PIONEER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

General Information

Pioneer Elementary School, DJUSD

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Topic Index: (click on topic for details)
Accidents and Insurance	Appropriate Clothing
Bullying Policy	Distracting Items	Dogs on Campus
District Complaint Policy	Emergency cards	Health Issues/Medication
Homework	Library	Lost and Found
Non-Discrimination Policy	Notice of Alternative Schools
School Tours	Transportation	Weather Accommodations

ACCIDENTS AND INSURANCE

We try to do everything possible to insure a safe environment. However, accidents do happen. If an accident does occur at school we will make every effort to contact the parent or guardian. If we cannot contact anyone, and there is a doubt about the seriousness of the injury, we will contact your child’s physician or call for emergency services.

The Board of Education has authorized the district to send out information about a school accident insurance policy. Since accidents do occur at school and since the school district, by law, cannot pay for medical or hospital expenses incurred as a result of such accidents, we recommend this insurance policy. The policies are sent home with each child at the beginning of the school year. If you have any questions, please call the school office.

APPROPRIATE CLOTHING

In an effort to maintain an environment that is focused on learning, we ask your cooperation in following these guidelines. Inappropriate clothing would include but not be limited to:

clothing with unacceptable language or symbols;
open-toed shoes without socks;
tank tops that do not fully cover underclothing;
bare midriffs;
excessively short shorts or exposed underclothing;
excessively baggy clothes.
Spaghetti string straps (grades 3-6)

BULLYING POLICY

We believe that everybody should enjoy our school equally. Everyone should feel safe, secure and accepted regardless of race, gender, popularity , athletic ability, disability, intelligence, financial status, religion, sexual orientation and nationality.

Bullying can be pushing, shoving, hitting, and spitting, as well as name calling, picking on, making fun of, laughing at, and excluding someone. Bullying causes pain and stress to victims and is never justified or excusable as "kids being kids, " "just teasing" or any other rationalization. The victim is never justifies or responsible for being a target of bullying.

By working with families and students, we strive to educate our school community about bullying and eliminate bullying types of behaviors.

Responses to bullying may include:

Verbal warning
Removal from class
Verbal or written apology to the victim
A parent-teacher conference
Conference with the Principal
Detention
Suspension from school

Responses to bullying will also include the three R's: Restitution, Resolution and Reconciliation.

DISTRACTING ITEMS

Materials or objects that distract instruction must be left at home. Teacher permission can be given for special occasions. Distracting items include the following:

Make-up
Headphones, cassette or CD players
Sports Equipment
Spray cans or spray containers
Skateboards
Toys of any type, including “look-alike” weapons, pictures, baseball cards, playing cards, laser pointers, etc.
Pets or other animals
Dangerous objects
Cell phones (Students are permitted to bring cell phones to school. However, they may not use them during the regular school day until after dismissal. Cell phones can be particularly distracting during lunch and recess times and are not permitted on the playground during those times for that reason.) If a child needs to reach his or her parents, they should ask their classroom teacher or come to the office for specific permission.

Distracting items will be taken from the student by the teacher or administrator and retained until the end of the day or kept for pickup by the parent. Illegal items may result in a home suspension or recommendation for expulsion.

District Uniform Complaint Policy

Any staff member, student, parent, applicant, or community member who has a complaint regarding an employee, a district policy, or other condition of the Davis Joint Unified School District may submit the complaint by completing the appropriate form and filing it with the school principal or appropriate district administrator. Forms may be obtained in the school office or through the district office.

DOGS ON CAMPUS

Many of us enjoy the companionship of family pets. Often, we want them to accompany us everywhere, including school to pick up our children. However, some children are anxious around dogs. Since school is a place where we try to make all children comfortable, please keep dogs off campus. If you would like to walk your dog to school to pick up your children, please arrange to meet your child off school grounds. Thank you for helping us to create a secure environment for all children.

EMERGENCY CARDS

Each year, new emergency cards are required. Take special care to provide individuals who are authorized to care for your child when you cannot be reached including those who can pick up your child from school. These cards should be done in PENCIL ON BOTH SIDES. Students without up-to-date emergency cards can be excluded from school. An emergency phone number must be provided for safety reasons. No student can be released to a non-authorized adult without notification; include all carpool adults.

HEALTH ISSUES & MEDICATION

The school office is equipped to deal with only emergency first aid. Office staff provides temporary care until parents or daycare provider arrives. A nurse is available approximately one day per week.

Medication of any kind can be administered to a child only with a completed district form, signed by the child’s physician. The form is available in the school office.
All medication must come in its original container.

Please mark all inhalators with the child's full name.

Each teacher has an established homework policy that is explained to the parents at Back to School Night and to students in the classroom. Homework is an integral part of the upper grade curriculum and both long and short-term projects are assigned. All students should read nightly!

Pioneer School has an extensive library program. Students are allowed to check out books and are responsible for their safekeeping. The library has a reading incentive program for primary students in the spring. The library is open daily from 8:00 a.m. - 3:15 p.m. A credentialed librarian teaches library skills while all students are exposed to new children's literature throughout the year.

LOST AND FOUND

Personal possessions found around the school are placed in the large cart outside the MPR. Money, keys, jewelry and glasses are turned in to the office. Personal items should be marked with the child's name. Hundreds of items are lost annually because of lack of identification. All items remaining on the last day of the month will be donated.

Non-Discrimination Policy

Davis Joint Unified School District Board Policy, Section 3.19-1 states in part: “In fulfilling its obligation to maintain a positive and productive school environment, the Board directs the administration to inform all students and staff as to the intent of this policy and to take action to assure that no student or staff member insults or degrades anyone on the basis of race/ethnic group, gender, sexual orientation, mental disability, physical disability, physical condition, family structure, religion, political belief or age.”

As required by Title IX, no person shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any educational program or activity or employment opportunity provided by the Davis Joint Unified School District.

Persons feeling they have been discriminated against are asked to contact the school principal to discuss the situation

Notice of Alternative Schools

California state law authorizes all school districts to provide for alternative schools. Section 58500 of the Education Code defines alternative school as a school or separate class group within a school which is operated in a manner designed to a) Maximize the opportunity for students to develop the positive values of self-reliance, initiative, kindness, spontaneity, resourcefulness, courage, creativity, responsibility and joy; b) Recognize that the best learning takes place when the student learns because of his/her desire to learn; c) Maintain a learning situation maximizing student self-motivation and encouraging the student in his/her own time to follow his own interests. These interests may be conceived by him/her totally and independently or may result in whole or in part from a presentation by his/her of choices of learning projects; d) Maximize the opportunity for teachers, parents and students to cooperatively develop the learning process and its subject matter. This opportunity shall be a continuous permanent process; e) Maximize the opportunity for the students, teachers, or parents to continuously react to the changing world, including but not limited to the community to which the school is located. In the event any parent, pupil, or teacher is interested in further information concerning alternative schools, the county superintendent of schools, the administrative office of this district and the principal’s office in each attendance unit have copies of the law available for your information. This law particularly authorizes interested persons to request the governing board of the district to establish alternative school programs in each district.

The Davis Joint Unified School District offers four alternative schools to help meet the academic needs of students. The schools are:

Cesar Chavez Elementary School – This K-6 school offers students the opportunity to become fluent in Spanish using the immersion concept. Beginning in kindergarten, students receive instruction in Spanish for all or part of the school day. Students have access to the same curriculum used in other schools and develop intellectual skills through instruction provided in both Spanish and English. For more information, contact Cesar Chavez Elementary School at 530-757-5490.

Marguerite Montgomery Elementary School – This school offers student in grades Kindergarten and Third Grade the opportunity to become fluent in Spanish using the immersion concept. For more information, contact Marguerite Montgomery Elementary School at 530-759-2100

Davis School for Independent Study – Students in grades K-12 may enroll voluntarily to receive the regular district-approved curriculum through an independent study instructional format. For elementary students, a teacher meets weekly with the student and a parent to provide instruction and to monitor work completed at home under the parent’s supervision. For secondary students, a teacher meets with the student individually or in small groups. For more information about independent study, contact the Davis School for Independent Study at 530-757-5333.

Martin Luther King High School – This alternative school is available to students who have left the comprehensive high school program through a voluntary transfer. Alternative education provides a flexible program designed to meet the needs of some working and married students, along with those who are unable to achieve in the comprehensive high school. It is possible for student to earn credit on an accelerated basis at Martin Luther King High School, based on productive days attended in the program. For more information about King High, call 530-757-5425.

SCHOOL TOURS

Parents are invited to come on a tour and see our fine academic program. Tours are held periodically throughout the year.

TRANSPORTATION

Bicycles:

In order to insure student safety we request that parents review rules of the road with their child. Parents of young students should ride the route with their child to insure their understanding of laws and safety procedures. We do not encourage bike riders prior to third grade without an adult.

STUDENTS ARE TO COME and LEAVE BY COWELL BLVD on their bicycles.

Bicycle Helmets Must Be Used!
All bikes are to be locked properly at the bike racks.
Bikes are not to be ridden on school sidewalks or playground.
All students are to obey directions given by the crossing guard or any adults on duty.
Students must walk their bike in crosswalks.
Students crossing MACE BLVD. are to do so at the COWELL BLVD. intersection with the crossing guard.
CHILES ROAD is not to be used to and from school for safety reasons.
STUDENTS ARE TO GIVE PEDESTRIANS THE RIGHT OF WAY.

Roller Blades:

Only students in grades 4-6 may use roller blades. Skates are to be put on and taken off at the bike racks or at the bench in front of the office. Helmets must be worn. Roller blading is a privilege and can be rescinded at any time.

NO SKATEBOARDS OR SCOOTERS ARE PERMITTED AT SCHOOL

Each student is issued a numbered copy of the textbooks for his/her grade level at the beginning of the school year. He/she is individually responsible for these books for the year. If a book is lost or damaged, the student will have to pay the full or partial price, depending on the original condition of the book when issued to the student.

It is very important that you and your child discuss his/her responsibility for these textbooks. We recommend that parents tell their children to check at the end of each day for his/her textbooks. If a book is missing at that time, the class and teacher can assist in looking for the book. If a student waits until later, the chances of finding the book are not very good.

WEATHER ACCOMMODATIONS

During rainy days or windy days, students in grades 1 and 2 should report to D-Center in the morning and students in grades 3 – 4 should report to Library. Students in grades 5-6 schould report to H-Center. During lunch, the students will eat their lunch inside. We will make every attempt to have the students play outside and only keep the students inside when weather does not permit an outside recess.

On hot days, we will monitor the temperature and air quality. Should the temperature exceed 100 degrees (this is a rule of thumb) or if the air quality is deemed unhealthful, students will have recess inside. If your child is particularly sensitive, please let your child’s teacher know.

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