A Note To Our Students An expectation is something we count on to happen at school to ensure student safety and to provide an environment that promotes learning. This handbook is about the expectations we have for all students at Oak Knoll School. Our goal is for all students to behave in a manner that demonstrates respect for people and property. School discipline is a cooperative effort between the students, faculty, parents and administration. The consequences of not following school rules are listed in this handbook. Parents may or may not be notified depending on the severity of the incident. Every attempt is made to enforce the rules consistently and with a loving understanding of children and their needs. Please share these expectations with your parents so they know what is expected of you while you are with us each day. Parents, thank you for taking the time to review these expectations with your child. When you have read this handbook together, please sign the attached slip (pdf) and return it to your child's teacher. The Oak Knoll Staff 1) Attendance California law requires that you attend school. If you are going to be absent, your parents are asked to call the school office (854-4433) by 9:00 A.M. You are expected to arrive at school on time. School begins promptly at 8:00 A.M. Entering the classroom after the second bell can be disruptive to both the students and the teacher. Consequences: Students who arrive tardy must pick up a late slip in the school office in order to be admitted to class. If you are often late for school, the school principal will call your parents. Please send a note to school when your child has an appointment or if he or she is going home with someone else. 2) Arrival and Dismissal There is playground supervision before school after 8:00 A. M. All students are asked to wait on the playground until the first bell rings. Students are asked to come to the front of the school for carpool pickup after the dismissal bell. It is important that your child understands where to meet you. All siblings are asked to wait in the area in front of the office. There is supervision for 15 minutes after the dismissal bell at the carpool pick-up area and at the bus area only. Children are asked not to play on the playgrounds without your adult supervision. These fields are reserved for classes. Students walking home or riding bicycles can leave school through the primary yard gate. Children are asked not to play on any playground without your adult supervision. Parent volunteers are asked to sign in and out of the office before helping on campus. 3) Respecting Others Treat all people with respect, kindness, and in a safe way. We do not allow hitting or kicking. Students are expected to be honest and kind. Fighting, teasing, bullying, or name calling will not be tolerated. Consequences: First time: You will be expected to apologize if you have hurt another person or made the other person unhappy by teasing them. You will also be expected to try to resolve your conflict. Additional consequences may be determined by the school staff. Repeated Incidents: Consequences for repeated offenses will be determined by the school staff. Everyone has the right to learn. Personal belongings which may cause disruption in class or to other students will not be allowed in the classrooms or on the playground. We are not responsible for the loss of any of your personal belongings (No wireless gadgets, compact discs, Pokemon toys, Game Boys, etc., should be brought to school). Consequences: First Time: Teacher will ask you to put it away and not to bring it back to school. Repeated Incidents: Student will leave item in office until dismissal. Always use language that is appropriate for school. Consequences: First Time: Make a plan to exprss yourself better. Explain your plan to your teacher. Repeated Incidents: The principal will ask you to call your parents to repeat your inappropriate language. You will perform a service project. Hats and baseball caps may only be worn outside the classroom during recess and P.E. Consequences: First Time: Teacher will remind you not to wear your hat inside and ask you to put it away. Repeated Incidents: Student will give the teacher the hat until dismissal. Chewing Gum is not allowed on the Oak Knoll campus or on field trips. Consequences: First Time: Teacher will ask you to throw away the gum. Repeated Incidents: Student will be asked to perform a service project. 4) Being Part of a Group Walk in the hallways, in the rooms, to lunch, and to the bus. There will be no pushing other students at any time. Consequences: First Time: You will be reminded that there is no running or pushing. You will be removed from line. Repeated Incidents: You will be asked to write a letter to the principal about the importance of this school expectation. Your parents will sign your letter. Treat all school property and other people’s property with care and respect. Consequences: First Time: You will be held responsible for any damage. Your parents will be notified of what was damaged. You will be given a school service project to complete. Repeated Incidents: Your parents will be asked to come to school for a conference with you and the principal. Specific consequences and a method of payment will be decided at the conference. Follow classroom rules so that you do not disrupt the learning of others. Consequences: First Time: Your teacher will ask you to take a “time out” until your behavior has changed. Repeated Incidents: Detention may be served. The principal will work with you on a plan to improve this behavior. 5) Safety Alcohol, drugs, and tobacco are against the law. They are not allowed at school. Consequences: Your parents will be notified by the principal. Students are suspended for bringing any of these items to school. Never bring anything to school that is dangerous, including toy weapons and matches. Consequences: First Time: Inappropriate or dangerous items will be taken away. They will be returned to your parents and should not be brought back to school. You will be asked to teach another person something important about school or playground safety or write a letter about this subject to the principal. Repeated Incidents: Your parents will be called. Students are suspended and may be expelled for bringing guns, knives or matches to school. Bicycles, Razor scooters, skateboards and roller blades are not allowed on the Oak Knoll School campus. We ask that you park and lock your bike at the bicycle rack in front of the school. Razors, roller blades and skateboards that are used as a means of transportation may be WALKED to the classroom. They must be well marked with your name. 6) Behavior in Special Places The School Bus and SAMTRANS. The bus driver is in charge of the bus and all the children riding on the bus. You are responsible for remembering and practicing the rules that were explained by the bus driver and the principal: ***Do what the bus driver asks you to do. ***Stay in your seat while the bus is moving. ***Keep the bus clean. There is no eating or drinking on the bus. ***Be courteous to others. Talk quietly. ***Never throw anything on the bus. ***Treat the bus driver, the bus and the equipment with respect. You are expected to follow these rules of safety and respect for others when you ride the bus. Consequences: First Time: The bus driver will speak to you in person about your unsafe or disrespectful actions. Repeated Incidents: The bus driver will send the principal a signed behavior form. The principal will talk to you and also notify your parents. If your behavior does not change, bus privileges will be lost for a period of time. The principal will work with you to help change your behavior. Detention may be served. The Lunch Tables All students are expected to sit and eat their lunch at the tables for 15 minutes. The yard duty staff members are in charge and students are expected to do as they ask. They will dismiss you when the entire table is clean. You are responsible for remembering and following the lunch time rules: ***Stay seated at the table except to throw away your trash. ***Walk at all times. ***Use good table manners as you eat your lunch. ***No food, papers or others items are thrown from the lunch tables. ***Return your tray to the tray cart. ***Clean up all of your trash on the table and underneath your seat. ***Stay at the table until you are dismissed. ***Recycle what you can. (We recycle cans and plastics.Bottles are unsafe at school) Consequences: First Time: The yard duty staff will warn you. Second time: You will be asked to help clean up the lunch area. Repeated Incidents: Your parents and the principal will be informed. You will be assigned a school service project to complete. Recess Everyone must go out for recess. Students are not allowed to stay in the classroom without teacher supervision On the Playground Students are expected to use playground equipment safely and to respect other people who share that playground. All students must stay on the playground or at the ball walls until the bell rings. On the Primary yard all students must "freeze" when the bell rings and wait for the teacher to dismiss them to class. Any problem on the playground should be reported to the yard duty. These rules apply to every recess: ***Everyone is included at Oak Knoll. We make room for everyone. ***When using the slide, feet first and one at a time. ***Always go down the slide. ***One person only on the swing. ***No jumping from the swings, slides or other playground equipment. ***Be kind to the playground trees. No climbing on the trees. ***Play in sight of the teachers, not in bushes or behind buildings. ***Walk around, not through, other people’s games. ***Wait for your turn on slides and swings and in games. ***The tan bark is not to be picked up or moved. ***No climbing or hanging from any tree branches. ***Please report any broken or unsafe equipment to the yard duty. ***There is no food on the playground. Consequences: First Time: The yard duty staff will warn you. Second time: You will lose a recess. Repeated Incidents: Your parents and the principal will be informed. You will be assigned a school service project to complete. Use playground and sports equipment in a safe manner at all times. Never throw tan bark, rocks, sticks or food. Consequences: First Time: You will lose a recess. Repeated Incidents: Detention will be served. Your parents will be notified. You will be assigned a school service project. A student can be suspended from school for hurting another person. Bathrooms You are expected to go to and from the bathroom with the permission of your teacher during class times. During recesses and lunch, you are expected to walk to the bathroom. We expect that you will not play in the bathroom or make any unnecessary work for the custodians. We hope you will be thoughtful and remember to flush the toilet after using it. Consequences: First Time: You are responsible for cleaning up any mess or damage. Repeated Incidents: Your parents will be notified and your use of the bathroom will be supervised for a period of time. You will be assigned a school service project to complete. Assemblies You are expected to be the kind of audience member that you would like to have in front of you if you were performing or speaking. That would be a quiet, courteous person who did not distract others in any way during the program. Booing or hissing is never acceptable audience behavior anywhere, at any time. Consequences: First Time: You will leave the assembly and go to a supervised area with an authorized school adult. Repeated Incidents: You will leave the assembly and lose the privilege of attending the next assembly. Field Trips You are expected to be cooperative and respectful of adults and the property you are visiting. You are expected to follow the directions of the bus driver on the bus and the instructors during the field trip. We ask that you do not disrupt any of the special organized activities of your group. Consequences: First Time: The teacher will supervise your behavior during the rest of the field trip. You will lose the privilege of attending the next field trip.