RestraintAll staff members are prohibited from engaging in the following actions with all students:

Using face-down (prone) physical restraint; Using face-up (supine) physical restraint; Using physical restraint that obstructs the student’s airway; Using physical restraint that impacts a student’s primary mode of

communication; Using chemical restraint, except as prescribed by a licensed

healthcare professional for treatment of a medical or psychiatric condition; and

Use of mechanical restraint, except:o Protective or stabilizing devices required by law or used in

accordance with an order from a licensed healthcare professional;o Any device used by law enforcement officers to carry out law

enforcement duties; oro Seatbelts and other safety equipment used to secure students during

transportation.

TrainingAll staff members shall be trained regarding the use of positive behavioral intervention strategies, de- escalation techniques, and prevention techniques. Such training shall be consistent with nationally recognized training programs on the use

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of emergency safety interventions. The intensity of the training provided will depend upon the employee’s position. Administrators, licensed staff members, and other staff deemed most likely to need to restrain a student will be provided more intense training than staff who do not work directly with students in the classroom. District and building administration shall make the determination of the intensity of training required by each position. Each school building shall maintain documentation regarding the training that was provided and a list of participants.Notification and DocumentationThe principal or designee shall provide written notification to the student’s parents any time that ESI is used with a student. Such notification must be provided within two (2) school days. In addition, each

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building shall maintain documentation any time ESI is used with a student. Such documentation must include all the following:

Date and time of the intervention; Type of intervention; Length of time the intervention was used, and School personnel who participated in or supervised the intervention.

All such documentation shall be provided to the building principal, who shall be responsible for providing copies of such documentation to the superintendent on at least a biannual basis. At least once per school year, each building principal or designee shall review the documentation of ESI incidents with appropriate staff members to consider the appropriateness of the use of ESI in those instances.Local Dispute Resolution ProcessThe board of education encourages parents to attempt to resolve issues relating to the use of ESI informally with the building principal and/or the superintendent before filing a formal complaint with the board. In the event that the complaint is resolved informally, the administrator must provide a written report of the informal resolution to the superintendent and the parents and retain a copy of the report at the school. The superintendent will share the informal resolution with the board of education and provide a copy to the state department of education.If the issues are not resolved informally with the building principal and/or the superintendent, the parents may submit a formal written complaint to the board of education by providing a copy of the complaint to the clerk of the board and the superintendent.Upon receipt of a formal written complaint, the board president shall assign an investigator to review the complaint and report findings to the board as a whole. Such investigator may be a board member, a school administrator selected by the board, or a board attorney. Such investigator shall be informed of the obligation to maintain confidentiality of student records and shall report the findings and recommended action to the board in executive session.Any such investigation must be completed within thirty (30) days of receipt of the formal written complaint by the board clerk and superintendent. On or before the 30th day after receipt of the written complaint, the board shall adopt written findings of fact and, if necessary, appropriate corrective action. A copy of the written findings of fact and any corrective action adopted by the board shall only be provided to the parents, the school, and the state department of education.Complaint Investigation Procedure

The Board of Education has delegated to the District’s Superintendent or his/her designee the authority to receive parental written complaints about the implementation of this guidance document. The “Request for Investigation of Emergency Safety Intervention (ESI)” is located on the District website.Upon receipt of a complaint, the Superintendent or his/her designee will investigate the complaint and develop a written report which will include findings of fact, conclusions relevant to the requirements of this policy, and, if necessary, corrective actions to remedy an instance of noncompliance.The written report will be submitted to the Board of Education and to the KSDE

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within 30 calendar days from the date the compliant was received in the superintendent’s office.

Homework and CurriculumPlease see the grade-level flyer that your child’s teacher sends home for specific details regarding homework.

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Report Cards and GradingReport cards will be issued four times during each school year at nine-week intervals. Report cards will be distributed at parent-teacher conferences or sent home with students. Parents may check grades throughout the school year on Skyward Parent Portal. This provides direct communication between the school and the parents/guardians. You are able to access information relating to your child including school fees, attendance, and grades. Parents/Guardians may obtain a PIN by visiting the school office and signing the Acceptable Use Guidelines. You must present your driver’s license to receive a PIN. Only one PIN per household is required.Exceptional Student Services (ESS) When you have questions about special education services at our school contact your child’s teacher who will make connections with this team as appropriate. Our team of special education experts including the following;

School psychologist Exceptional student services teachers School social worker Speech-language pathologist Occupational therapist Physical therapist

English Language Learners (ELL)We have support services for those students who are familiar with more than one language. We do hope you will let us know any translation needs you have so we can support you and your child. Direct your questions and concerns to your child’s teacher who will make connections with this team as appropriate.TechnologyStudents will receive computer-aided instruction during their regular classroom instructional setting. Students in kindergarten through second grade have access to mobile laptop carts to use during regular classroom instruction. Students in second grade will have the opportunity to check out Nook e-readers. Students in grades three through five will be issued tablets for home and school use. All technology sent home requires written parental consent. Teachers will share specific information about these devices at the parent-orientation sessions.Behavioral Health Support Team concerns to your child’s teacher who will make connections with this team as appropriate. Members ofthis team include a school counselor and a Military Family Life Consultant.Student CouncilOur student council will consist of one student representative elected from each classroom in third through fifth grades. Elections will be held in September each year. Some of the key responsibilities of our student council include:

Students can receive specialized support with their social, emotional, and behavioral needs. This could be in a one-on-one setting, small group setting,

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A StuCo member is a representative of the class chosen by their classmates to help organize special events and activities throughout the year.

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Some of these activities may include fundraisers, spirit days, volunteer work, attending StuCo meetings, and helping the teachers.

StuCo members must be positive role models to their peers. StuCo members and their pwill sign a contract outlining the specific expectations.

Learning Center

The Seitz Learning Center promotes integrated library lessons and flexible scheduling. The library media specialist will work with the classroom teacher to plan and teach lessons that combine academic content with information and digital literacy skills. Students may visit the library at any time during the school day at the discretion of the teacher. Parents and students are encouraged to suggest books for our collection. Please contact the library media specialist for a book recommendation form. The mission statement is as follows:

Empower students to be critical thinkers, enthusiastic readers, technology champions, skillful researchers, and ethical users of information.

Educate students to navigate a complex and dynamic world of information and technology with self-confidence and determination.

Encourage students to meet challenges with disciplined analysis and creativity.

Engage in collaboration with colleagues to support instruction and increased academic achievement through integrated lessons, providing or creating resources, and curriculum review.

Book Checkout Policy

Kindergarten: one book checked out at a time First Grade: two books checked out at a time Second Grade: two books and one magazine checked out at a time;

Nook e-readers can be checked out with written parental permission Third through Fifth Grades: two books and one magazine checked out at a

time All reading materials are due in one week; Nook e-readers are due the

following morning before school. Books may be renewed if there is not a hold requested; additional

checkouts with permission are granted for research projects. If a student has one book declared ‘lost,’ he or she may continue to

check out one item until the lost item is returned or the fine is paid. If the book is returned after the fine has been paid and is still in good condition, the fine will be refunded.

Payment for books will be set by district policy:o Hardback book - $12o New book – cost of booko Paperback book - $3.50

Library CardsStudents in grades kindergarten through fourth will be issued library cards provided by the Learning Center to use for check out. Fifth grade students will use the barcode on their agendas to check out.

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BreakfastBreakfast is served daily from 7:50 to 8:05 in the school café. If your child is late to breakfast he/she will not be able to eat because the remainder of the food is picked up at 8:05. Children eating breakfast

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should use door 14 to get to the café. After eating breakfast, students will be dismissed to line up at their entrance door.LunchA hot lunch is provided each day. Children may participate in the school lunch program or bring a sack lunch from home. Sack lunches should be placed in a small lunch sack or a lunchbox and sent to school with your child. Your child may purchase milk for lunch at the cost of $.50 or you can send a healthy drink in the sack lunch. Please be sure to have your child’s name on his/her lunchbox. If you or another family member will be eating a school-provided lunch at school, please place your order by 8:20 on the day you are coming at 785.717.6500. Our meals are made off-site which requires us to order adult lunches ahead of time. We follow the CHAMPS protocol in our café:Meal AccountsWhen you enroll your child a meal account number is assigned to him/her. The assigned account number remains the same until your child leaves USD 475. Rather than pay on a daily basis we encourage families to deposit money in the child’s account. You can do this online (Skyward Parent Portal) or by sending the money in an envelope labeled with your child’s name and the words MEAL ACCOUNT. If you are combining money to be deposited into more than one account, please send a note or use the Memo section on your personal check so we know where to deposit the funds. When a child’s meal account is getting low, the system will print a notice that will be sent home with your child. Please watch for these notes in your child’s Dragon folder or check the parent portal frequently.

Breakfast LunchFull Price – Student $1.60 $2.45 elementary priceReduced Price - Student $.30 $.40Full Price – Adult $2.00 $3.50

SnacksStudents are allowed and encouraged to bring a small, healthy snack to school each day. Teachers schedule approximately five minutes for snack time so please make sure your child will be able to eat the snack in that amount of time. Below are some suggested healthy snacks. The list is not meant to be all inclusive. Please note that snacks high in calories/sugar will be sent back home rather than consumed at school.

Cereal (dry and healthy) Cereal bar CheeseCrackers Dried fruit Fruit cupsFresh fruit (peeled) Fresh vegetables Fruit barsGold fish Graham crackers Granola barsJerky Jello (sugar free) Juice (100% real juice)Popcorn Pretzels Pudding (low fat)Raisins/Craisins Rice cakes Sandwich (half)Teddy grahams100 calorie snack pack

Yogurt Applesauce

Water Baked chips

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Money at SchoolStudents should not bring money to school unless it is in an envelope clearly marked for a specific purpose. The teachers and staff members cannot be responsible for money brought to school and lost by students.Please include the following information on the envelope when bringing money

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Booster Club

The Seitz Elementary Booster Club is our parent-teacher organization. It was established to serve the opinions, desires, and needs of the Seitz Elementary staff to enhance and support the educational experience for our students. The organization will suggest and advocate for the betterment of the Seitz learning community while maintaining school and district policies and procedures, provided the Seitz administrative team approves of such actions. Any parent, guardian, or other adult standing in loco parentis for a student at the school may be a member and shall have voting rights when in attendance at the meetings. The administrative team and any staff member employed at the school can be a member and have voting rights, as well.

Parent CommunicationOur staff will communicate with you in varying ways.

Meet the Teacher night Parent orientation nights – watch for notes and Internet postings Parent-teacher conferences in the fall and spring, and at the request of parents or teachers Reminder notes will be sent home with the youngest child in each family explaining special events and ‘no school’ days

Grade-level newsletters – sent home bi-weekly Seitz Elementary homepage Mobile App – USD 475 Emails and text alerts through Skyward – list cell phone number as household phone number Seitz Elementary Facebook page

Telephone CallsBuilding secretaries will be glad to take messages for teachers and teachers will return calls at their earliest convenience. If you choose to leave a message on the teacher’s classroom phone that message may not be checked until after dismissal. Please do not leave dismissal information on the classroom voicemail. Students will not be called out of class to take a phone call.Lost and FoundAll articles found on the school premises should be turned in to the office. Students should check the Lost and Found box located in the cafe. All found items will be displayed during parent-teacher conferences and the last week of school in December and May. After which they will be boxed and donated to a homeless shelter in Junction City.School GatheringsPlease watch the school’s Facebook page, website, text messages, and school newsletters for information about our school gatherings. Emails may be sent home with info about school gatherings, as well.

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Please include your email address in your Skyward account to receive emails.After school activities require maintenance of a safe and orderly environment. All children in attendance should be accompanied by a responsible adult who will be accountable for their behavior. The above behavior expectations and guidelines are to be followed any time your family is in the school.Musical performances by each grade level will be planned and practiced throughout the school year. Please see performance dates as published on Facebook, grade level newsletters, and on our school website.

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Classroom parties will be held for Halloween, Christmas, and Valentine’s Day. Please see your child’s grade level newsletter for specific information.Birthday CelebrationsStudents may bring birthday treats at a time on or near their birthday. Parents should contact teachers for a convenient day/time to be set in order to limit classroom interruptions. Students with summer birthdays may make arrangements if they would like to bring birthday treats during the school year.The passing of invitations at school should only happen if ALL classmates are invited; passing invitations to selected students is hurtful, and we don’t want this to happen in our school. Siblings from other classrooms are not permitted to join the celebration. Teachers are not allowed to provide student addresses for the mailing of invitations due to privacy laws. Thank you for understanding!Field TripsSchool-sponsored field trips are learning opportunities for students enrolled at Seitz Elementary. Siblings should not attend field trips. Parents may attend field trips, but they need to provide their own transportation and pay their own way into the event/activity. Parent notification will be made prior to the trip including any costs to families.Health CenterHealth services are provided by a registered nurse who conducts activities designed to improve, correct, and inform the school family of practices or programs recommended by the school district or required by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. It is recommended that parents and guardians screen their children for illness before they are sent to school. Should a child become ill at school, current phone numbers must be on file so parents or an emergency contact can be reached immediately. Health concerns are shared with only those staff members who must know the information for the safety of the child. All other concerns are kept confidential.Special Health ConcernsPlease inform the school nurse if there are specific health concerns with your child, such as diabetes, epilepsy, asthma, food allergies, and/or vision or hearing difficulties. In turn, the nurse will keep the school staff informed of the specific health needs of your child.MedicationMedication prescribed by a health care provider can be administered at school by designated staff. Please refer to the USD 475 medication policy (found in Geary County Schools Family Handbook) and fill out documentation with our school nurse.School PhysicalEvery student, age eight or under, entering a Kansas school for the first time, must present the results of a physical completed within 12 months prior to school entry and within 90 days of enrollment.Parents are encouraged to secure appointments promptly.

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ImmunizationsProof of immunization must be presented to school authorities at the time of enrollment. Age appropriate immunizations must have been completed prior to attending school. If your religious practices conflict with this policy please talk to administration. Thank you! NUMBER DAYS?Illness and First AidFirst aid will be provided at school and parents will be informed as necessary. Any child with a temperature of 100 degrees or greater will be sent home and must remain at home until he/she is free of

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fever for 24 hours without the aid of medication. Any child with a suspected contagious condition will be sent home and excluded from school until treatment has been sought and medication has been administered according to the doctor’s order.Head InjuriesAll head injuries will be reported to the nurse. Parents will be called, and a written report will be sent home.Medical Concerns for Physical ActivityParticipation in the elementary physical education program is required unless a student is excused by a doctor for medical reasons. If a child is temporarily excused from physical activity, the parent/guardian must send a note with the date and reason for the excuse. Extended lengths of inactivity (beyond 3 consecutive days) are allowed with a written statement from a physician.