Orchard's

Policies and Procedures

Principal's Message

Dear Parents and Students,
     Education is a lifetime process in which each of us should be constantly engaged.  The education of students in a formal school setting is a partnership involving parents, child and the school. 
     Parents are a child's first and most influential teachers.  They are the ones who help a child form attitudes toward life and learning.  Parents have a responsibility to encourage and support children in their efforts to learn.  Parents should assist children in discovering and perfecting their special talents and abilities by providing them with opportunities to participate in a wide variety of activities.
    A healthy lifestyle with proper nutrition, rest, and exercise is a very important factor in a child's ability to learn.  Parents should be actively involved in their children's learning by providing a regular time and place to do homework and by assisting children with their homework.  The best way for parents to help their children to become better readers is to be avid readers themselves and to read to their children regularly.
     In order to fulfill the school's responsibility to provide children with the best opportunities to learn.  Orchard Elementary will strive to demonstrate the following characteristics:
*   provide a safe, orderly environment where high expectations of student behavior and learning are maintained.
*   recognize the rights of each individual child and strive to always be sensitive to his or her individual needs.
*   monitor student progress carefully and use the results to improve instruction and increase student learning.
*   have a warm, inviting, and positive climate, where all students, faculty, and parents feel welcome and wanted.
    At Orchard Elementary, we will strive to increase student learning through a team approach to planning, teaching, and evaluating.  The team involves the child, parents, teachers, principal, and other resource personnel as needed.
     To accomplish this goal, we will model the qualities of a Professional Learning Community, utilizing collaboration and input from all necessary stake holders.

Sincerely,

Barry Bezzant, Principal

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Accidents and Illness

When a serious accident or illness occurs, we will do everything within our power to contact a parent.  If this fails, we will notify one of the people listed on your Health and Emergency Information form.  A new Health and Emergency form is required every year to insure that all contact information is correct.

Calls will be made in the following order:
1.  The home and/or cell phone numbers if listed.
2.  The father’s or mother’s work place
3.  Other persons listed on the Emergency Health form.
4.  In extreme emergencies, when we are unable to contact any of the above, we will take necessary steps for emergency medical treatment.
(Students need to be picked up by a parent or person designated by the parent)

We cannot send a sick or injured student home, they MUST be picked up.  Please keep us informed of any changes in telephone numbers so that we will be able to contact you in an emergency.
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Attendance

Student success in school is directly tied to attendance.  Alpine School District Board of Education and Orchard Elementary School recognizes that regular attendance at school provides students with the best opportunity to learn.  Frequent absences from the day to day classroom experience disrupts the instructional learning process for the child.  The benefits of every day instruction once lost, are often difficult to regain.  The school will make an Ernest and Persistent effort to improve the attendance of students.  The following policies should be followed.

Absences

1.    Please call the school whenever your child is absent.
2. Teachers will contact the home after three consecutive student absences.
3.  Excessive absences (more than 10 total absences) will be referred to the principal, who may contact you by letter to determine if further action is needed.  This could include a Division of Family Services referral, etc.
4.  Tardiness:  It is important that the habit of punctuality be developed.  Late arriving students not only miss important instruction for the day, but also interrupt teaching and student learning.  Students should arrive on time, ready to begin the learning tasks for the day.  Students arriving late are required to go to the school office for a late slip, before going to the classroom.  Students who accumulate excessive tardiness maybe required to make up the time that they have missed after school or during recess time.

ARRIVAL/DEPARTURE TIMES

     The school day begins at 8:00 a.m. for track 1 students and 9:30 a.m. for track 2 students.  Promptness is crucial to a smooth start of each school day.  Under no circumstances, should children be dropped at school earlier than 15 minutes before school starts.  The only exception is for students eating breakfast at school.  Breakfast students may arrive ½ hour prior to their track beginning.
     Students are expected to proceed home immediately after school ends.  The only exception would be for approved school activities (chorus) or if prior arrangements have been made with a teacher.
     For your child’s safety, please see that they do not arrive prior to 15 minutes before school leave school any later than 15 minutes after school.  The school does not have faculty members supervising students beyond these times.

BICYCLES, SKATE BOARDS, ROLLER BLADES, SCOOTERS, ETC.

     Students may ride to school on bicycles, skateboards, scooters & roller blades, until they enter school grounds.  Roller blades MUST be taken off prior to entering the building.  Bicycles, scooters, and skateboards MUST be chained to the bike rack in the back of the school.
     Orchard Elementary School/Alpine School District is NOT responsible for theft or vandalism of personal property.

BRINGING FOOD TO THE SCHOOL

     The Health Department regulations require all foods that are brought into the school to be commercially purchased and prepared.  “No homemade” food can be given to students at school for birthday treats, holiday treats, etc.

Bringing birthday treats, invitations to school

     Please do not bring gifts, flowers, balloons, etc to your child on their birthday. Many times they become lost or stolen, or disrupt the classroom.  When these items are sent to school, we will notify the student and have them pick them up from the office after school.

Checking students out of school

      Parents MUST come to the school office to check out their children, if they need to take them during school hours.  A checkout log will need to be signed before the students can leave the school grounds.  The office personnel will then call the students out of the classroom. 
     DO NOT call and ask that your child walk home.  This is an Alpine School District directive.  For your child’s safety please do not ask otherwise.

Classroom visits

     We welcome all parents who would like to visit their children’s classes.  Please make prior arrangements with the teacher, indicating the day you would like to visit.  All visitors MUST check in at the school office.

CODE OF CONDUCT

     Orchard Elementary is committed to maintaining a safe and orderly environment for our students and employees.  Please help us by making sure that your child knows that bullying and/or harassment for any reason is not acceptable behavior and will not be tolerated.  If your child is ever harassed or bullied, they should contact their teacher, or the principal for assistance.
    All school rules and expectations of student behavior are based on seven Essential Virtues.  They are: Empathy, Conscience, Self-control, Respect, Kindness, Tolerance and Fairness.  Some general school rules are as follows: 
1.  I will show proper respect to, and obey, all school employees.
2.  I will not behave in a way that could cause harm to myself, others, or school property.
3.  I will take responsibility for my actions and agree to abide by the rules of the school.

Dress code

Experience indicates that there are sanitation and safety factors directly related to proper dress and grooming.  There is a real and reasonable connection between proper dress/grooming and the successful operation of the school with respect to discipline as well as student learning.
1.  All students will be required to wear clothing that is clean.  Also, clothing which is so conspicuous, extreme, or odd that it may draw undue attention, disrupt, or interfere with the learning atmosphere at the school will not be allowed.
2.  Students will not be allowed to wear clothes that are mutilated, cut off or immodest such as short shorts, or skirts, bare midriffs, halter tops, tank tops, spaghetti straps, pants with large holes, low riders, or similar attire.  Skirts and shorts MUST come below the students fingers when their arms are down at their side.
3.  Clothing with vulgar words, profane or obscene slogans, pictures, gang connections, etc. are NOT allowed.
4.  Hats, visors, beanies, and sweatshirt hoods are NOT to be worn in the school building unless it is designated as a student “Hat Day”.
5.  Flip Flop sandals are STRONGLY discouraged as they are unsafe in some normal student activities and prevent students from fully participating in PE and other activities.

Drugs

Students using, distributing, or selling drugs or imitation drugs on or near school property may be expelled from the school and referred to the police.  We encourage you to talk to you children about harmful effects of drugs.

Emergencies/Disasters

In the case of an emergency.  Alpine School District policy states:  “Release of a child below ninth grade at other than regularly scheduled hours is prohibited unless the parent and another responsible person has been notified and has assumed responsibility for the child.”
KSL 1160 AM/FM is our Emergency Broadcast system.  Parents should tune to this station for emergency information.  Do not call the school during an emergency.
SCHOOL EMERGENCY PLANS contain measures which assure adequate supervision of children during an emergency which may occur during school hours.  The school specific emergency plans are available by request. Each classroom contains Emergency Kits to keep students warm and dry during an evacuation.  Kits also contain a small portion of food, water and other emergency supplies.
If an emergency creates a situation where our building can not be occupied due to fire or utility failure, students will be evacuated  first to Canyon View Jr. High and then to the LDS Church located at 1200 N. and 800 E. until such time as they can re-enter the building.  In the event of a disaster such as a major earthquake where structural damage to the school and neighborhood homes may occur, the school will request parents come to the school grounds to pick up their children.  Students will remain at school under the care of our faculty and staff until they are safely released to their families.

Food Services

Breakfast -              $.80 per child ($16.00 per month)
Lunch -                 $1.30 per child ($26.00 per month)
Milk -                      $.25

Breakfast for Track 1 begins at 7:30 AM, Track 2 begins at 9:00 AM.  Students are required to go to their classroom when the bell rings to begin class.

AUTO-Payment Plan - We have an auto payment plan for parents.  This program allows parents to sign up for electronic funds transfer from their checking or savings account into their child’s lunch money account.  This is a wonderful program for busy parents.

Free or Reduced Meals – Applications for free or reduced meals are available in the school office or at the Alpine School District.  If your children were on free or reduced meals last year, you will still need to reapply and the application will need to be approved.

Student Walking Home for Lunch – For safety reasons, we discourage students from walking home for lunch.  If parents want to have their child to walk home they need to have a permission note on file in the office.

     Parents need to be aware that the crossing guards are hired by Orem City, primarily for Kindergarten students during the middle of the day.  There may be times when the crossing guards are not on duty during the lunch period.  Parents are responsible to instruct their children on what they would do if the crossing guards are not on duty.

Homework

Homework is a valuable part of learning.  All students can expect to have some homework to complete in order to fulfill class requirements.  The amount will vary according to the age of the students, the amount of study time allowed at school, and how the child uses the study time available.  Daily homework should not exceed 1 hour.  There should be little or no homework on weekends and Holidays.

Lost and found items

In order to help us return lost items to children would you please label all clothing, backpacks, and other items with your child’s name.  All lost items will be placed in the lost and found box located in the hall by the lunchroom.  When the box is full, items will be sacked up and stored.  Twice each year, during our parent conferences, parents will be asked to look through the lost items.  And then all remaining items will be taken to a local chairty.  We have found that children are able to keep items together if they have a backpack.  Backpacks will give them a handy place to store all items which must come and go between home and school.

Medications

Some students may need medication during school hours.  The following procedures must be followed:
1.  An ‘Authorization for Medication’ form MUST be filled out by the physician and also signed by the parent.  This form is available in the school office.
2. Parents should make the school aware of any medical problem the student has.  School employees are not able to administer medication to any student unless the school has the appropriate form signed by the doctor.  School employees are not permitted to apply ointment to cuts or abrasions.  Employees are not permitted to give a pain reliever to students without personally speaking to parents.
3.  Medications should be brought to school in the original container by a parent with the Authorization for Medication form.  Children should not bring any medication to the school.

Personal property

Alpine School District is not responsible for any personal property which is lost or stolen, or vandalized or which may have been entrusted for storage and/or safekeeping by Alpine School District or any employee of Alpine School District.  There is no provision which allows payment for any personal item which is taken from Alpine School District.

Pets at school

Parents PLEASE do not allow your children to bring their pets to school with them.  If their pet is a show-and-tell item, and the teacher has been notified, an adult should come with the child so that the pet can be taken home immediately after the presentation.
If a pet follows a child to school, the child will call home to ask a parent to come pick the animal up.  If a parent cannot pick the animal up, the Animal Control office may be contacted by the school.

Prohibited items

Students MAY NOT possess any the following items on school property or at school events without the explicit permission of a teacher or administrator.
1.     CD Players, cell phones, beepers, cameras, television sets, or any other electronic items of distraction.
2.     Trading cards, dice, playing cards, etc.
3.     Alcoholic beverages, narcotics, over-the-counter medications, cigarettes, tobacco products, inhalants, cigarette lighters, matches, and look-a-likes.
4.    Toys or any type of electronic games.

Spirit Days

Each Friday is School Spirit Day.  We encourage students to wear their Orchard T-shirts or clothing in our school colors of blue and gold..  Occasionally we will also have “dress” days; such as hat day, or backwards day, etc.  They type of dress and the date of the dress day will be announced early, usually appearing in the Monthly Newsletter.

Telephone calls

Please help us keep classroom interruptions to a minimum by communicating necessary information (such as appointments, babysitters, etc.) before your child comes to school.  It is very difficult to bring children to the office to answer telephone calls without disrupting classes. Teachers typically set their classroom phone in a message-taking mode during class.  Please do not call and ask to speak to your child except in an emergency. 

Withdrawal or transfer of students

Should it become necessary to transfer your children to another school mid-year, we ask that you alert the office ahead of time so that all necessary forms can be completed and waiting for you.  All text books, library books, and lunch money must be returned before leaving.  Student records will be sent upon request to the next school in which your child is enrolled.

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School Wide Rules
     1. Be on time and be prepared
     2. Do my best work each day
     3. Respect everyone and everything
     4. Follow directions the first time
     5. Be responsible for your choices and actions
     6. Be a kind friend

Hallway
     1. I will be quiet in the hall
     2. I will use safe movement
     3. I will have permission to be in the hall

Assemblies
     1. I will enter silently
     2. I will use good listeniing position
     3. I will show kindness and use appropriate applause - clapping only No booing or whistling

Bathoom
     1. I will flush, wash with soap, and turn off the water
     2. I will use the bathroom quickly and quietly
     3. I will keep the bathroom clean and neat

Lunch
     1. I will use an inside voice and stay seated
     2. I will clean up my mess by picking up anything that is left on or under the table
     3. I will be respectful follow the instructions of those in charg

Resess
     1. I will use all playground equipment safely and properly
     2. Once outside, I will not re-enter the building without permission from the teacher/staff on duty
     3. I will not behave in a way that could cause harm to myself or others.

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