2007-2008 School Year Calendar
Releasing Students During the Instructional Day
School Improvement Program (SIP)
Limited/Non-English Speaking Program
2007-2008 SCHOOL YEAR CALENDAR
Coming Soon!
Regular Day Parent Conference Day Minimum Day M,T,W,Fri Thursday AM Kdg 8:25-11:45 8:25-11:45 8:25-11:45 8:25-11:45 Gr. 1-6 8:25-3:00 8:25-1:45 8:25-11:40 8:25-12:40 We welcome and encourage parents and guardians to visit our school. Prior to visiting, please call the school for an appointment. For the safety of all students and staff, visitors must sign in at the office and wear a Visitor’s Badge while on campus.
Teachers are not able to conference during instructional time. Please schedule conferences before or after school.Students may not arrive at school prior to 8:10 AM. There is no supervision prior to that time. Please arrive by 8:25 AM so classroom instruction is not interrupted. Students arriving after the 8:25 AM bell should come to the office for a tardy pass.
There is no supervision after school. If students are walking or riding their bikes, they must leave campus immediately. If students are being picked up by car, please be prompt.Regular attendance is a critical factor to a child’s success in school. We ask that you schedule doctor, dental and other necessary appointments after school whenever possible. Please try to arrange to take family vacations at a time when school is not in session. When children are ill, it is obviously best that they stay at home where they can be cared for and do not expose other children.
A Student’s absence may be excused legally for the following reasons:
1) Illness
2) Quarantine under the direction of a county or city health officer.
3) Medical, dental, optometrical, or chiropractic appointments.
4) Attendance at funeral services for a member of the immediate family.
a) Excused absence is limited to one day if services are conducted in California or three days if conducted out of state.
b) “Immediate family” is defined as mother, father, grandmother, grandfather, son/daughter, brother, sister or any relative living in the immediate household of the student.
5) Doctor verification or absences that need to be cleared must be submitted to the office within ten days of the absence. Uncleared absences will become unexcused absences after that time.Independent Study is a positive option for attendance under certain circumstances. However, it is a privilege and the following factors are taken into consideration when granting the request:
a) Is it in the best academic interest of the student?
b) Are there attendance or behavioral issues that make Independent Study inappropriate?
c) Does the timeframe requested conflict with testing or other important educational activities?
d) Does the school have the capacity to supervise the contract as required by law?
e) Has the student successfully completed previous Independent Studies contracts?
Independent Studies contracts require the teacher to prepare individual lesson plans and materials for your student. Parent requests for Independent Study must be made to the teacher a minimum of one week in advance of the student’s last day at school. Independent Study Contracts are not granted for students in grades 2-6 during STAR Testing.It is extremely important that each student arrive at school on time. The staff has been working to minimize classroom interruptions and to utilize th instructional day to its fullest. When a student arrives late, instruction is interrupted while the teacher explains the lesson to the student. Excessive tardiness has a detrimental effect on children’s learning. Parents will be notified if their child has an excessive number or tardies. Students who are tardy need to obtain a tardy slip from the school office before going to class.
Please call the Parent Alert number if your child will be tardy.The Parent Alert Program was initiated in an effort to ensure that every child who leaves for school arrives safely at school.
It is the parent’s responsibility to call Parent Alert, available 24 hours a day, when their child is absent or tardy. These recorded messages will be compared with the teacher’s daily attendance report to make sure all children are accounted for. Parent volunteers will verify absences of students whose parents have not called the school regarding their child’s absence.RELEASING STUDENTS DURING THE INSTRUCTIONAL DAY
For the safety and protection of all students, please follow the procedures outlined below regarding dismissal prior to the end of the instructional day:
1) All students leaving school prior to the end of the instructional day are to bring a signed note from their parent or guardian.
2) Parents who wish to pick their child up before the end of the instructional day will need to come to the office and sign the dismissal register. While completing this information, the child will be called to the office.
3) If an adult other than the parent or guardian calls for a student, they must be listed on the student’s emergency card, and the parent must call the office and send in a note stating that they permit us to release the child to the care of that person.Each year, we ask that parents complete three emergency cards for each child in the family attending LeGette School. In an EMERGENCY SITUATION it is vital we be able to contact the PARENTS OR DESIGNATED ADULT IMMEDIATELY. It is important for this reason that the information provided on these cards (home and work number, pager, cell phone numbers, parent or guardian’s place of employment, etc.) be kept current. Please notify the school office immediately of any such changes so the emergency cards can be updated.
If it is necessary for a student to take any form of medication during the school day, a San Juan Unified School District Physician’s Referral Form must be completed and on file in the school office. All medication will be kept in the office and will be dispensed through the office. Medication should be brought to the school office in the original container by the parent. Referral forms must be renewed at the beginning of each school year. San Juan Unified School District Physician’s Forms are available in the school office.
State law requires that children attending school have a minimum level of immunizations. Children enrolled in kindergarten will not be allowed to begin school without proper immunizations. Parents of students in grades 1-6 who are not properly immunized will be notified and given a reasonable time period to obtain the necessary immunization(s). Not adhering to the state law regarding immunizations will result in exclusion from school.
Your cooperation in providing immunization updates and records will be greatly appreciated.
Students are expected to come to school clean and neat. We would appreciate your cooperation in seeing that your child dresses in a manner that is appropriate, safe, and not distracting themselves and other students. The following are guidelines for student dress.
1) Thongs, clogs, and open-heeled and open-toed shoes can be dangerous and are not allowed to be worn at school.
2) Halter tops, tube tops, mesh shirts, bathing suits, shirts showing midriff or stomach, clothing with offensive language or pictures, and clothing advertising tobacco or alcohol are inappropriate and may not be worn.
3) Shorts must show below the shirt and may not be shorter than the fingertips when the student's arm is fully extended downward.
4) Make-up, sprayed-on hair color, and any item which may be distracting may not be worn.Personal property other than items needed to complete schoolwork and assignments may not be brought to school without specific permission from the teacher or principal. This includes, but is not limited to toys, games, radios, trading cards, electronic equipment, excessive amounts of money, and live animals. If a student brings such an item with permission of the teacher, it must be appropriate to the curriculum and not offensive or violent in nature. It may not be taken out or used during recess. before or after school. Alive animals may not be brought to school without prior arrangements with the teacher. Students violating this rule may have their property taken away. The school will not be responsible for lost or stolen personal property.
The school telephone is to be used for business and emergency purposes only. It is available to students only by permission from the teacher or supervisor. Students will not be allowed to use the telephone for such reasons as asking permission to go to a friend’s house, staying for a recreation program, etc. Those arrangements must be made beforehand by parents or the student.
Current state law allows students to bring cell phones to school, with parental permission, for use during an emergency. These phones are for emergency use only and their presence at school will be allowed as long as students have a signed parent permission form on file in the school office and they follow these guidelines:
1) Cell phones are turned off while on school grounds except for extreme emergencies. Extreme emergencies refer to life threatening situations where the school does not have other communication options available.
2) Cell phones are to be kept out of sight at all times while on campus. This includes before and after school.
3) Cell phones are not to be used to call parents, friends, or relatives or in place of school land lines except for extreme emergencies.
4) The school is not responsible for cell phones brought to school.The school telephone is to be used for business and emergency purposes only. It is available to students only by permission from the teacher or supervisor. Students will not be allowed to use the telephone for such reasons as asking permission to go to a friend’s house, staying for a recreation program, etc. Those arrangements must be made beforehand by parents or the student.
Hot lunches are served in the cafeteria which includes milk. White or chocolate milk is available for those who want only milk. Lunches may be pre-paid through the cafeteria and this is highly encouraged. This method of payment ensures that students will have a lunch in the event that lunch money or sack lunches are forgotten at home. Free or reduced lunches are available to qualifying students by application. Applications are sent home in August and are available at any time in the school office.
Students going home during their lunch time MUST have a note on file in the office. Parents picking up their child to take them off campus for lunch MUST sign their child out through the office.
In order not to interrupt instruction in the classroom, lunches brought to the office after the start of the school day will be taken by noon duty supervision to a specified table in the cafeteria. Students are instructed to look there for their lunches. The cafeteria’s direct telephone line is 867-2749. Lunch menus are posted onthe district website, www.sanjuan.edu.
Students living within the LeGette attendance area and over a specified distance from the school may ride the bus to school. Written information on bus stops, fees, and the various payment options are available in the office and on the district website, www.sanjuan.edu. Students who qualify for free or reduced priced lunch will also qualify for free or reduced price transportation.
Students should arrive at their bus stop no more than five minutes prior to the arrival of the bus. Appropriate behavior at the bus stop and the bus is expected. Students not behaving appropriately may lose their bus riding privileges.
Please follow these rules while driving and/or parking in the school parking lot:
1. Observe the 5 mile per hour speed limit.
2. When dropping off or picking up children in the parking lot, parents of children in grades 1-6 must use the loading and unloading zone adjacent to the field. Drivers must remain in their cars in the loading/unloading zones.
3. Park only in a designated parking slot.
4. Keep the bus zone and fire lanes clear at all times.
5. A red crosswalk zone and a bus loading zone are located on the top of the hill on Kenneth Avenue. Please keep these zones free of cars.State law requires bus drivers to flash their red lights anytime students are loading or unloading. For the safety of the students, rivers on both sides of the street are required to stop anytime the red lights are flashing. This law applies to the parking lot as well.
Students may ride their bicycle to school. A bicycle enclosure area is located on the field adjacent to the parking lot. Although the bicycle enclosure remains locked during the school day, it is recommended that students use a bike lock. The school makes every effort to provide a secure area for students’ bicycles, but it is not responsible for vandalism or stolen bicycles.
Written permission from parents is required before a child is allowed to go on a field trip. The teacher will send home a letter describing the field trip and attach a Field Trip Permission form. Please complete the form and return it to the school promptly. On most trips students are transported in private cars, but, in some cases, buses are used. We rely on parent volunteers to help chaperone students on field trips. If you are available to assist with field trips, please inform your child’s teacher.
By district policy, a student may be excluded from participating in field trips by the classroom teacher if the student is significantly behind in work completion or his/her behavior has not been appropriate. Parents will be notified in advance of the trip if their child will not be allowed to participate.
Each week, a copy of the “LeGette News” is sent home with the students. This parent NEWSLETTER is prepared by the principal and the secretary in an effort to keep parents well informed about upcoming events, meetings, school holidays, along with other important announcements. Please encourage your child to bring home all bulletins and school notices.
Our phone system includes VOICE MAIL. A voice mail directory is included in the information sent home on the first day of school. As part of our voice mail system, we have a SCHOOL EVENT LINE. The school event line briefly describes school-wide events occurring that week. The event line is updated on Monday of each week. To access the event line, call 979-8430 and enter the mailbox code 43.
The staff at Earl LeGette School believes that homework is an important part of the learning process and a necessary link in the chain of events that enables a student to become an independent learner. Assignments which are completed in a student’s home enable the parent to sample the student’s classroom experiences; assist the teacher in gaining insight into a student’s ability to learn independently; provide opportunities for the student to develop proficiency with skills, study habits, and a sense of responsibility, and provide a communication link between parents, students and teachers.
Homework is assigned on a regular basis in kindergarten through the sixth grade. The amount of time children are expected to work at home will vary.
Report cards are issued three times per year. For some students, Progress Notices are sent home midway through each trimester. All parents are invited to a parent conference with the teacher at the end of the first trimester. Additional conferences may be scheduled by the teacher or requested by a parent as necessary. Teachers also communicate with parents by informal phone calls and/or notes sent home.
Parents are encourage to call the school if they have questions or concerns. Most items can be addressed through a phone call or conference with the teacher. If the issue is not resolved at that level, parents are invited to call the principal.
All students in grades 2-6 participate in State Standardized Testing (STAR). This is a part of the state's required testing program and measures progress in math, language, spelling, and other curricular areas. STAR testing is done in the spring, usually in April and May. It is critical that all students in grades 2-6 participate. Therefore, Independent Study Contracts will not be issued during that period. In addition, students are given periodic district assessments in reading fluency, math and writing. Information regarding student progress is provided during parent conferences and through the STAR report which is sent home by mail.
A “lost and found” rack is maintained in the multi-purpose room. Each year an abundance of clothing is left unclaimed. To avoid the loss of clothing, we recommend that items which are likely to be taken off at school (raincoats, jackets, sweaters, etc.) be labeled with the student’s name. Unclaimed clothing will be donated to the San Juan Clothes Closet.
Information regarding student accident insurance is sent home at the beginning of the school year and is available throughout the year in the school office. If your child is not covered through other policies, we urge you to consider subscribing.
Parents who plan to move and whose child will be attending another school should notify the school as soon as possible. The student’s cumulative record folder will be updated with specific information for the new school including current reading and math levels and other important information. As soon as the new school requests the folder, it can be sent to them. District policy requires that we send student records directly to the new school.
In most cases, students who move within the school district and who wish to complete the school year at LeGette, may remain at LeGette. In that event, the office must be notified immediately so that we have a current address and phone number in case of an emergency.
SCHOOL PLAYGROUND/RECREATION AIDE
Teachers are permitted by law and district policy to have a duty-free lunch period. We employ parents as school playground/recreation aides during the lunch period and to supervise students after school while waiting for their bus or ride home. The primary responsibility of the school playground/recreation aide is to see that students are engaged in courteous and safe activities.
Applications are made through the school office. Interested parents are encouraged to apply. Part-time and substitute positions are also available.
The district P.T.A. maintains a Clothes Closet making clean used clothing available free of charge to families which qualify. Forms and further information may be obtained by contacting the school office.
SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM (SIP)
The School Improvement Program (SIP) is funded by the State of California and serves students in elementary and secondary schools. It provides funds to improve instruction, services, school environment and organization at school sites according to plans developed by the school with the approval of the School Site Council. School site plans are developed to support the District goals for student achievement and to address the needs of the students at LeGette.
Parents participate in decision-making through the School Site Council. The council is composed of the principal and representatives of staff members selected by staff and parents of pupils attending the school selected by such parents. The School Site Council meets four times during the year to monitor, evaluate, and revise the school plan. In addition, it monitors and recommends proposed expenditures of funds received through this program.
The Resource Specialist Program is a program for first through sixth grades. The program is designed to assist students with learning disabilities which prevent them from making satisfactory progress in one or more subject areas. The students are tested by specialists, such as the school psychologist, speech therapist, and resource specialist. Students will not be tested without parent permission. Members of the evaluation team share test results with the parents. A recommendation for placement in the program must have the parent’s permission.
Students who participate in the resource program spend most of their day in the regular classroom. In addition, they work on their areas of weakness individually or in small groups with the resource specialist. The resource specialist is a teacher specially trained to work with students who have learning disabilities.
In situations where the child’s needs cannot be met in the resource program, he/she is considered for placement in a self-contained Special Day Class.
The major function of the speech and language therapist is to provide diagnosis and remediation of communication disorders. A communication disorder may include areas such as articulation (speech sounds), voice, fluency (stuttering) and delayed or deviant receptive and expressive language development.
All kindergarten students are screened for language and speech problems. If it is determined there is possible communication disorder, parents are contacted for a conference to obtain written consent for further testing. Subsequent conferences are held to review assessment data, obtain parental approval on language and speech instruction plans, or to report student progress. The same procedures are used with students referred by classroom teachers and parents or students identified as having a possible communication disorder in previous years. The difference is that these referrals are not screened, but parental consent for testing is obtained once the referral is made.
The speech and language therapist may act as a resource or consultant to classroom teachers in terms of providing materials and ideas in the areas of receptive and expressive language and speech.
The Student Study Team is made up of regular classroom teachers, support staff and the principal. The purpose of the team is to identify ways to assist students who are not succeeding in the regular classroom. A referral to the Student Study Team is made by the classroom teacher. The parent is invited to attend the Student Study Team meeting. Together the staff and parent develop an action plan designed to help the student achieve at his/her potential.
LIMITED/NON-ENGLISH SPEAKING PROGRAM
Limited and non-English speaking students are given the opportunity to attend one of the district’s bilingual learning centers. They receive special assistance in understanding the English language thorugh a multitude of language activities provided by classroom teachers and Language Development Specialists.
GIFTED AND TALENTED EDUCATION PROGRAM (GATE)
Students in grades two through six may qualify to participate in the district's Gifted and Talented Program (GATE). Students may qualify for the GATE Program in the spring of their first grade year by taking the Naglieri Nonverbal Test or by referral to take an abbreviated Stanford/9 test. In addition, students in first grade and beyond may qualify by scoring above a specific score on a privately administered IQ test.
The needs of gifted students are met within the regular classroom program through a variety of means, including instructional groupings and extension/enrichment activities. Many of the after-school Enrichment classes offered at LeGette are appropriately challenging for gifted students.
The Earl Legette Media Center houses a variety of print and audio visual materials. The materials in our Media Center are selected to meet the needs of K-6 students. They are chosen to supplement the curriculum and to provide materials for pleasure reading and research. Each class spends 30 minutes a week in the Media Center. During this time, students are encouraged to check out a book for recreational reading. Materials may be kept for one week and may be renewed if there is no reserve on them. Parents are requested to encourage proper book borrowing habits in their children.
We encourage parents to visit our Media Center. Parent volunteers are essential to the success of our Media Center. Any parents interested in helping out in the Media Center should contact our Media Tech.
CARE OF TEXTBOOKS AND LIBRARY BOOKS
Students are responsible for all textbooks and library books issued to them during the school year. All lost or damaged books must be paid for. All monies collected are recorded and paid to the proper fund for replacement purposes. If a lost book is found after payment has been made, the money paid will be refunded. A student’s report card will be withheld if payment for a lost or damaged book is not made.
We have a fee-based after-school Enrichment Program available for students in grades 1-6 enrolled at LeGette School. There are three eight-week sessions during the school year. Each session offers a variety of classes in areas such as science, art, music, drama, computer and other special interests. Fees for instruction and materials vary according to the subject matter and number of participants in a class. Enrollment is limited and is on a first-come, first-served basis. Announcements and class descriptions are sent home prior to each session.
A limited number of scholarships for those who meet the scholarship criteria are available upon request.
Information about the Enrichment Program can be obtained by calling 979-8430, mailbox code 42.
The Discovery Club, operated by the district’s Early Childhood Education Child Development Programs, is a before and after school child care program for K-6th grade students. It is housed at LeGette in Rooms 1 and 2 and is open daily from 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 P.M. Children receive homework assistance, create art and science projects, work with the computer and participate in many other fun and interesting activities. For further information call 971-7375.
At Earl LeGette, parents are considered a valuable resource and their interest and participation in the school is welcomed and appreciated. Parent volunteerism is an integral part of the School Improvement Program and gives parents an opportunity to be involved in the learning that takes place at school. Parents can assist by working in the classroom, the Media Center, the computer lab, the office or at home. Parents also participate as field trip drivers, room parents, art docents, parent alert volunteers, members of the PTA Board, and members of the School Site Council.
Parent volunteers help make Earl LeGette a special school. Without you, the parents, so many programs and activities would be impossible. Your dedication and assistance are deeply appreciated. Join us and share your talents. The children will benefit from your involvement and so will you!
If you are interested in volunteering at school or at home, please contact your child’s teacher or call the school office.
The Parent-Teacher Association is a group of parents and teachers who coordinate efforts to enrich our children’s school experience. The PTA provides a support system for the school, the teachers and the students.
The PTA sponsors many school events and programs to promote a positive and welcoming culture in our school. Some of those events include the Fall Back-to-School Picnic, the school carnival, and the pancake breakfast. Fundraisers support assemblies, our computer program, the library, playground equipment, instructional supplies and other schoolwide needs.
Parents participate in the PTA as members, officers, committee members and room parents. Each fall the PTA holds a membership drive and encourages parents and teachers to join and participate in planning the PTA budget activities for the school year.
We hope that you will choose to become a member of the LeGette PTA and support the various special events held throughout the school year.
4623 Kenneth Ave, Fair Oaks, 95628
Telephone: (916) 867-2054
Email: legetteweb@sanjuan.edu