Monroe Elementary School

Parent / Student Handbook

A Title 1 Achieving School

Our Mission

Monroe School

is a dynamic learning community

dedicated to a quality education for all.

Monroe Elementary School

402 W Colorado Boulevard

Monrovia, CA 91016

(626) 471 – 2302

Welcome to Monroe Elementary School!

Dear Parents and Guardians,

We welcome you to the Monroe family! It is our goal to provide a dynamic environment which encourages academic growth, develops vital skills for living, and incorporates character building activities into our daily activities.

Our school’s mission statement is:

Monroe School is a dynamic learning community

dedicated to a quality education for all.

This means that we value our learning community and strive to ensure each and every Monroe student receives the highest quality education possible. To do this, we commit to providing all students with:

  • a high-quality instructional program based on the California State Content Standards.
  • opportunities to develop positive character traits.
  • a nurturing, safe, and supportive environment that is welcoming and friendly towards students, staff, and parents.

We depend upon your partnership to ensure all of our students are successful at school and in life. With that in mind, we encourage you to become involved in the many activities that are offered by our school, our PTA, and our district.

We are providing you with this information to help orient you to our school’s procedures and policies. If you have any questions, please call or stop by the office, and our staff will be more than happy to assist you. Thank you!

Sincerely,

The Monroe Staff

Please cut off, and return the signed lower portion to Monroe

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Our family has read the Monroe School Handbook, and understands that these are the expectations of Monroe School.

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Parent/Guardian Signature Student Signature Date

ATTENDANCE / PUNCTUALITY

1. Attendance is key to learning and therefore mandatory. All students are expected to be at school, ready to learn, every day at 7:55 a.m. Being punctual means being with the class when the bell rings.

2. Family events and appointments should be scheduled outside of school hours.

3. Being on time ensures your child will receive maximum exposure to Monroe’s educational programs. A student will be considered lateif he or she arrives after 8:00. The student is considered tardy if he or she arrives after 8:25.

4. Excessive absences, lates, or tardies will result in the family being referred to the Site Attendance Review Team (SART) and may result in retention.

5. If a student needs to be out because of illness, please send a note or email to the teacher/office, or phone our absence line at 626-471-2304

Please be aware that Monroe School is paid by the State Department of Education for each day your student is in class. When your student is not at school, even when he/she is sick, the State withholds funds from us. Help us keep our budget intact by ensuring your child is present at school every day. Thank you!

EXTENDED ABSENCE

If you know that your child will miss 5 days of school or longer due to travel, your child qualifies for Independent Study.

Please notify the teacher and the office at least one week in advance so that your child may continue school work over this span of time. When this completed work is returned to the teacher, your child receives credit for school attendance, and our district receives funding for those days as well.

BEFORE AND AFTER SCHOOL

1.Family members and students are not allowed on campus before 7:30 a.m. and / or after dismissal (Grades TK-3 2:00 p.m., grades 4 and 5, 2:35 p.m.).

Exceptions to this policy: families enrolled in the Village Program, and parents of Kinder students. Kinder parents must bring their student to the classroom, as well as pick the student up at the classroom. Only the parent or adult authorized by the parent will be allowed to pick up a Kinder student.

2. There is no supervision for students before 7:30 a.m., after 2:00 for grades TK-3, or after 2:35 for grades 4 and 5. Since there is no staff supervision, students and their siblings are not to play on the equipment before 7:30 or after dismissal.

2.Morning arrival – If a student arrives before 7:30 a.m., the parent will be required to wait with their child in front of the school, as there is no supervision, and it is not safe for a child to be alone.

STUDENT UNIFORMS

Elementary students are expected to adhere to the district’s uniform policy. Students will be sent to the office to notify their parents if they are not in complete uniform. If you have questions, please contact Mrs. Moncada, our parent liaison at 626-471-2383.

  • Students are expected to wear school uniforms daily.
  • All clothing must be neat, clean, of the appropriate size, and in good repair.
  • Please write your child’s name in the collar of all jackets, sweaters and outerwear. The “lost and found” is in the cafeteria.

Students may wear:

Solid colors: navy blue, white, khaki, or red on collared shirts, pants, shorts, skirts, and jumpers

T-shirts: with school logo only

Walking shorts: no shorter than mid-thigh and nolonger than the top of the knee

Pants and belts: must be worn at the waist

Shoes: must have closed heels and toes

Hats / caps: Hats are only permitted outside the classroom for very cold or very hot weather. Please check with the principal prior to wearing a hat on the playground. Head-gear worn for medical or religious purposes must also be approved by the principal.

Jackets and outerwear shall not be subject to uniform colors.

Professional and / or collegiate team logo jackets are strongly discouraged and may be prohibited on a site basis.

Students may not wear:

Jeans, sandals, or t-shirts without school logo

Any items and / or articles of clothing which are unsafe ordisrupt the educational program

Exposed midriff, spaghetti straps, or tank tops

Shorts worn above the mid-thigh or longer than the top ofthe knee

Belt buckles with initials / insignia; jeans, plaids, baggy or

saggy pants more than one size larger than waist-size

Hats / caps not approved by a principal

STUDENT BEHAVIOR AND DISCIPLINE PLAN

A safe and orderly school is a shared responsibility involving the students, teachers, parents, and administrators. In compliance with State and District guidelines, Monroe has developed rules and procedures to provide that safe and orderly environment for students and staff. The following information represents our efforts to address school discipline in a positive way.

All Monroe students are expected to:

  • Come to school on time and be ready to work
  • Demonstrate good citizenship and orderly behavior while going to and from school
  • Follow directions given by any school staff member
  • Be responsible for their actions and words
  • Be trustworthy and truthful
  • Show kindness, courtesy, and respect for others
  • Give their personal best at all times
  • Take care of school and personal property
  • Play safely and by the rules while on the playground
  • Use good manners in the cafeteria/lunch area
  • Contribute to a positive learning environment for everyone
  • Follow all classroom and school rules
  • Use recess for getting drinks, using the restroom, and playing safely
  • Use appropriate language
  • Stay out of the main hallway and away from the building during recess except to use the restroom

STUDENT RECOGNITION

  • In the classroom, teachers will recognize positive behavior in a variety of ways, for example: stickers, daily awards or certificates, phone calls or notes home, or ROAR cars(student awards for positive behavior).
  • Schoolwide recognition will be given at Pride Gatherings when STAR students from each classroom are honored for positive behavior. In addition, recognition of academic achievement (such as Accelerated Reader goals, writing samples, art and music production) will be given periodically.
  • End-of-year awards are given for outstanding academic achievement, exceptional citizenship, most improved in reading and math.

DISCIPLINE PROCEDURES

  • Discipline begins in the classroom with the student and the teacher working together to correct inappropriate classroom or playground behavior. Teachers will discuss their discipline procedures during Back to School Night.
  • A referral may be written for continued behavior problems. When a referral is written:
  1. The student will be sent to the office for disciplinary action.
  2. A report will be written and copies will be given to the teacher and principal.
  3. Parents will be contacted about the incident.
  4. Records of referrals will be maintained in the school’s computer system.
  5. A student may be placed on a behavior contract for unresolved problems.
  6. Students may be suspended from school for fighting, talking back or being disrespectful towards staff and/or other students, disrupting the learning environment, vandalism, stealing, bringing dangerous objects to school, or other severe and inappropriate behavior.

INAPPROPRIATE ITEMS AT SCHOOL:

Toys

Collectible items (i.e. sport cards, hacky sacks, or trading cards)

Gum and candy

Cosmetics or lip gloss

Dangling or large hoop earrings, excessive jewelry

Wallet chains

Dangerous objects (including tools, kitchen utensils, scissors, and

weapons)

ELECTRONIC DEVICES

Cell phones must be turned off and placed in the students’

backpacks during the school day. If the cell phone rings or is a

distraction to the student, it will be confiscated and returned only

to the parents.

Other electronic devices (such as handheld games, iPods, CD

players, iPads, and MP3 players) are not allowed at school.

Monroe School is not responsible for electronic devices that arebrought to school and are lost or stolen during the school

day.

HEALTH

The health of all Monroe students

Is a high priority. We encourage

every family to follow the guidelines

below:

  • wash hands frequently
  • cough into your elbow, not hands
  • get sufficient sleep and bathe regularly
  • bring healthy snacks to school
  • strengthen your body through physical activity and exercise

Please keep your child home from school if he/she has:

  1. Had afever (over 100 degrees). The student should be fever free without medication for 24 hours before returning to school.
  2. Upper respiratory infections. Students with a cold who show symptoms of fever, tiredness, irritability, not eating well, earache, sore throat, and/ or thick yellow/green nasal discharge should be kept home.
  3. Skin conditions / unexplained rash which may be contagious.
  4. Had diarrhea / nausea / vomitingwithin the previous 24 hours.
  5. A severe headache or stomachache
  6. Infestation with lice (office must verify your child has no nits / eggs to return to school)
  7. Red, itchy, watery or crusty eyes
  8. A contagious illness, until cleared to return with a note from your doctor

MEDICATION

Medication can be administered only with written instructions from a physician and with parental consent. Please obtain the medical release form at the Monroe Health Office. All medications must be clearly labeled, with specific instructions for administration (including the dose and time to be given) and must be in the original pharmacy container.

Students may not bring any medications to the classroom or to school; this includes cough drops, chapstick, make-up, and any other over the counter medication.

Please make sure that the school has up-to-date phone numbers for home and work so that you can be reached in case your child becomes ill or is injured at school.

OTHER INFORMATION

FIELD TRIPS

Field trips are educational activities that are intended for

students who fully participate in the educational program

at Monroe Elementary School. Students are expected to

follow all school rules and policies (including homework,

behavior, uniform, and attendance). Those students who

do not follow the rules and do not complete their work

may not be eligible to attend field trips.

PARENT VOLUNTEERS

Parent volunteers are a very important part of our instructional program, and we warmly welcome you into our classrooms.To be in compliance with state and district guidelines, we ask that our parent volunteers be officially registered with our coordinator, Mrs. Martha Moncada. She will providea form for you to complete and will need to copy current TB test information. We ask our volunteers to sign in on a daily basis upon entering the school grounds and to wear a tag for identification.

GREEN FOLDERS

Every Wednesday your child will bring home a green folder, which is one of our main communication tools. In it you will find classroom, school and community information. Please look through it carefully, sign the “Home School Communication” page located inside the folder, and return the folder to school with your child on Thursday. There is a “comment” line if you wish to give feedback to your child’s teacher.

CLASSROOM VISITS

As a courtesy to your child’s teacher, we request that you make arrangements 24 hours prior to a classroom visit. Please contact the teacher by calling the office at (626) 471-2300 and we will be pleased to facilitate your visit.

CONTACTING YOUR CHILD’S TEACHER

There are a number of ways you can contact your child’s teacher if you have a question or a concern. You can call the office, write a note in your child’s green folder, stop by after school, or use email. All staff email addresses are formatted with the first initial, last name, and the suffix @monroviaschools.net. For example, if you want to email a teacher named Sam Macias, his email address would be: