R.E. Bennett Elementary
2015 - 2016
STUDENT HANDBOOK
Trisha Smith, Principal Rachel Dorsey, Vice Principal
IMPORTANT PHONE NUMBERS
R.E. BENNETT OFFICE: 807-7220
R.E. BENNETT FAX: 748-7256
EMERGENCY INFORMATION
Where to get information in case of emergencies or bad weather:
Chehalis School District Website: www.chehalisschools.org
Radio Stations:
KITI 1420 AM KITI 95.1 FM KXXO 96.1 FM
KELA 1470AM KMNT 104.3FM
Chehalis School District & R.E. Bennett Homepage
Check out the Chehalis School District webpage for district information:
http://www.chehalisschools.org or
log onto the REB homepage for site information, newsletters, events, and more!
http://www.chehalisschools.org and select RE Bennett
HOURS
School starts 8:10 a.m.
School dismisses 2:25 p.m.
Gym opens for students 7:45 a.m.
Breakfast served in cafeteria 7:45 a.m. to 8:05 a.m.
Early Release dismissal time 12:25 p.m.
Conference Week dismissal time 12:05 p.m.
Holiday dismissal time…………………11:05 a.m.
Please do not arrive at school until 7:45 a.m. when supervision begins.
When you arrive, please come to the gym to wait with your classmates. Classrooms open at 8:00 a.m.
If you come to school after 8:10 a.m., please stop in the office and pick up a late-slip before going to class.
Attendance 807-7220
Please have your parent or guardian call the school and leave a message about why you are not in school. If we don’t hear from them by 9:45, our office will call and check on your absence. Absences due to an illness, health condition, family emergency or religious purpose are considered valid for an excused absence.
If you come to school late, a parent or guardian will have to come into the office and sign you in. You will need to present a late pass to the teacher upon arrival to the classroom. You will need to tell the office staff if you are having hot or cold lunch.
If you vomit and/or have a fever, please do not come to school for 24 hours.
For complete guidelines please see the parent section of this handbook.
Leaving School Early
As a safety measure during the school day, parents or guardians MUST come to the office and sign you out before you can leave your classroom to leave early. You will be called to the office upon your parents’ arrival.
Illness
If you are sick and not coming to school, be sure an adult family member or guardian calls the school at 807-7220. We worry if we do not hear from you and someone will call your parents at work or home.
If you are sick in the morning and come to school with a fever, we will call your parents and send you home.
If you do not feel well, please tell your parents before coming to school.
If you get sick during the school day, you may not be able to ride the bus home and will have to ride home with your parents or approved pick-up person.
The following symptoms may indicate that you are contagious and should not come to school:
Fever of 100 degrees or higher. Students should be fever-free without medication for 24 hours before returning to school.
Nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea. Students should be free of vomiting or diarrhea for 24 hours before returning to school.
Skin rash of unknown origin.
Red, watery eyes (NOT caused by allergies) or eye discharge, especially if the eye is crusty or glued shut in the morning.
Medicine
School district policy requires a doctor’s order and parent signature for any prescription or over-the-counter medications you may need at school. Your parent must bring in the medication in its original container with an “Authorization for Administration of Oral Medication at School” form signed by a doctor. Forms are available in the school office.
Head Lice
Periodic checks may be made by the health room assistant or designee for head lice and/or their eggs. If live lice or lice eggs are present, you will be sent home for treatment and egg removal. Parents must bring you to the school office after treatment and egg removal for you to be checked before coming back to school.
School Visitation & Volunteers
Before your parent or guardian can be a volunteer, we will ask them to complete a Volunteer Application with a Washington State Patrol background check. If your parent wants to be a volunteer, they should contact your teacher or the district volunteer coordinator.
All visitors must wear a visitor sticker. If you see someone on campus without a badge or sticker, please notify an adult immediately.
Lunch Guests
Sometimes family members want to join you for lunch in the cafeteria. Have your special guest call by 8:45 a.m. to reserve a lunch (an adult lunch is $3.35). It is important that your special guest check in at the office and come at the right lunch time. Lunch times start at 10:55 on a regular school day.
Food Services
R.E. Bennett Elementary offers both a breakfast and a hot lunch program for students. Both meals are served in the REB cafeteria on the first floor near the gym.
Breakfast is served starting at 7:45 a.m. and ends at 8:05 a.m. Breakfast is available for all students. Students eligible for free or reduced meals eat breakfast for free and all other students eat for $1.75. If you are not eating breakfast, you should be in the gym before school.
All hot lunches are ordered by 9:00 a.m. If you are going to be late to school and want a hot lunch, your parents must call by 8:45 a.m. to reserve your meal. You may not charge lunches. Lunch prices: $2.60 regular / .60 milk and adult lunch price is $3.35.
When you bring money to school to put in your lunch account, please do not wad your money up or bring it in without an envelope. If you need a lunch money envelope, please ask your teacher. Put your name and teacher’s name on the envelope.
If your lunch account balance is below zero, you will receive a sandwich and milk for lunch.
Special Treats at School
Cookies and cupcakes are yummy, but please have your parents check with your teacher first before bringing treats to school. Due to rules regarding health and food safety and student allergies, any food brought to the school needs to be commercially prepared or purchased from the store. Be creative and consider alternatives to cookies and cupcakes like: pencils, stickers, fruit, or a small party favor.
Gifts delivered to school
Receiving gifts, flowers, and balloons at school is fun but causes a disruption to other students. Please have these items delivered to your home. If delivered to the school, we will keep them in the office for you to pick up after school.
Invitations
Please do not hand out party invitations at school. Staff has to deal with tears or anger from other students with hurt feelings. We cannot give out home addresses for classmates or address invitations for you.
Parent Teacher Association (PTA)
We encourage your family to join PTA and to participate in PTA meetings and events. PTA provides a lot of fun activities for students at Cascade, Bennett, and Olympic. The PTA meets in the Olympic Elementary library monthly.
Field Trips
You can go on a field trip only if you have written permission from your parents. In some cases, inappropriate behaviors may keep you from participating in field trips. In these situations, your teacher will talk with you and your parents prior to the trip.
Telephones and Cell Phones
Students may only call home when it is an emergency. Calling home for homework or to go to a friend’s house is NOT an emergency. Students may keep cell phones in their backpacks during the school day but they are to remain off at all time
Should an Emergency Occur
ü Be prepared. Make sure friends & relatives have permission slips on file in the office should you need to be picked up in an emergency.
ü Parents and guardians are encouraged to listen to the radio for directions.
ü Calling the school? Sorry, we have a limited number of lines so calls may not be able to go through. We will try our best to answer all calls.
ü There will be a centralized check-out or command center should an actual emergency occur. Parents need to go the command center to check out and pick up students.
Emergency Drills
We will be conducting a variety of safety drills including:
Fire We will evacuate the building, and meet in a safe location.
Earthquake We will take cover before leaving the building and then meet in a safe location.
Lockdown Your teacher may lock the doors, cover the windows, or move you to a secure location in the building.
Shelter-in Place You may have to stay in the classroom, lunchroom, or another location until the emergency has passed.
Transportation
We have limited parking and curb space that makes it hard to have everyone come to school with their parents. We would appreciate it if all boys and girls would ride the bus when possible. The buses will arrive at the right time for you to start school.
The office needs a call or note by 1:45 p.m. if transportation plans have changed. Our office runners take notes at 2:00 p.m. and calls to the classroom with last minute changes are disruptive to learning.
If you are being picked up from school you must wait near the gym doors on 3rd Street or at the office on the 2nd floor for your ride. These are the ONLY places students may wait for pick up after school.
If your parent or guardian is picking you up, help them remember to remain in their car when waiting for you in the 3rd Street pull-out. Otherwise they need to park in an approved parking spot in order to get out of their car to meet you.
ALWAYS use the crosswalks when crossing the street and NEVER run across the road or parking lot. Follow the direction of the crossing guards!
Friends Riding Home with You
Friends riding home on a bus must have a note from their parents saying it is ok to go to your house after school. Please make these arrangements before coming to school so we get you to the parent-approved destination. Parents and teachers become frantic if they do not know where you are after school.
REMINDER: If you do not have a note ahead of time about going to a friend’s house, you will be going home your normal way.
Bicycles, Scooters & Skateboards
Before and after school, bikes must be ridden directly to school and not around the school or parking lots. Students must walk bikes on school grounds. Bikes need to be locked to the racks. Everyone needs to wear a helmet if riding a bike.
Walking to School
Only students in designated walking areas can walk to school. If your house is in a designated bus area, walking or riding your bike could be dangerous and should be done with an adult - this is for your safety!
School Rules
Be Kind Be Safe Be Responsible
Be kind, be safe, and be responsible are the three main rules you need to follow at RE Bennett. If you always follow these three simple rules, school will be a safe, happy, and fun place to learn. When you show positive behavior at RE Bennett, you may earn Cool Cat Cards, be recognized as a Terrific Kid, or earn other special privileges.
The following behaviors will not be allowed:
Fighting Damage to property/theft of property Behaviors that harm people Possession of weapons
Defiance of authority Harrassment/Bullying
Disrespectful or abusive behaviors Continuous disruptive behaviors
Bullying
You and your friends should always feel safe at school. Bullying, intimidating, or harassing others at school is not acceptable and will not be tolerated. This means you cannot show behaviors that physically harm someone, substantially interfere with someone’s education, or that intimidate or threaten someone. If someone is bullying you, tell your teacher or principal.
More information on bullying is available in the parent section of this handbook.
Weapons
Weapons or things that look like weapons, even if they are toys, are NOT allowed at school!
The district will not allow you to stay in school if you bring a weapon. It creates a lot of trouble for you and your family.
Be safe and do not bring any of the following items to school:
Guns Play guns (including squirt guns)
Knives Play knives or swords
Bows and arrows Bullets
Lighters Matches
Laser pointers Pepper Spray or other propellants
Any device or instrument that is capable of causing injury.
School Clothes and Shoes
Please save halter tops, spaghetti strap tops, and shirts that show your belly-button for home. Hats and hoods are for outside time. Your shorts need to go down to the ends of your fingertips. If your clothing is too thin and see-through, you will be asked to wear another shirt over the top. We always have extra clothes that can be borrowed from the office.
Flip-flops must have a back strap due to safety issues on the staircases and playground. Tie-up tennis or rubber-soled shoes are the best for our students. These shoes are safer for PE and recess. You must be able to easily run, jump or climb. Platform shoes, flip-flops, and fancy shoes hinder your participation in these fun activities and could cause you to get hurt! If you wear unsafe shoes on P.E. days, you will be asked to get a change of shoes.
Clothing should not display pictures or words related to alcohol or drugs.