School Hours
Arrival
The School Office is open to students and parents from 7:30 to 3:30 PM. each school day. Students that are eating breakfast may arrive at 7:45 AM. Students eating breakfast at home should arrive no earlier than 8:00 AM.
●Students will follow the ORANGE dots to the cafeteria if they eat breakfast.
●Students who are not eating breakfast should line up on the ORANGE dots under the awning out front of the school.
●If students are riding the bus, they will go straight to the gym unless they are eating breakfast, and in that case, they will report to the lunchroom.
Upon being dismissed to class, students will follow the colored dots to their corresponding classroom.
Dismissal
School is dismissed at 2:35 PM. All classes will exit through their exterior doors, being escorted by their teachers to their end-of-day drop-off locations.
District Visitors Policy
We welcome parents, guardians, and community members who have business with the school during normal school hours. ALL visitors, including UPSD district personnel, are required to sign in and out in the school office. This is clearly posted on all school doors. All visitors to the school must have a visitor badge or an employee badge. Students may not bring visitors to school. If your child forgets homework, lunch, musical instrument, etc., please bring the item(s) to the office and the office staff will deliver them to the classroom. Please note that flowers and balloons delivered to children at school will be held in the office until the end of the day in order to avoid classroom disruption. Balloons are prohibited on school buses.
District Volunteer Policy
To preserve the learning environment for all students, volunteers will not be allowed in classrooms without prior arrangements being made with the building principal or designee. Individuals interested in volunteering in school should begin by filling out a volunteer application. Once approved, interested individuals should then contact the school office to discuss volunteer opportunities.
Academic and Report Card Information
Report Cards and Parent Conferences
Primary students receive three report cards each year (November, March and June). Parents will be informed of student progress in reading and math on each report card.
Parent conferences will be held in November. A Back to School Night will be held in September to give parents a chance to meet staff and learn classroom procedures. Please check your district calendar for the exact date, time, and place.
Food Items at School
The Chambers Equity team spent considerable time last spring discussing birthday celebrations at school and the inequitable experiences they can unintentionally create among students. As a building we work together to protect our instructional time so students can have the best opportunity to receive instruction. We kindly ask that you do not send in any treats or gifts for your child’s birthday. We will continue to wish students Happy Birthday over morning announcements and invite them to the office to receive a
special birthday pencil and eraser.
Communications
The administration and teachers value communication with students and their families. It is important to establish and maintain positive home and school communication; therefore, we have several ways to let you know what is happening at school. Please contact the office if you are not receiving school information on a regular basis.
E-Mail: Each UPSD staff member can be reached via e-mail. E-mail addresses of each employee is the first letter of their first name, and their last name along with @upsd83.org. For example, [email protected] Employee e-mail addresses can also be obtained through our district website at www.upsd83.org.
School Newsletters: School newsletters will be available on our school website (via the district link at www.upsd83.org) and updated throughout the school year. Please expect your first newsletter near the opening of school. It will contain updated calendars, event information, PTA news, and articles of interest. If you would like the newsletter mailed to you, please notify the office.
Reader Board: The reader board highlights current important events at school. Be sure to check it out as you drive by.
Student Handouts: Student handouts come home in your student's backpack. Please remind students to get all such announcements home in a timely manner.
District Calendars: Each family will receive by mail a District calendar. Every effort will be made to insure that this calendar is accurate.
Please let us know if your address or telephone contacts change.
Class Placements
Classroom placements are made by the building Principal. Parents who wish to provide additional information about their child for consideration should talk to the building Principal. This will be factored in with information from staff such as achievement level, gender, and special services must be used to balance classes. The final decision for all placement decisions lies with the building Principal.
Breakfast/Lunch Program
Students may purchase breakfast and/or lunch, milk, from school. A monthly menu is on the Nutrition Services portion of the District Website, with all items available on the SCAN-A-LUNCH system designed to speed up food service. This is a system that records lunch pre-payments and charges against the student's account. Credit cannot be extended at any time and lunch charges. Please make checks payable to University Place Schools. Checks may be brought to the office each morning by the student or the parent or given to the classroom teacher. IMPORTANT: Please insure that the child's name and grade level appears on the check.
Free and reduced lunches are available to families who qualify according to family size and income. Application forms are available in the school office and online. Students may not obtain free/reduced price lunches and give them to other students since this is illegal. Lunch price information will be provided to students each August by mail or can be obtained by calling the school office.
Rev-Trak is available to make credit card payments to the school online: http://universityplacesd.revtrak.net/tek9.asp
Classroom & Office Telephones
Students may use the telephones in the classroom at the discretion of the classroom teacher. The use of the office phone by students will be for emergencies only. Calling a friend to go home with them is not an emergency. Arrangements such as this must be made before coming to school. The office is equipped with a messaging system that includes voice mail. Parents may call and leave messages before or after normal office hours.
Phone Calls to Classrooms
Phone calls to classrooms during the day can be very disruptive to the learning process. Therefore, the office staff will interrupt a classroom with a phone call for emergencies only. Otherwise, messages will be taken and delivered to the classroom at lunch and just before the end of his/her school day. We know your message is important; however the impact of that message must also be weighed against the disruption it may cause.
Money, Valuables, and Toys
Students are instructed not to bring money or valuables to school unless the money is for lunch or school activities. Sports equipment is not to be brought to school, unless the student has been granted permission from a staff member. Any electronic devices, including cell phones, must be kept off and put away while in the building and during the school day. Parents must pick up cell phones if confiscated. PLEASE NOTE: The school will not be financially responsible for lost, stolen or damaged electronic devices or equipment brought to school by students.
Lost and Found
Lost and found is located at each primary school. Please put names in and on everything. This is especially true of lunch cases, backpacks and coats. Unclaimed items are given to charitable donations. Watches, jewelry, keys and other small items will be kept in the office until claimed.
Field Trips
Field trips are a continuation of classroom learning experiences. Permission slips must be signed and returned to school prior to the field trip or your child legally may not attend. All students not attending trips MUST COME TO SCHOOL - an educational experience will be provided in lieu of the trip. Students not attending school will be marked as unexcused if missing the trip is the reason given for non-attendance.
School Photos and Yearbook
Individual photos of all students will be taken soon after the start of the school year. These pictures are used in the school yearbook, for identification cards and other school activities. Parents are given the chance to purchase packets of pictures at this time.
School Supplies and Materials
Classroom supply lists will be provided and posted on the district website.
Affirmative Action / Non-Discrimination Statement
The University Place School District complies with all federal and state laws, rules, and regulations and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin (including language), sex, sexual orientation including gender expression or identity, creed, religion, age, veteran or military status, disability, or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with a disability in student education programs, co-curricular activities, and employment practices. The district is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer encouraging application of qualified minorities, women, and disabled persons for employment and other opportunities. University Place School District is committed to providing access to all District programs and activities and provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups. For elevator access at school sites, contact the principal's office. The University Place School District is a drug-free/smoke-free work place and educational setting. Direct inquiries regarding compliance, grievance, or appeal procedures, or concerns involving students, should be made to the District Affirmative Action Officer/Civil Rights Compliance Coordinator/ Title IX Officer/HIB Compliance Officer, Lainey Mathews, [email protected] or Section 504/FAPE/ADA concerns should be made to Kelly McClure. km[email protected]. Both can be contacted at (253) 566-5600, 3717 Grandview Drive West, University Place, WA 98466.
Discrimination Complaint Procedures
Anyone may file a complaint against the district alleging that the district has violated anti-discrimination laws. This complaint procedure is designed to assure that the resolution of real or alleged violations are directed toward a just solution that is satisfactory to the complainant, the administration and the board of directors. This grievance procedure is detailed in Policy 3210.
- Grievance means a complaint which has been filed by a complainant relating to alleged violations of any state or federal anti-discrimination laws.
Complaint means a written, signed charge alleging specific acts, conditions or circumstances, which are in violation of the anti-discrimination laws
- The time period for filing a complaint is one year from the date of the occurrence that is the subject matter of the complaint. However, a complaint filing deadline may not be imposed if the complainant was prevented from filing due to: 1) Specific misrepresentations by the district that it had resolved the problem forming the basis of the complaint; or 2) Withholding of information that the district was required to provide under WAC 392-190-065 or WAC 392-190-005. Complaints may be submitted by mail, fax, e-mail or hand-delivery to any district, school or to the district compliance officer responsible for investigating discrimination complaints. Any district employee who receives a complaint that meets these criteria will promptly notify the compliance officer.
- Respondent means the person alleged to be responsible or who may be responsible for the violation alleged in the complaint.
The primary purpose of this procedure is to secure an equitable solution to a justifiable complaint. To this end, specific steps will be taken. The district is prohibited by law from intimidating, threatening, coercing or discriminating against any individual for the purpose of interfering with their right to file a grievance under this policy and procedure and from retaliating against an individual for filing such a grievance.
- Informal Process for Resolution
Anyone with an allegation of discrimination may request an informal meeting with the compliance officer or designated employee to resolve their concerns. Such a meeting will be at the option of the complainant. If unable to resolve the issue at this meeting, the complainant may submit a written complaint to the compliance officer. During the course of the informal process, the district must notify complainant of their right to file a formal complaint.
- Formal Process for Resolution
Level One: Complaint to District
The complaint must set forth the specific acts, conditions or circumstances alleged to be in violation. Upon receipt of a complaint, the compliance officer will provide the complainant a copy of this procedure. The compliance officer will investigate the allegations within 30 calendar days. The school district and complainant may agree to resolve the complaint in lieu of an investigation. The officer shall provide the superintendent with a full written report of the complaint and the results of the investigation.
The superintendent or designee will respond to the complainant with a written decision as expeditiously as possible, but in no event later than 30 calendar days following receipt of the written complaint, unless otherwise agreed to by the complainant or if exceptional circumstances related to the complaint require an extension of the time limit. In the event an extension is needed, the district will notify the complainant in writing of the reason for the extension and the anticipated response date at the time the district responds to the complainant, the district must send a copy of the response to the office of the superintendent of public instruction.
Level Two-Appeal to the Board of Directors
If a complainant disagrees with the superintendent's or designee's written decision, the complainant may appeal the decision to the district board of directors by filing a written notice of appeal with the secretary of the board within ten (10) calendar days following the date upon which the complainant received the response. (Refer to Policy 3210)
Level Three - Complaint to the Superintendent of Public Instruction
If a complainant disagrees with the decision of the board of directors, or if the district fails to comply with this procedure, the complainant may file a complaint with the superintendent of public instruction. (Refer to Policy 3210)
Level Four - Administrative Hearing
A complainant or school district that desires to appeal the written decision of the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction may file a written notice of appeal with OSPI within thirty (30) calendar days following the date of receipt of that office's written decision. OSPI will conduct a formal administrative hearing in conformance with the Administrative Procedures Act, Chapter 34.05, RCW. (Refer to Policy 3210)