2006-2007 HANDBOOK

 

The online version of this booklet is for general reference only and is superseded by any updates made to the hard copy in the main office of the school. It is prepared in the hope that it will be useful to you throughout the school year. Please book mark it for future reference.

Many questions you might have regarding your school will be answered within these pages. We expect to keep you informed of current happenings at school by means of a weekly bulletin which we call SNEAK PREVIEWS and hope you will become involved with your child's education at West Woodland as much as possible.

Marilyn Loveness
Principal

Table of Contents

Absences  |   Arrival Time  |   Conferences  |   Health Program  |   Lost and Found  |   Lunch Room  |   Breakfast Program  |   Music  |   Daily Schedule  |   Family Support Worker  |   Advisory Council  |   Safety  |   Loading Zone  |   Progress Reports  |   Telephones  |   Homework  |   Suitable Environment  |   Visiting School  |   Volunteer Opportunities  |   West Woodland PTA

Absences

When a child is not feeling well enough to take part in the regular school program he/she is better off at home. A child running a fever should be kept at home at least 24 hours after the fever is gone.

It would be most helpful to the office secretary if you would notify the school by phone when your child is absent. If you child will be absent for an extended period of time, please let the office know what dates he/she will be gone and reason for absence. The school phone number is 252-1600. Messages can be left on the answering machine before or after school hours. The school makes an effort to phone the parents of all youngsters who are absent to verify that the parent is aware of their absence.

Children are not counted absent for medical or dental appointments provided they are at school for one hour of the session (am or pm). However, such appointments during school hours should be kept to a minimum. If your child must be excused to keep an appointment, please send a written request to the teacher stating the reason and the time that you will pick up your child. This can be done the day of the appointment. Please remember to sign your child out of the building on the sign-out sheet in the office.

Arrival / Departure Time

Children should not arrive at school before 9:00 am. This is a safety precaution since the playground is not staffed before that time. When children arrive at school they go directly to either the lunchroom or the playground until the first bell rings at 9:10. Children should go directly home after school. The playground is not supervised after school. The 58th Street entrance is available for student drop off.

Conferences

Parents should feel free to confer with their child's teacher any time during the school year. To insure adequate time and to avoid conflicting obligations, a note to the teacher or a telephone call to the office for an appointment is necessary. District-wide Parent/Teacher conferences are scheduled in November each year. You will be notified of the Parent/Teacher Conference dates and given an opportunity to sign up for a conference time with your child's teacher.

Health Program

School Health Services are designed to assist our students attain optimal social, emotional and physical health/well being so they may fully utilize their abilities and opportunities to learn and grow in the educational setting.
First Aid/treatment will be given for minor illnesses or injuries that occur at school. It is extremely important that you provide us with current home, work, and emergency numbers so we may reach you in the event of a serious illness or injury or if your student is ill and needs to go home.
We ask you to keep your child home if he or she:

Whenever possible we encourage medication doses to be scheduled during non-school hours. For those students who need medication at school, Washington state law requires:

  1. A permission to administer medication form be completed by parent/guardian and physician, and kept on file at school.
  2. Medication must be in a properly labeled container from the dispensing pharmacy.

Our school nurse, Marie DeBell, will be in the building 1-1/2 days a week and if you have any questions or concerns, or need assistance, please give her a call at 252-1607.

Lost and Found

Please mark your children's clothing, lunchboxes, etc., with their first and last name. Many items are misplaced each year and your efforts in this matter will enable the school to return lost articles to their rightful owners. If your child has lost something, please have him or her check in the lost and found at the located in the lunchroom.

Lunch Room

Our lunchroom serves a hot, well-balanced lunch each day at a cost of $1.50. Children who bring their lunches may buy milk for 40¢. If your child buys a meal at school, please develop a system at home which will enable you to send the correct amount of money each day. The school does not keep sums of money sufficient to regularly loan or to provide change. You may pay in advance for meals, thus eliminating the chance of your child losing cash. Please pay with a check made out to Nutrition Services or with cash. We do not accept Canadian money.

There is a free or reduced price (40¢) lunch program for which your child may be eligible. For more information call Kay Plommer, our Lunchroom Manager, at 252-1584 or the school office at 252-1600..

Breakfast Program

Breakfast is served in the school Lunchroom from 8:45 am to 9:15 am. The meal consists of 1/2 pint of milk, juice or fruit, 2 oz. of bread product or 1 oz. meat and 1oz. bread. A variety of cereal is served everyday. Most days there is an option of yogurt and hot cinnamon toast is served with everything. Price of breakfast is 60¢. Those children who qualify for reduced breakfast will be charged 30¢.

Music

Instrumental music instruction is offered to fourth and fifth grade pupils. Information on this program will be sent home with our fourth and fifth graders after the start of school.

Daily Schedule

Kindergarten - Morning Session: 9:15 am - 11:45 am
Kindergarten - All Day: 9:15 am - 3:20 pm 
Grades 1 through 5: 9:15 am - 3:20 pm 

Family Support Worker

Services provided by the Family Support Worker include:

If a parent has children in more than one elementary school, the Family Support Workers will work together to meet the needs and to maximize resources.

 

Advisory Council

The Advisory Council assists the Principal in school governance issues. The Council is comprised of elected members representing parents, teachers, staff, and community members. They meet monthly; all meeting are open to the West Woodland community. The date, time and location of all meetings will be listed in the Sneak Previews. Minutes of all meetings and the Council's By-laws are available in the school office, and are posted on the PTA bulletin board and are on our web site.

The West Woodland Advisory Council members are listed in the "Parent Activities" link. Please don't hesitate to contact any member should you have any concerns or questions about school operations or governance procedures. Click here to go to the AC Committee Webpage

Safety

Patrol: The Seattle School Safety Patrol is an affiliate of the Seattle Police Department. Children are expected to use school crossings and to obey the patrol on duty. Some crosswalks are manned by adult guards and some by our own 4th and 5th graders who have been selected for Patrol duty. It is only fair to warn parents that children of 4th and 5th grade age are limited in their reliability to be on the job or to cross students in the proper manner. Parents should discuss possible safety hazards with their children.

It is suggested that pupils arriving in the morning plan their arrival to coincide with patrol coverage. Coverage is from 9:00 am to 9:10 am and 3:20 pm to 3:30 pm.

Loading Zone

Please keep safety in mind when dropping off or picking up children in front of the school. Double parking and picking up children on the wrong side of the street are dangerous. Be sure children cross with crossing guards on NW 58th Street if you drop them off across the street from school.

Progress Reports

Progress reports will be issued for grades K through 5, three times per year. One of these reports may be given to you at your November Parent/Teacher conference. Our trimester schedule is as follows: September 8th through November 5th, November 8th through March 4th, and March 7th through June 22nd.

Telephone

Because our school is served by only business phones, it is necessary to limit pupil use of the telephone to emergency cases only. Permission to call home about visiting a friend after school and similar matters cannot be granted.

Homework Policy

Students will typically receive homework four nights per week. The length of time students spend on homework will vary with the child's grade level and their own ability. Parents are requested to check over their children's work but not to do the assignments for them. Parents should encourage children to work to the best of their ability and to develop a good attitude toward learning.

Who is Responsible for a Suitable Environment?

In order that schools may provide an appropriate educational environment for every student, it is necessary for pupils, parents and school personnel to accept responsibilities such as the following:

Responsibilities of Parents:

  1. To insist on regular and punctual attendance of their children as required by the laws of the State of Washington. To send written excuses for absences or tardiness.
  2. To become acquainted with the rules and regulations of the Seattle School District and West Woodland School.
  3. To insist that their children conduct themselves in an orderly manner while in school or on or about the school grounds.
  4. To respond promptly and cooperatively when informed by school personnel that their children are having (1) academic, (2) health, (3) behavior, or (4) attendance problems.
  5. To see that their children are prepared for school each day with lunch or lunch money and with necessary materials.
  6. To encourage their children to strive and to achieve at school and to provide a suitable place and sufficient time for their homework.

Responsibilities of Pupils:

  1. Attendance
    1. To attend school regularly and punctually.
    2. To bring written excuses for absences or tardiness.
  2. Conduct in the school building
    1. To show courtesy and respect to other pupils and to school personnel.
    2. To follow school and classroom regulations.
    3. To make a sincere effort in their studies and to complete assignments on time.
    4. To exercise care in the use of all school materials and equipment.
    5. To take personal responsibility for observing faithfully all rules designed to promote safety and prevent accidents.
  3. To complete and return homework on time.

Responsibilities of Staff:

  1. To provide an atmosphere conducive to learning.
  2. To set expectations and provide appropriate learning activities which strive to meet or exceed district standards.
  3. To inform parents of academic and behavior progress as well as health and attendance concerns.
  4. To expect and encourage safe behavior.
  5. To cooperate with the home in teaching respect, personal responsibility and citizenship.
  6. To enforce school rules.

Visiting School

Parents are always welcome to visit classrooms. The following suggestions are offered to make your visit more valuable:

  1. Please arrange in advance to visit a class. If you wish to see a certain subject being presented, contacting the teacher in advance will enable you to plan your visit accordingly.
  2. Register in the office upon your arrival, so that you can be given a name tag.
  3. If you desire a conference with the teacher, please arrange for it in advance. It is not possible to have an effective conference when the teacher has the children under her supervision. (See section on Conferences)
  4. Morning is usually the best time to visit, especially in the primary grades.
  5. Leave younger children at home as they may disturb the class and detract from the value of your visit.
  6. If several parents are visiting at the same time, they should not engage in private conversation while the class is in session.
  7. Parents should not "visit" with their children when the class is in session..
  8. The Principal is willing to answer any questions, or to assist you in any way possible.

Volunteer Opportunities at West Woodland, 2006-2007

Welcome to West Woodland Elementary for the 2006-2007 school year. Our Volunteer Coordinators this year are Carriann Alabastro and Rebecca Hoffman. They communicate directly with the principal, teachers, PTA Board and families of our school, as well as community volunteer resources.

Volunteers serve an important function by enhancing the educational and extracurricular opportunities of all students. You can be a partner in your children's education and enrich their learning experience. Volunteering at school or at after school functions enables you to get to know the teaching staff, the children and the rest of the West Woodland community of parents and friends. It's that community spirit that makes West Woodland a successful school.

Each year our principal asks you to consider donating 10 hours per calendar year for the benefit of your child as well as all the children. Jobs to consider vary from tutoring directly with students, teaching art as an Art Docent in class to equally important work outside the class, such as shelving books in our Learning Resource Center to helping the staff with bulletin boards and displays in the hallways. Many opportunities exist for working families to volunteer from participating in school grounds work parties, helping your child's teacher with word processing the children's stories and technology committee work parties. Of course there is always a chance to help set up before and help clean up after all school special events.

The first step to your involvement here is to register as a volunteer and forms for you to complete will be sent out in the Volunteer Information Packet. Registering as a volunteer ensures the safety of our students as well as compliance with the School Districts insurance policies. Also included in the packet will be a detailed list of opportunities, areas of need, a brief description, and the person to contact to join in the task. Volunteer Name Tags are available n the office and are recommended when working at school or going on field trips. The second step is to record your volunteer time. Your hours can be documented in one of 3 ways:

 

The opportunities are numerous and your ideas are welcome. Feel free to share any special talents with us or areas that interest you when you return the forms in the volunteer packet. Carriann and Rebecca are often at school and monitor 24 hour voicemail at (206) 252-1589.

Dear Families, Teachers, and Staff,

We are pleased to welcome you and your children to the 2005-2006 school year at West Woodland Elementary. The West Woodland PTA is dedicated to enriching the education of our children through programs that benefit children in classroom, before school and after school, as well as family events. We hope you will join us in this goal and invite you to become involved in the PTA activities that contribute to our school community.

The PTA general meetings will be held in the school library the second Wednesday of designated months at 7:00pm. Childcare is available at Kids Inc. Please join Marilyn Loveness, Principal, Staff and the West Woodland PTA Board for a great start to the  school year.

 

Go to the PTA Webpage


PTA funds support:
Education Field Trips Art Docents Cultural School Assemblies
Special Science Programs Chess Club Reading Challenge
Computer Hardware/Software Reflections Art Program Annual School Zoo Pass
and much more!