Parent and Student Handbook

Welcome to Alamo

From the Principal...

On behalf of the Alamo Elementary School staff, welcome to Alamo and the 2022-2023 school year! Whether new to the Alamo family or a returning Eagle, we look forward to building a partnership between you and the school which will last for many years. We are committed to making your child's first years in school filled with positive and enriching experiences. Our staff is excited about working with your child and being, like you, an important advocate for your child and his/her learning. We seek to make Alamo a joyful place for our children and their families.

Please refer to this handbook throughout the school year as a reference. It should provide the answers to most questions, but feel free to telephone us or stop by the school office should you need more information. If you feel that there is information that needs to be included in this online handbook, please let me know.

We believe that your child's success in school is dependent upon good communication between school and home. We encourage your participation and invite you to express your suggestions or concerns.

Derek Wickliff
Principal

Accelerated Reader

AR is a computer program that helps teachers manage and monitor children's independent reading practice. Your child picks a book at his own level and reads it at his own pace. When ﬁnished, your child takes a short quiz on the computer. (Passing the quiz is an indication that your child understood what was read.) AR gives children, teachers, and parents feedback based on the quiz results, which the teacher or then uses to help your child set goals and direct ongoing reading practice.

At Alamo, we promote the use of AR both in the classroom and on the school level as we see a direct correlation to daily reading and achievement. Beginning mid-year in 1st grade through 6th grade, Alamo students are encouraged and monitored in their AR goals and rewarded for outstanding reading success.

At the school level, students that reach set benchmarks are recognized at our Friday Assemblies. These benchmarks are:

1st/2nd Grade: 25,000/75,000 Words Read

3rd Grade: 500,000 Words Read

4th-6th Grade: 1,000,000 Words Read

Parents that would like to track their child's reading progress can sign up for AR Home Connect. For more information on the benefit of Home Connect and how to sign up, please see the District Website.

Attendance and Absences

Absence Reporting (453-6200)

Regular attendance is important and required by law. Effective learning requires a planned sequence of instruction and frequent or daily reinforcement. Please avoid scheduling vacations and appointments during regular school days.

Steps to Follow If Absent

A parent or guardian should contact the school and inform the office of the student's absence before 10:00 AM of the day of absence or on the date of return a written note with the student's name, date, days of absence, and the reason for the absence. The note must include an adult's signature.
Student should present the note to the classroom teacher.
The student should ask the teacher for make-up assignments. Assignments not made up may be reflected in the student's grades.

An excused absence per state ed code is for illness, doctor/dentist/orthodontist appointment or a family funeral. If there is no phone call or note returned, the student will be marked truant.

Independent Study

If your child will be absent from school for 5 days or more, please inform the teacher and an independent study form will be prepared to provide education activities which your child can complete during his/her absence. This provides a continuing educational program for your child during this absence. Note: Independent Study requests must be submitted 5 school days prior to beginning of Independent Study.

Tardies

If your child is late to school for any reason, he/she must check in at the office. For an "excused" tardy (medical appointment, etc.), the parent must accompany the child to the office and sign in. The student will be given a "Pass to Class" by the school secretary to present to his/her teacher. No late student will be admitted to class without a pass.

Illness

Unfortunately, children will be affected by illness from time-to-time. There are common illnesses such as colds and the flu. Also, there are communicable diseases that may affect children at school. First and foremost, use common sense and good judgment when making a decision about your child's attendance at school relative to illness. Children should not attend school if:

They have a fever. Students may return to school when they are 24 hours fever free without the use of fever reducing medicine (even if they feel better).
They are vomiting.
They have a communicable disease (consult with your doctor on exclusion from and return to school)

Parents are responsible to keep their child home until the child is no longer contagious. Parents must also notify the school if their child is diagnosed with a contagious disease.

Leaving School During the Day

If your child is to leave school during the day, please send a signed note to his teacher indicating when your child must leave class. Before leaving, you will be asked to sign out your child at the school office. If someone other than a parent is to pick up a child, please include that information in your note (please note: this person must be on the emergency card). For their safety, children are to be picked up by a parent or designated guardian and are not to walk home or to appointments during the school day.

The staff urges parents to consider the possible loss of academic learning time as a crucial factor in deciding whether or not to take a child out of school.

Bicycles, Scooters, Skateboards

Students may ride non-motorized bicycles, scooters, and skateboards to school.

Rules for these include:

No riding on campus, these must be walked while on the campus.
Helmets must be worn when riding these to/from school.
Bikes must be stored in the bicycle area outside the MPR or along the fence line on Edgewood (locks are recommended). Scooters/skateboards will be stored at teacher discretion.
No "wheelie" shoes allowed on campus.
School is not responsible for lost, stolen, or damaged articles.

Bullying Prevention

Alamo Elementary School is committed to providing students with a safe and supportive learning environment. We do not condone harassment, intimidation, or bullying in school, on school grounds, or at school events. In addition, we do not condone out-of-school bullying incidents that significantly interfere with student learning. Bullying behavior in any form will result in immediate disciplinary action.

Alamo expects all students to treat each other with dignity and respect. Student conduct should contribute to a positive and productive learning environment. We expect students to try to help students who are bullied, include students who are easily left out and report all instances of bullying to the school.

Definition

Bullying is R.I.P. (Repeated, Imbalance of Power, Purposeful).

It can be:

Physical-kicking, tripping, hitting or pushing.
Verbal-name calling, insults, threats of violence or graffiti.
Emotional-intentional exclusion or spreading rumors.
Cyberbullying-spreading harmful information through e-mail, online chats, social networking sites, text messages, cell phones or cameras.

Bullying includes the harassment and intimidation of a person which may be, but need not be, based ont he person's sex, race, color, ethnicity, religion, national origin, age, disability or sexual orientation.

Reporting Procedures

Alamo employees are required to report alleged violations of this policy to the principal. Students, parents and visitors are encouraged to report any act that may be a violation of this policy. Reports may be made anonymously and placed in the principal's mailbox in the office. All reports will be taken seriously and will result in a thorough investigation. We will also determine whether a student's civil rights have been violated according to federal anti-discrimination laws.

Investigation

The principal shall begin a prompt, thorough and complete investigation of alleged acts of bullying within 5 school days of receiving an Incident Report Form. The goal of an investigation is to obtain an accurate account of incidents and circumstances deemed relevant to the allegations, to determine whether bullying occurred, and to identify the student(s) responsible for the acts. These procedures are intended to protect the rights of all parties involved.

Consequences

Our school has developed a rubric of consequences that match specific behaviors to disciplinary and/or remedial actions. This rubric will be used as a basis for determining appropriate action. In determining appropriate action, the principal will consider age, development and relationship of individuals involved, degree of harm, surrounding circumstances, the nature of the severity of the incident, past instances, and the context in which the incident occurred.

Campus Supervision

Our campus is supervised for the safety of everyone. Adults (non-staff) without visitor passes will be stopped and directed to the office to sign in. Supervisors are on patrol all day and can be easily identified by brightly colored vests. Following the directions of the supervisors and staff ensures that everyone is provided a safe and secure environment in which to learn. Playground supervision begins at 8:00 AM. Students arriving early for our breakfast program may enter the cafeteria at 8:00 AM. Gates are locked during the day and unlocked for dismissal at the end of the school day.

Cell Phones and Electronic Devices

Cell Phones

Although students are not encouraged to bring cell phones to school due to the possibility of loss, theft or damage, we understand that many families want their children to have a cell phone to contact parents before or after school hours.

Therefore, if a student chooses to bring a cell phone to school, it must be turned "OFF" during the school day and placed where it will not be accessed during the instructional day -- in a backpack, jacket, etc. It should not be visible to other students or staff during the day. If a student does not follow these rules and 1) uses the cell phone, or 2) the cell phone rings, or 3) the cell phone is visible to other staff or students during the instructional day, it will be confiscated and turned in to the office. Parents will be contacted to come to school and pick up the phone at their convenience.

We believe that this policy allows families the flexibility to use cell phones as needed, but will also protect the school day for teaching and learning. Thank you for your cooperation and understanding in this matter.

Phone Use

Office/classroom phones can be used for medical emergencies or with teacher permission. There is no pay phone on campus. As a way of teaching responsibility, students are discouraged from phoning home for forgotten items such as homework, musical instruments or tennis shoes.

Electronic Devices

Appropriate student use of electronic devices and rules concerning devices apply from the time the student leaves for school until the time they arrive home. Devices may not be used to disrupt the educational environment or violate the rights of others. Using the device to cheat, violate school conduct rules, harass/bully students or staff, or using the device for unlawful purposes will subject the student to disciplinary action. Serious offenses will be reported to the local authorities. Recording the voice or image of another in any way that disrupts the educational environment, invades the privacy of others, or is made without the consent of the individuals being recorded is prohibited. Devices recording the voice or image of another to take, transfer, or share any audio, video, or photographs that reveal parts of the body (ordinarily covered by clothing) is prohibited.

Classroom Placement

The process of making classes begins in May. Our goals are to achieve academic, behavior, and boy/girl balance of classes, to make up satisfactory combination classes and to provide for individual student needs. Class placements are posted at the school site on the day before school begins.

After two weeks, change of class placements can be submitted.

Download here our school policies (.doc) regarding classroom assignment changes.

Review of Assignment Form (to be completed by parents and submitted to office): Available August 29

Clothing

Please remember to use good judgment when choosing appropriate clothes for your child to wear to school. Students' clothing should be safe for themselves and for the children around them. Therefore, the following guidelines should be considered:

Casual, loose clothing that allows children to move and play comfortably is recommended.
Beach attire, such as halter tops, bare midriffs, strapless shirts or dresses, spaghetti strap shirts or dresses, see-through clothing, off-the-shoulder blouses and short skirts/shorts are not appropriate for school.
In hot weather, students may wear shorts that are at least mid-thigh in length. Remember, however, that long pants protect knees better than shorts do! Pants and shorts must be worn at the waistline and must not expose undergarments.
As outlined in District Policy 5470 (appendix F), students are not allowed to wear anything that advertises alcohol, tobacco, or drugs is inappropriate to an elementary school setting.
Make-up, short shorts, halters, backless and tube tops are NOT allowed. Spaghetti straps or mesh shirts may be worn only with a T-shirt underneath.
Pants may NOT be worn very low off the hips. "Sagging" is not allowed.
Shirts must cover the waistline: no skin showing. Undergarments must not be visible. Closed-toed shoes with low heels must be worn at all times.
Sandals and flip-flops are not safe for elementary school activities. Hats may be worn outside.

Before your child walks out the door, please make sure he/she is wearing appropriate clothing for an elementary school. Students may be sent home to change clothing if their attire is inappropriate or disruptive to the educational setting.

Communications

Communication between parents and school is vital. Any time you have questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to contact your child's teacher or the principal.The school number is (707) 453-6200. If you prefer, the school secretary can forward your call to the voice mail of any staff member. E-mail addresses of all teachers are also available on the school's web site.

The school uses these methods to communicate with Alamo families:

Weekly e-news regarding school activities
Report cards and parent conferences
Newsletters and/or e-communications from teachers to parents
Sending home samples of student work
Back-to-School Night
Monthly PTA meetings
"School Messenger" phone system
Monthly school newsletter/calendar
Twitter

Conferences

Parent-Teacher conferences are scheduled at the end of the first trimester (November) and are optional the second trimester (March). We encourage you to maintain contact through email or regular communication with your child's teacher. Sharing information helps the teacher make informed decisions as to how best to help your child. Knowing the classroom routines makes students more successful in class. You may request additional conferences at any time.

Discipline

Discipline is based on a progressive model, however every situation presents its own unique set of circumstances. Please remember that confidentiality is important and that we are not at liberty to discuss other student's consequences even when involved in the same incident. It is our goal to ensure that all staff and students at Callison feel safe and are treated respectfully.

Download a copy of the Vacaville Unified School District Discipline Handbook. (.doc)

Dogs On Campus

As a general rule, dogs and other animals are not welcome at school. Specifically, according to the state's education code, dogs are prohibited from school campuses, whether or not the dogs are leashed. Several signs posted on campus note that "Dogs are not allowed." Service animals are exempt from this state law.

If you notice a dog on campus, leashed or not, please inform the school office. It is our intention to keep our campus safe. Again, many thanks for your understanding of this school rule.

Emergency Cards

The school's emergency cards are very important since they provide information for each child that might be needed in case of an emergency. The parents fill out these cards when a child is enrolled, but they may become out of date as a result of moves, job changes, etc.

To keep the cards up to date, we ask parents to fill out new cards at the beginning of each year. Also, we ask parents to fill out a new card if there has been a change in home or work phone or address, or a change in the person(s) you would like us to contact if you are not available. It is best to list people who are available locally, should your child become ill or injured and need to be picked up. Blank cards are available in the office.

Please note: An adult picking up a student at school MUST be on the emergency card. If the person is not an adult (18 yrs of age or older) or is not on the emergency card, we are not allowed to release the student. Identification must be provided.

Emergency Plan

Every year, the staff and administration of Alamo review and revise the school emergency plan. After the revision, the emergency plan will be placed on the school website.

Each month, the school will conduct an emergency drill. These drills may focus on fire, earthquake, intruder, or other emergency situations. If you have questions regarding the emergency plan, please contact the office.

Facility Use

Public and non-profit groups may use school facilities with no rental charge.

Public and non-profit groups may use school facilities with no rental charge. Events must be scheduled and forms filled out through the school office. Use of the school facilities after 6:00pm and on weekends may require payment for overtime custodial services.

Field Trips

Due to fundraising efforts by the Alamo PTA and the Alamo staff, we are fortunate to continue our wonderful, educational field trips for our students. These field trips are planned to enhance state standards and curriculum and are not mandatory for students.

When a class field trip is planned, the teacher will send home a field trip permission slip. Permission slips may also be downloaded here: Field Trip permission.doc . The student must return the signed slip in order to participate.

Often, teachers may plan a field trip where parents use their vehicles to transport children on field trips. It is required that they have a minimum liability coverage of $100,000/$300,000 and indicate so on a signed, district form. Further, students may not be seated in the front seat of a vehicle with activated passenger side air bags.

Food Allergies

Food Allergies Require Awareness, Compassion, and Attention

It's hard to believe that the foods most of us eat and enjoy every day can be harmful to others. But, it's true! A handful of Alamo students are allergic, and in some cases, seriously allergic to peanuts, tree nuts, dairy products, wheat and eggs. While we have plans in place to address the needs of these students, its important that our entire school community be aware of what causes allergies and what we can do to prevent allergic reactions, which for some children, can be a life-threatening incident.

We encourage parent support by asking you to join us in communicating the following messages to your children:

1) Never take food allergies lightly. Joking about it, teasing kids who have food allergies, or tricking someone into eating food are inappropriate and can be very dangerous.

2) Don't share your food. This advice runs counter to the environment of "sharing" we like to enjoy. However, sharing food can be very dangerous to students who have food allergies. This has become a school and district policy for all foods, no matter the provider.

3) Wash hands after eating. Washing hands after you eat is very important. Touching certain foods can cause an allergic reaction in some students. Therefore, it's an good practice to clean off any food that is one your hands after eating. You'll probably get fewer colds too.

4) Ask friends if they are allergic to foods and help them avoid it. Learning what someone is allergic to is easy (just ask them).

5) If someone becomes ill, get help from an adult immediately! Some symptoms of food allergies are vomiting, swelling of the face and lips, difficulty breathing, coughing, sneezing, watery eyes and skin that is bumpy, red or itchy.

Please let us know if you have any questions about our school's policies and practices regarding food and food allergies. Our goal is for all students to feel safe and protected in all situations at school. Websites such as www.fankids.org (for kids) and www.foodallergy.org are also excellent sites for additional information and to help teach your children about food allergies.

Homework

The Vacaville Unified School District's Board of Education recognizes that homework contributes toward building responsibility, self-discipline and life-long learning habits, and that time spent on homework directly influences students' ability to meet the district's academic standards. The Board expects students, parents/guardians and staff to view homework as a routine and important part of students' daily lives. As an integral part of the instructional program, homework assignments must be relevant, meaningful and purposeful.

Homework is defined as academic work, related to classroom activities, that is assigned to students to be completed outside of class time. Homework assignments are expected to serve a valid education purpose and be within the capabilities of students.

Homework is not assigned as a punitive measure. Homework is intended to:

Reinforce classroom instruction
Extend learning objective
Develop research skills, independent study habits and time management skills
Teach responsibility for completing and returning assigned work
Provide an opportunity for parents to better understand what is being taught

The classroom teacher is responsible for determining the extent to which homework assignments shall emphasize independent research, reports, special reading, and problem solving activities.

Parents/guardians are responsible for encouraging his/her children to accept homework assignments as an important part of the school program.

Students are responsible for completing and turning in homework assignments. Students are encouraged to use computers to complete homework; however, students are responsible for submitting original work.

Time Guidelines

The length of time that students are expected to spend completing daily homework are:

Grades K-1

10 minutes

Grades 2-3

20 minutes

Grades 4-6

30-60 minutes

These times are meant to serve as general guidelines.

Any concerns regarding homework should be addressed initially to the classroom teacher.

Lost and Found

Please put your child's name on all articles of clothing or personal possessions (i.e. lunch boxes) that are brought to school. There is a lost and found bin in the library hallway. Items that are labeled are returned at the end of each month. Items that are not claimed nor labeled are donated to a charitable organization each month. Please check the lost and found often.

Medication at School

Student medication is discouraged at school. Often, medication can be administered at home just before and after school. However, if it is necessary for your child to take medication during the school day, these district medication procedures must be followed:

All medications will be kept in the school office under the supervision of the school secretary/health clerk, including "over the counter" medications. Pupils may not have medication in their possession or in the classroom without a specific doctor's written statement on file in the office to that effect.
All medications must be in the original containers - this includes Tylenol-type medications, throat lozenges, etc. Prescription medication must have the original pharmacy label, showing the name and telephone number of the pharmacy, the student's name, the name of the physician, the dosage, frequency, and method of administration.
A signed School Medication Authorization Form is needed for any medication (prescription or "over the counter") that your child may need at school. This form is available in the office. This form must be signed by both the parent and the child's doctor.
The administration of all medications will be supervised by designated school personnel.

We realize that the requirement for a physician's signature and written directions may be burdensome, but this will help assure proper administration of any and all medications for students.

Office Hours

Alamo office hours are 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Our phone number is (707) 453-6200 and our FAX number is (707) 446-2834.

Parent Teacher Association (PTA)

Alamo is extremely fortunate to have a strong, supportive Parent Teacher Association (PTA). Through the efforts of the Alamo PTA, Alamo benefits with educational and extracurricular opportunities for all students, including field trips, purchases of technologies/school supplies, as well as continued support of our school clubs.

All parents and staff are encouraged to become an active member of the Alamo PTA as we carry on our Alamo traditions that support all of our children.

See the PTA tab in the toolbar at the top of this page for more information.

Parking and Traffic

As with most school sites, the busiest time of day for the Alamo campus is drop-off in the morning and pick-up in the afternoon. In order to maintain a safe and orderly environment at these times, we ask all parents/guardians to follow these guidelines and model patience and understanding at all times.

Drop-off

The Alamo drop-off/pick-up area has two distinct zones: a bus zone which begins where "bus only" appears on the blacktop and a car zone in the area up to that designation. The bus zone is for buses only during this time, even if there are no buses in this zone when you are dropping off. Once your child has exited the car, please vacate the zone so that the next parent may drop their child off as well.

Pick-up

Pick-up can be a slower process than our drop-off process. As with drop-off, the "bus only" areas must be clear of cars for buses to come in and pick up their charges. On most days, a staff member will coordinate the pick-up process, moving cars up when possible, assisting children in identifying their cars, and assisting cars in merging back onto Orchard. "Traffic control" is not always an enjoyable responsibility, so parent patience and positive attitude are always appreciated.

Cross-Walk

Our cross-walk is maintained at pick-up/drop-off by the city-provided crossing guard, Miss Mildred. All students that cross Orchard MUST use the cross-walk and follow Miss Mildred's directives. Parents should also use the cross-walk at all times of the day for safety reasons (and legal as well).

Alternatives

Many parents designate alternative drop-off/pick-up locales to avoid the Orchard back-up. These areas may include the back of the school (Edgewood Drive) or a brief walk to an area free of congestion.

During the Day

When parents pick-up students during the school day (non-kindergarten), they may stop briefly in the loading zone on Orchard to run inside and sign their student out.

Playground Use and Expectations

Playground Rules

At the beginning of each year the following playground rules are presented to students:

Students are to stay/play within "Safe Spaces" (designated playground or field areas only). Students must remain in view of supervisors at all times, and may not play behind or between buildings and storage areas.
Students are allowed to run on grass/path only (or within an organized game on the blacktop). Students are not allowed to run on the blacktop or in the barkboxes.
Students are not to play in or around the bathrooms.
Students are to remain seated at the benches while eating outdoors during recesses.
Students are allowed in Library during recesses only if they have been given a Library Pass by their teacher.
Students are not allowed to take/give "cuts" in line.
Students are not allowed to climb poles (tether ball, corridor, etc.)
Students are allowed to play wall ball on wall ball walls only (not on sides of buildings).
Students are to follow the recess supervisor's directions upon the first request.
Students are not allowed to visit or play around "Time Out" benches.
Use common sense when no rule seems to apply. When in doubt, do the safe thing.

Playground Safety

The overall goal of playground activities is to give the children maximum opportunities to exercise and explore. Another important goal is to have adults present to act as a deterrent to any inappropriate or unsafe activities and to offer if immediate assistance is needed. To reach those objectives the following policies are followed:

All adults assigned to this duty are to be prompt or even one or two minutes early when possible.
All play equipment will be regularly monitored by custodians and maintenance crew on structural integrity and for any possible safety hazards. Appropriate reports and repairs will be made.
All playground rules will be reviewed each year by all staff. Designated areas of play are determined. Behavior on the playground is regulated by both in class review of the rules and by yard monitors (supervisors) on an ongoing day-to-day basis.
During rainy days, rules and procedures are established for before school, A.M. recess and at lunchtime. These rules are governed by each teacher who established in class procedures, which are then monitored by assistants and other staff during implementation. Infractions are reported directly to the teacher.
Playground rules and procedural violations are handled by any adults who directly observe an infraction. In the early stages of implementation (at the start of the school year, for example) a clear directive is given to the child regarding the rationale behind a rule when a first infraction is committed. Second and /or repeated infractions are handled by a written citation system. All discipline slips are turned into the school office and are reviewed by the principal.
Any equipment used for games or play that is not provided by the school is subject to school office approval before it is to be used on the playground.
In the event of an injury, the child, if it is reasonable to do so, is to be brought to the office. Once there, properly established procedures are to be followed to administer aid to the child. In the event it is not reasonable to take the child to the office, an adult will send another adult or a child to the office to ask for assistance. In the event of serious injury, the child is to be made as comfortable as possible and the Paramedic Unit is to be called and parents notified immediately.
Parents are to be notified annually that supervision of playground is not provided before the 15 minutes preceding the official start of school. Further, there is no supervision of the playground areas after school.

Rules (School and Classroom)

Classroom Rules

Each classroom teacher uses their own set of rules/consequences/rewards. These rules/consequences will be progressive with the higher levels resulting in referral to the office. The classroom teacher will explain these rules/consequences at Back to School night.

Academic Expectations

Come to school every day ready to learn.
Be on time.
Be engaged in the learning process.
Raise your hand.
Use your time wisely by working during instruction time.
Ask questions when you do not understand.
Work cooperatively in groups.
Listen to your classmates during discussion time.
Do your homework each night.
It's OK to make mistakes.
Correct mistakes and learn from your mistakes.
Read every day.
Keep trying and don't give up.
Do your best.

Problem Solving

Talk it over and listen to each other.
Say, "I'm sorry."
Share.
Take turns.
Walk away.
Do something else.
Ignore it.
Ask for help.

Behavioral Expectations

School sites (as with society itself) has differing expectations for different locales. Please click the following link which details student expectations in the various areas of Alamo: Alamo School Behavior Expectations.doc

Items Not Allowed on the School Campus

Sharpie or other types of markers (use in classrooms under teacher supervision only)
Dogs (Service Dogs are exempted from this ban)
Weapons or imitation weapons
Tobacco, alcohol, drugs, and any other illegal substance.

English Learner Advisory Committee

Parent involvement at Alamo goes beyond attending school events, joining/participating in the PTA, and even volunteering in the classrooms. Parents are also welcome to join/attend our English Learner Advisory Committee. This group is comprised of school parents and are responsible for governing and informing the school and community of Alamo's English Learner's progress.

English Learner Advisory Committee (ELAC)

The purpose of ELAC is to advise the principal and site staff on programs and services for English learners. It is composed of parents (primarily those parents of English learners) and meets throughout the year to advise the principal and staff on programs/services for English learners, advise the SSC on the development of the Single Plan for Student Achievement, develop the school needs assessment, review the annual language census, and develops ways to make parents aware of the importance of regular school attendance. All meetings are open to the public.

Student Leadership

An elected Student Leadership Team provides leadership opportunities to upper grade students by inviting them to serve in a variety of "team" efforts, including recycling programs, theme days, providing communications, and general service to the school. The Leadership Team students hold regular meetings to make decisions regarding school spirit activities and fundraising opportunities.

Visitors

Parent involvement in his/her child's educational experience is encouraged, however due to campus security and to reduce classroom disruptions, we ask all visitors to abide by these guidelines:

Visitors MUST check in at the front office before going to classrooms or playgrounds.
All visitors will be identified by staff and students by wearing a "Visitor Pass".
Adults not wearing these passes will be asked by school personnel to check in at the office or leave campus.
Visits must be prearranged with the classroom teacher and identification may be required.
Unaccompanied children (cousins, friends, etc.) are not permitted to visit classrooms. No other children will be permitted to accompany the parent during the visit. All visitors must sign in at the main office

Volunteers

Below are listed guidelines and helpful hints for classroom volunteers. Please read these guidelines carefully so that your volunteer experience can be comfortable and rewarding for you, your child, and the classroom as a whole.

When serving as a classroom volunteer, please:

Sign in at the office when working at school. There is a "Volunteer Binder" on the front counter in the office for this purpose. This is a school safety measure as well as a PTA requirement.
Wear a "Volunteer" badge while on campus. Badges are available in the office and must be worn by all visiting adults as a safety measure. If volunteering on a regular basis, please ask to have a "permanent" badge made for reuse.
Arrive on time to the classroom. Therefore, give yourself a few extra minutes to check-in at the office. Your scheduled time indicates the time you are expected in the classroom.
Notify the teacher if you cannot make your volunteer time. Many teachers plan their activities around volunteers and a phone call as early as possible would enable them to change those plans.
Make alternate arrangements for pre-school siblings. It's best that your hands and attention are free to interact with the students in the class. Many parents "swap" babysitting so they can fully enjoy special time in their child's classroom.
Use the cell phone golden rule...Turn it to off or on "vibrate" when you are working in the classroom.
Model "problem-solving" for the students. Handle unexpected situations with common sense and good judgment. However, we recognize that some situations require teacher intervention. When in doubt, defer to the teacher.
Model school rules and procedures - including stopping and listening while the teacher is speaking.
"Clean up" before leaving. This facilitates transitions between activities and better and more effective classroom management-thereby creating a better learning atmosphere!
Have fun! Enjoying yourself while in the classroom also facilitates a safe and nurturing learning environment for all students.
Remember to sign-out and to put your badge away when leaving campus.

The entire staff at Alamo appreciates the time and effort you provide for all students. Thank you for your positive contributions to the great learning community at Alamo.