School Handbook

Inspiring and empowering learners to be contributing citizens in our changing world. 

 

We believe all kids can learn. We do whatever it takes with joy and purpose to nurture and empower lifelong learners.  Ponderosa is an elementary school in the Central Valley School District. Wildcats…Whatever it takes! 

 

Ponderosa is very lucky to be a Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) school this year. In a CEP school, all students have access to a nutritious breakfast and lunch at no cost, regardless of family income. Monthly menus are posted on the district website. Each entrée is accompanied by fresh fruits and vegetables, along with non-fat white milk, non-fat chocolate milk, and lactose-free milk.

 

Children who ride buses are to strictly obey all rules explained by the bus driver. Riding the school bus is a privilege. Improper conduct on the bus will result in this privilege being denied. Bus students are to go immediately to the buses or their assigned waiting area as soon as they are dismissed from school in the afternoon. 

 

During the school year, many requests are made for students to get off the bus at stops other than their own. To insure that both families are in accordance with the arrangements, we require both children to bring a note from home giving permission. Please send a note to school or call our office with any transportation changes before 2:30 p.m. Verbal messages from students cause confusion between the child and the school. 

 

Parent conferences are held at the end of the first and second trimesters. We are most willing to schedule a conference at other times during the year. Please feel free to call and arrange a time.

 

Dress Code

• Caps or headwear must be removed upon entering the school building (except for religious observance or medical reasons).
• Dress that communicates the promotion of tobacco, alcohol, drugs, violence, vulgarity, weapons, profanity or that is disparaging to gender, ethnicity, religion or that has a sexual connotation, is NOT acceptable school attire.
• Midriffs must be covered.
• Shorts and skirts must be below fingertips
• Underwear shall not be visible
• Sagging pants are not acceptable school attire
• Safe footwear is required.

 

It is the right and responsibility of parents to decide if a student should attend school under abnormal weather conditions. In bad weather parents may pick up their child from school anytime during the day. Children are required to wear appropriate clothing for weather conditions while on the playground. In the early morning hours during inclement weather, TV and radio stations will begin carrying announcements by 6 a.m. of any closing of the public schools. Please listen to radio stations before the normal opening time for the possible announcement of school closure. You can also check out the CVSD website @cvsd.org. You will receive a blackboard message from CVSD confirming any delays or closures. 

 

Ponderosa is a PBIS school. This means we are dedicated to teaching to school-wide expectations, reinforcing positive behavior and differentiating supports for discouraging inappropriate behavior. 

 

 

Peaceful Work and Play

• Be safe
• Use friendly words
• Be patient waiting your turn

Accept Responsibility

• Be a positive role model
• Make things right (say sorry)
• Put equipment away

Work Hard

• Move your body to be healthy
• Show positive effort
• Follow the rules of the game
• Follow the school expectations

Show Respect

• Line up quickly and safely to your grade level door
• Use polite reminders

                                                                       

 

Attendance
The importance of regular attendance cannot be overemphasized! A student should be in school every day that he/she is physically able. It is extremely difficult to successfully keep up with class work if attendance is irregular. If a student is repeatedly absent without proper cause, we are required by state law to report the excessive absences.  This may result in your being required to appear before our district Community Truancy Board or Spokane County Truancy Court. The state of Washington now considers missing 18 or more days as excessive absenteeism. 

 

If a child is going to be absent from school or late to school, parents are required to notify the school on our 24-hour attendance line at 558-6450. If a child is not at school, we want to be sure he/she is safe.  We will make every effort to contact you. If you take your child out of school for any extended length of time, please notify the teacher at least a week in advance for homework assignments. If this procedure is not followed, make-up homework and grades will not be guaranteed.  

 

Any students arriving at school after 9:00 a.m. are required to report to the office and sign in before going to the classroom. This will prevent your student from being marked absent and a subsequent phone call home. 

 

A request to have a child excused from classes early should be sent with the child on the morning of dismissal. The time and reason for leaving should be included. Parents are to report to the school office when checking children out of school during the day. A child will be released only to his/her parents and/or who parents have designated on the emergency contact list, unless the school has been notified by the parents that they have granted permission for someone else to pick up their child. All students leaving the building or school grounds for any reason must first be signed out at the office. 

 

Articles found in and around the school should be turned into the Lost and Found in the Arts and Community Room.  It is a real help if your child’s clothing and personal belongings are marked with his/her name. Be sure to periodically check out our “Lost and Found” for books, lunch boxes, boots and other missing items.

 

Every precaution is taken to prevent mishaps in which students are injured, but sometimes such occurrences are unavoidable. In the case of any type of injury, the student should report what happened to his/her teacher or para educator or supervisory assistant. If medical attention is needed, the teacher or para educator or supervisory assistant will bring the student to the office.  If serious, parents will be contacted. The staff offers only minimum first-aid treatment for injury.  

 

If any student is required to receive medication, whether prescription or nonprescription, during school hours  a form must be completed by both the physician and the parent. Medication will be kept by school personnel and will be administered as per the physician’s instructions. Medication must be kept in its original prescription bottle or container, with the name of the student and instructions printed clearly on it.  

 

Changes of residency, telephone number, or transfer: If you change your address, home telephone number, cell phone, or work phone, please notify the secretary at once at:558-6450. If you move to an address outside the Central Valley School District, you must let the school know immediately in the event that special arrangements need to be made for your child to remain at Ponderosa or be transferred to a new school. 

 

All visitors to any Central Valley Public School are asked to report to the office when they arrive at the building.  Students from other schools or friends of Ponderosa students are not allowed to visit during the school day. No adults, other than staff are allowed on our playground between 8:40 a.m. and 3:40 p.m. 

 

Background checks are required for any parent who would like to volunteer in the classrooms, field trips and parties. You MUST complete the online volunteer application and receive confirmation prior to being able to volunteer in the school. 

 

Please keep up-to-date with telephone numbers of those we may contact in case of an emergency.

 

Students are not allowed to use their cell phones during the school day. We have school phones available for student use when necessary.