• Arrival and Departure
• Attendance
• Reporting and Absence
• Late Students
• Signing Out Students
• Homework Policy
• Wellness Policy
• Traffic Procedures

Arrival and Departure

There is no student supervision before 8:15am, so students in Grades 1-6 should arrive at school between 8:15am and 8:30am.  Students arriving at school before 8:15am must remain on the benches at the front of the school.  Students arriving later than 8:30am must check in at the office to pick up a late attendance slip ("blue slip") to insure our attendance records are accurate.

Students in Grades 1-2 are dismissed at 2:40pm MTWF and 1:25pm Th; students in grades 3-6 are dismissed at 3:00pm MTWF and 1:45pm Th.  Students in the younger grades who are not enrolled in after-school enrichment are not allowed to be on the playground or in classrooms between 2:30pm and 2:45pm, to avoid disruption of the older grades.  Students waiting for older siblings must stay quietly on the benches at the front of the school and must be under adult supervision. There is no playground supervision after dismissal; the public may use the playground and fields after 3:15pm.

Attendance

Regular school attendance is one of the most critical factors in a child's success in school. Please support the efforts of the Santa Rita staff to provide the best possible education by having your child attend school daily. Excused absences are noted for medical or dental appointments, sickness, and religious holidays only. Other absences are considered unexcused.

Reporting an Absence

Please call the Attendance Line at 559-1640 before 9:00am when your child is going to be absent or late to school. A voice mail system is available 24 hours a day. Parents will be contacted for any child marked absent for the day and whose parents have not called. The office appreciates your efforts to inform us whenever your child will not be at school.

Late Students

Punctual arrival at school is important to your child, the other children in the classroom and your child's teacher. The first few minutes of the day are an important time: directions are given, the daily schedule is discussed and daily lessons begun. Missing this time puts your child at a disadvantage. Late arrivals are unexcused unless your student had a medical or dental appointment. Excessive tardies may result in loss of school privileges or referral to the School Attendance Review Board.

Signing Out Students

If your child needs to be excused from class during the day, please inform the teacher by note and come to the office to pick up your child. A sign out system is used in the office and must be completed before a child will be released. No student will be released to anyone whose name is not on his or her emergency card unless the school is otherwise notified in writing by the parent. This procedure is to insure the protection and safety of your child.

Homework Policy

Homework is any assigned activity, which is primarily accomplished outside of regular classroom time, has a definite relationship to the student's educational growth, is designed to reinforce classroom work, and is grade level appropriate. Homework shall not serve as a replacement for in-depth classroom lessons or teacher-directed instruction.

Especially as student progress through their academic lives, research shows that homework has a positive effect on achievement. Therefore, the amount of assigned homework will increase incrementally as children proceed one grade to the next. Regular completion of homework helps students meet the district's academic standards.

1) How much homework will my child be assigned?

Homework may be assigned Monday through Thursday. Time for the student to complete outside reading and both short and long term projects is included within the minute average for each grade level.

Grade Nightly Homework:

• Kindergarten: Occasional Short Homework
• 1st Grade: 10-20 minutes
• 2nd Grade: 20-30 minutes
• 3rd Grade: 30-40 minutes
• 4th Grade: 40-50 minutes
• 5th Grade: 50-65 minutes
• 6th Grade: 60-85 minutes

2) What is the role of parents?

Homework provides a link between home and school and helps parents see what their children are learning. Here are a few tips for making homework a successful activity at home:

• Provide a quiet, well-lighted place for your child to work.
• Help your child to set goals, organize and prioritize.
• Establish a homework routine that reinforces the family's commitment to the child's education.
• Provide brief help when needed to check for completion, clarify direction of to help your student get 'unstuck'.
• Ask questions that help the child solve problems independently.
• Praise effort as well as results.

3) What if my child is absent?

In case of absence, students and parents may request makeup homework on the second day of absence. Please call the office by 12:00 pm on the second day of absence. Requested homework may be picked up in the office between 3:15 and 4:00 pm. There is a ìHomework Pick-upî mailbox inside the office.

4) What if we are out of town?

Students who are involved in family travel during school days are asked to complete an Independent Study if the travel will keep them away from class for 5 days or more. Please pick up these forms in the office.

Wellness Policy

In response to the growing problem of childhood obesity, our state and federal governments have mandated the following:

• Students will be seated for a minimum of 15 minutes to eat lunch.
• Celebrations that involve food (including student birthdays) during the school day are limited to no more than one per class per month. Each occasion may include no more than one food or beverage that does not meet nutrition standards.
• Celebrations should occur only after lunch.
• Food served as part of instructional activities (science, cooking class, math activities) will offer healthy choices.
• Rewards for academic performance and good behavior will discourage the use of foods or beverages.
• The school should offer and promote healthy food and beverages at all school events.

We will continue to celebrate birthdays at school and acknowledge the very special day for students. However, if a family wishes to send birthday treats to school, the treat must either be healthy or non- edible. Please remember that treats are optional. We will recognize your child's birthday regardless of treats.

Traffic Procedures

To ensure the safety of Santa Rita students and parent drivers, please follow these procedures for both during morning drop-off and afternoon pick-up:

1. The yellow curb is for pick up and drop off only. Do not get out of your car even for one minute. Instruct your child to be ready to exit or enter your car. Do not drop off or pick up from the outer lane this is very dangerous.
2. Drive as far forward as you can before stopping at the yellow curb, even if there is no one behind you at the moment. An orange cone marks where the carpool drop off/pick up line starts.
3. Keep pulling forward as spaces in front of you open up. Be aware of the crosswalk and do not block it. Follow the “stop” and “slow” directions of the orange vested traffic volunteer in the crosswalk.
4. Please use the cross walk to cross the carpool lanes to and from the parking lot. During drop-off and pick-up, an orange vested volunteer will be there to tell you when it is safe to cross.
5. Drive slowly (5mph) and cautiously in the carpool lanes and parking lot and upon entering from or exiting onto Los Altos Avenue.
6. There is not parking or stopping along the red curb in front of the office. This is for busses or emergency vehicles only.
7. Cars should not wait in the parking lot driveways for their children. It is unsafe and blocks cars which are trying to leave the parking lot.
8. Please be courteous to our traffic volunteers and safety patrols who are there to keep everyone safe.