When a student is absent due to an illness or for an excused absence (see Attendance Section), the student will be given the same number of days to make up their work as the number of school days they were absent.

Students being brought to school by private vehicle should not arrive at school prior to 9:05 AM. When they arrive they should go directly to their classrooms since there is no playground supervision before or after school on the playgrounds. Students begin being dismissed at 3:45. Students should go directly to the bus-loading zone and board the bus. If you pick up your student after school, please do so on time. If your student is still at school by 4:00 they will be checked into M & M Kids, the after- school daycare. The first time is free, and then you will be charged. Our school office will contact parents of students who continually arrive at school prior to 9:05 AM. In the AM, bus riders also should go directly to their classrooms and not play outside.

ASSIST is the North Kitsap School District’s form of the Title I/LAP programs. The ASSIST program goal is to help students achieve academic success in reading and become independent learners. The ASSIST program is staffed with highly qualified paraeducators who work closely with the classroom teacher. The paraeducators work with students who qualify for assistance in reading. They may also work with other students in the classroom while the teacher works with the ASSIST students. The Learning Specialist makes sure that the ASSIST staff has the necessary skills, materials and techniques needed to help students make steady gains in reading.

The child’s teacher or a parent referral identifies students for help in the ASSIST program. ASSIST students receive help in their classroom while working on tasks assigned by the teacher. ASSIST staff may reteach concepts using different materials or a different approach. The ASSIST program is designed to support the regular classroom and does not replace it in any way.

Due to the distraction to the educational process, please do not have gifts (e.g., flowers, balloons, etc.) delivered to the school for your child. If you would like to bring a treat for your child to share on his/her birthday, please contact the teacher ahead of time to make arrangements. He or she will have a suggestion about the appropriate day and time for the treat. In consideration for the feelings and needs of our students, please do not send invitations for parties at home to school unless an invitation is provided for every child in the classroom. Thank you.

We have policies in place regarding animals in the classroom, classroom placement procedures and fifth grade promotion. Our school Leadership Team is also active in all building policy adoptions and changes. If your child enrolls after school starts in the fall, they will be placed by school staff according to criteria designed to keep classrooms balanced. Keep current on these policies by visiting our website at http://www.nkschools.org.

The same general rules for behavior apply in the cafeteria as in the classroom. In addition:

1. Use normal voices. No screaming or loud voices just for fun. (Includes no popping paper sacks or plastic bags

2. Use restaurant manners at all times.

3. No taking or touching food or drinks that belong to others.

4. No sharing or trading items from your own lunch with others.

5. Clean all food scraps, wrappers and napkins from your table and the floor surrounding you.

6. Quiet down immediately when given the signal by the lunchroom aides.

7. Stay in your seats, except…the one time you get up to dump your trash at the end of lunch.

8. Return to your seat immediately after cleaning up, and help wipe down your table.

9. No running, chasing or: horsing around”…ever.

Cancellation of School

Cancellation of school takes place during circumstances such as extreme weather, equipment failure, or public crisis. The school board and administrators are aware of the hardship which can be caused by an abrupt cancellation. Therefore, school will not be cancelled unless a significant safety risk has been created by unusual circumstances and the district/building administrators decide it is necessary.

Every practical means is used to notify parents of a cancellation, including radio, TV and newspapers. During the winter months, a Family Emergency Communications Bulletin is sent home with our students. It lists the radio stations and T.V. stations which carry emergency broadcasting information, and also refers to limited bus transportation information.

In the unusual circumstance where school must be cancelled during the school day, staff will determine that all students have satisfactory transportation and supervision at their home before releasing them from school.

Change of Address/Telephone

It is very important that every student maintains an up-to-date address, telephone number, and emergency contact record at the school office. Please notify the school immediately if you have a change of any of this important information during the school year.

Child Care: Martha & Mary Children’s Services

Martha and Mary Children’s Services is a quality before & after school child care program. This is a great way for your child to build new friendships as well as enjoy new experiences. If you are interested in more information, call 394-4089 or 394-6732.

Classroom Placement

In an effort to assure a fair and consistent district-wide placement procedure, the following process has been adopted.

The teaching staff will provide the building principal with the necessary information concerning all students considered for placement in next year’s classrooms. Parents may provide additional information to assist the staff in meeting the needs of their child. Requests will be submitted to the building principals in writing on the form provided. Requests will be stated in terms of child needs rather than teacher name. Since it is not possible to fairly address all specific teacher requests due to the volume of students, as well as teacher mobility, requesting a particular teacher is not permitted. The actual placement of students within the classroom will be done by the principal.

A lot of time and effort is put into this process to provide a situation in which each child will learn best, as well as provide representative heterogeneous classes of equal size. Gordon has a very strong staff that does an excellent job of educating your children with your cooperation and support. With the exception of a very small percentage of children with special needs, the majority are well equipped to adjust to any classroom placement.

Conferences

Parent-teacher conferences occur in the last part of October for all students. Spring conferences are held in late March as requested by the parent and/or teacher. For families with more than one child in our school, arrangements are made for the conferences to be coordinated all in one day and in continuous order. These conference times are very valuable to the overall educational program.

It is not necessary to wait for the regular conference time if a parent has a special concern. Parent conferences are encouraged and can be arranged at any time during the school year.

Counselor

Gordon offers a full time K-8 counseling program. It is the goal of the program to help every child be successful, and to assist each student to become the person they want to be.

Approximately 50% of counseling time is spent in preventative activities in the classrooms. These include teaching the "Second Step" curriculum, a violence prevention program that includes empathy training, impulse control, and anger management and Steps to Respect, an anti-bullying curriculum. Another preventative activity supported by the counselor is class meetings. In these meetings, students are taught to solve problems that are of concern to them. These usually include such topics as name calling, fighting, hurt feelings, or how to share playground equipment more fairly. Presentations to classes also may be made on special topics as the need arises.

The counselor also provides small group meetings for students who may share similar concerns, such as a divorce in the family, difficulty making friends, or needing to learn the skills of anger management.

If parents or guardians notice changes in your child such as a drop in school performance, change of friends, change in sleeping habits, more time spent alone, or changes that may indicate something is concerning him or her, please let our counselor know. In addition to providing support services, the counselor may assist in referring families to community agencies for longer-term services.

Special projects, such as training students for job responsibilities or monitoring behavior plans, are also coordinated through the counseling office.

Daily Schedule:

Kindergarten           10:25-10:45

1st Grade & OPTIONS Recess         10:25 – 10:45

3rd & 4th Grades                       11:40– 12:00                12:00 - 12:20

K, 1st & 2nd  Grades                   12:05 – 12:25               12:25 – 12:45

 5th Grade & OPTIONS             12:30 – 12:50               12:50 – 1:10

3rd/4th Multi-age, 4th,  5th  Grade Recess          2:10-2:30

1st/2nd Multi-age 2nd & 3rd Grade Recess           2:30-2:50

Kindergarten Schedule AM Session 9:15 – 11:55

Lunch 11:55 – 1:05

PM Session 1:05 – 3:45

Office Hours: 8:00 A.M. - 4:00 P.M. School Hours 9:15 A.M. - 3:45 P.M.

Teachers have the authority and responsibility to maintain order in the classroom. Students, teachers and administrators will work together to solve issues as they arise. Our staff and parents have been and are in the process of being trained in a philosophy called Love and Logic, founded by Jim Fay. The following agreement will be the basis for working through an issue and handing it back to the student to problem solve.

♥ I will treat you with respect, so you know how to treat me.

♥ Feel free to do anything that doesn’t cause a problem for anyone else.

♥ If you cause a problem, I will ask you to solve it.

♥ If you can’t solve the problem, or choose not to, I will do something.

♥ What I do will depend on the special person, and the special situation.

♥ If you feel something is unfair, whisper to me, “I’m not sure that’s fair” and we will talk.

Each student is a unique individual with unique personal, social, and educational needs. As a result, every disciplinary situation becomes unique in nature. Consequences for misbehavior provide the best learning value when matched to the unique student and the unique situation. The odds for children learning from their mistakes increase dramatically when children see a reasonable connection between their behavior and the resulting consequences.

The North Kitsap School Board acknowledges that student conduct and behavior are closely associated with learning; an effective instructional program requires a wholesome and orderly school environment. The board requires that each student adheres to the rules of conduct and submits to corrective action taken as a result of conduct violations. The rules of conduct are applicable during the school day as well as during any school activity conducted on or off campus. Special rules are also applicable while riding on a school bus. Please refer to Students Rights & Responsibilities Brochure mailed to each family at the beginning of the school year for more information regarding any of the following:

Students are expected to:

Conform to reasonable standards of socially acceptable behavior;

1. Respect the rights, person and property of others;

2. Preserve the degree of order necessary for a positive climate for learning; and

3. Submit to the authority of staff and respond accordingly.

All students shall submit to the rules of the district. Refusal to comply with written rules and regulations established for the governing of the school shall constitute sufficient cause for discipline, suspension or expulsion.

For the purposes of the district's policies, the following definitions shall be applied:

1. "Discipline" shall mean all forms of corrective action or punishment other than suspension and expulsion.

2. "Suspension" shall mean a denial of attendance for any portion of a calendar day up to and including ten consecutive days.

3. "Expulsion" shall mean the denial of attendance for an indefinite period of time.

The nature and circumstances of a student conduct violation must be considered and must reasonably warrant the imposition of a short or long-term suspension and length of the suspension imposed.

For short- term suspensions, no student in grades Kindergarten through fourth shall be subject to short-term suspensions for more than a total of five school days during any single semester. For grades five and above, no student shall be subject to short-term suspensions for more than a total of 15 school days during any single semester.

For a long-term suspension, no student in grades Kindergarten through fourth shall be subject to long-term suspensions for more than a total of ten school days during any single semester. In grades five and above, no student shall be subject to a long-term suspension, which causes the student to lose academic grades.

The following types of misconduct are exceptional:

1. Assault or intentional behavior threatening or causing serious bodily harm

2. False Alarm

3. Malicious harassment

4. Possession and/or use of dangerous weapon

5. Possession, distribution, and/or use of any prohibited substance

6. Possession or use of any incendiary device

7. Possession or Use of a Laser Pointer

8. Extortion

9. Vandalism

10. Forgery

11. Theft

12. Cyberspace Bullying

Appeal Process:Principal - Superintendent - Board of Directors The appeal process must follow the sequence listed below:

A. Informal conference with principal.

B. After principal conference and within three school business days, parent and student may present grievance to superintendent or his/her designee.

C. If an appeal is received by the School board, following the appropriate procedure, the Board shall schedule and hold a meeting to review the matter within ten school business days after receipt of the appeal notice.

Students’ appearance should be neat and clean. Dress and appearance, which cause disruption of the educational process, or present health or safety problems, shall not be permitted. Otherwise, dress and appearance are the responsibility of the parents. SBP 3224

The following specific rules of student dress will apply:

1. Hats may be worn to school, in the classroom (at teachers discretion) and in the lunchroom, but may not be worn in other areas of the  building. Because of health concerns, including head lice and other infections, the wearing or trading of hats or other headgear is not permitted. Exception to this rule might include: organized performances, special school events, athletic activities and medical needs.

2. Safe footwear is required on school grounds and in school buildings. Flip-flops or other loosely fitting footwear may not be worn. Sandals are permitted if there is a heel strap to secure the shoe to the foot. Skate (Wheelie) Shoes are not to be worn unless the wheels are taken out prior to arriving at school.

3. Halter tops, spaghetti-strap tops, tank tops, midriff shirts, bathing suits, shorts (shorter then fingertips),  or other revealing attire are considered disruptive to the educational process, and therefore are not permitted.

4 Clothes, book bags, or other personal property with inappropriate slogans, logos or advertising are not permitted.

Electronic Equipment/Devices

Cell phones and other communication devices may not be used if use is in violation of classroom procedures or causes a disruption to the learning environment. Other electronic devices such I Pods, CD players, etc. may be brought to school with the explicit permission of the classroom teacher for a specific educational reason. Such devices when brought to school must remain in the classroom. The school is not responsible for any stolen, lost or damaged equipment.

Parents are responsible for the care of their children if the children become ill or injured at school. School personnel need to have immediate access to a parent or other adult who will assume responsibility in case of an emergency.

At the beginning of the school year, parents/guardians will be asked to complete emergency information forms giving telephone numbers and addresses where they can be reached. Parents/guardians also need to provide alternative contact names and phone numbers in case the parents/guardians cannot be reached.

Emergency Information

In case of an emergency, each student is required to have on file at the school office the following information:

1. Parent(s) or guardians name(s).

2. Complete and up-to-date mailing and street address.

3. Home phone, parent(s) work phone, cell phone and e-mail address

4. Two emergency phone numbers of friends, neighbors or relatives

5. Physician's name, phone number & medical alert information

These are difficult, often scary times for many of us. With so much uncertainty in the world, we want to let you know about the many steps that we have already taken to be sure your child is safe at school. We have a carefully considered emergency plan that anticipates a variety of potential problems such as fire, weather-related emergencies (earthquakes, blizzards etc), intruders or chemical hazards. Members of our staff have had emergency management training and we work closely with police, fire and other groups that are planning our community’s responses to potential threats.

Our emergency plan was made jointly with all other school district and emergency preparedness plans. Plus, our emergency plan is regularly reviewed and updated. Students have frequent practice drills for a variety of emergency situations. The actions we will take during any type of emergency situation depend a great deal on the specific incident. For example, we might choose to evacuate, lock down, or initiate a shelter-in-place response, according to the nature of the threat. Our main objective is the protection of the students and staff members. The ability to remain flexible is a key component of our school’s plan and of district-wide plans.

If there is an emergency involving our school, there are a number of ways for you to receive accurate information.

SCHOOL EMERGENCY CONTACT INFORMATION

School Office Telephone Number: 394-6700

NK School District Information Line: 779-3971

Field trips within our community and to nearby points of interest are scheduled by various classroom teachers throughout the school year. These trips are designed to supplement different aspects of the classroom curriculum and to introduce students to the resources of the community. Parents will receive notices of field trips well in advance of the scheduled trip date and will be asked to sign field trip permission forms. Sometimes a small amount of money may be requested from each student to help defray transportation or facility use costs. If your child would benefit from a financial scholarship, please contact the classroom teacher or our counselors, Ms. Tahnee Bollert or Rick Goudzwaard at 394-6717.

Free and reduced price lunches/breakfasts are available from the Federal government for those who meet certain requirements. Forms are sent home to all families once a year and are also available in the school office at any time. Forms need to be filled out each September for eligibility regarding returning students. Others can be filled out any time.

Get Current Information by Email:

The North Kitsap School District has an email communication capability that is available to all staff, parents and community members. Anyone can register to receive emergency and general information email messages from the district, as well as any individual school.

Subscribing to the EMERGENCY list provides prompt, accurate information via e-mail of events such as severe weather, power outages, school closures, school incidents, etc.

The GENERAL information list provides up-to-date information about current events such as construction, community meetings, curriculum, scheduling changes and special programs. Registering is a very simple process. Go to this website: www.nkschools.org/listfront

AS OF THIS YEAR EACH TEACHER WILL HAVE THEIR OWN WEBPAGES FOR UP TO DATE COMMUNICATION.

Consistent with efforts to establish a learning and workplace environment, in which the dignity and worth of all individuals are respected, it is the policy of the Board of Directors that harassment is unacceptable conduct and will not be tolerated. Harassment is any behavior or environmental factor that offends a person, by referring negatively or stereotypically to one’s age, race, gender, color, creed, national origin, sexual orientation, religion, marital status, handicapping condition or status with regard to public assistance. Harassment can occur adult to student, student to adult, student to student, adult to adult, male to female, female to male, male to male, and female to female.

Harassment is almost always a stressful experience for the victim. It violates personal rights, and it can have severe physical, emotional, and psychological impacts on the individual. Harassment is a matter of perception. An act that may not have been intended as harassment may actually constitute harassment in the eyes of the victim.

Harassment includes:

A. Hostile Environment: Hostile environment includes conduct that has the purpose or effect of::

1. substantially interfering with an individual’s educational or work performance, or

2. creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive educational or work environment

B. Sexual Harassment: Sexual harassment is a form of sex discrimination and occurs when a person is subjected to unwelcome behavior, language, or an environment that is sexual in nature. Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors unnecessary physical contact or explicit comments change a workplace, educational, or peer relationship into that of harasser-victim. This conduct is inappropriate, harmful, and against the law.

C. Malicious Harassment: Malicious harassment includes malicious and intentional conduct based on a person’s perception of another’s age, race, gender, color, creed, national origin, sexual orientation, religion, marital status, handicapping condition or status with regard to public assistance that:

1. causes physical injury, or

2. causes physical damage to or destruction of property, or

3. threatens a person or group of persons or places the person(s) in reasonable fear of harm.

Words alone do not constitute malicious harassment unless the context surrounding the words indicates that the words are a threat.

All employees, volunteers, and students of the district are covered by this policy. Also, contractors employed by the district and anyone using the school grounds or involved in a school-sponsored activity are subject to this policy.

All district employees have an obligation to ensure that harassment does not occur. Engaging in harassment will result in appropriate discipline or other appropriate sanctions. Anyone who engages in harassment on school property or at school activities will have their access to school property and activities restricted, as appropriate.

District administrators who have knowledge of possible situations of harassment shall take immediate steps to investigate the conduct and take appropriate action to remedy the situation. Allegations of criminal misconduct will be reported to law enforcement and suspected child abuse will be reported to law enforcement or Child Protective Services.

Employees who witness or have knowledge of possible situations of harassment involving others shall immediately refer such information to their supervisor, another district official, or the Title IX Officer for appropriate action.

Employees, volunteers or students who believe that they have been harassed are encouraged to use the district’s harassment procedure. Persons found to have been subjected to harassment will have appropriate school district services made reasonably available to them and adverse consequences of the harassment shall be reviewed and remedied, as appropriate.

Reprisal, retaliation, or false accusations against anyone reporting or thought to have reported harassment is prohibited and will be treated as a serious violation of policy, regardless of whether any discrimination or harassment is substantiated. False accusations are prohibited and will be treated as a serious violation of this policy.

We recognize that student achievement and work habits may be enhanced when a reasonable amount of purposeful homework is regularly assigned. Taking current homework research into consideration, and recognizing that students are in school and working hard for six and a half hours a day, the staff at Gordon Elementary has developed the Homework Policy listed below.

Kindergarten * 15/20 minutes of reading daily, either reading themselves, or being read to.

First Grade * 15/20 minutes of reading daily, either reading themselves, or being read to

Second Grade * 20 minutes of reading daily, either reading themselves, or being read to.

* One-two assignments per week (approximately 15 minutes in duration).

* May have an occasional additional assignment.

Third Grade * 20 minutes of reading daily, either reading themselves, or being read to.

* One-two assignments per week (approximately 15 minutes in duration).

* May have an occasional additional assignment

Fourth Grade * 20 minutes of reading daily, either reading themselves, or being read to.

* Two-three assignments per week (approximately 15 minutes in duration).

* These assignments may be unfinished classwork, specific assignments

designed for homework, or special projects.

Fifth Grade * 20 minutes of reading daily.

* Three-four assignments per week (approximately 20 minutes in duration).

* These assignments may be unfinished classwork, specific assignments

designed for homework, or special projects.

* Homework & Vacation-Homework will not be provided for students who are absent due to being on vacation with their families.

Vacations scheduled during the students’ school year are considered unexcused absences.

Additional Suggestions Regarding Homework

Homework assigned to students is their responsibility. We ask that parents hold their children accountable for their schoolwork. If your

child is having difficulty with a concept; we hope parents will assist without doing the work for them. Also, after your student has done ,

their homework, check to see if it's done neatly a, , nd corr, , e, ctly. If you see them repeating a mistake o, ver and over again, help, ,, , with an

explanation and ask them to redo their work. If you see that a problem is persistent over time, contact their teacher.

Also, in order to create the best environment for your child to do their schoolwork, decide on an appropriate location.

1. Location should be a quiet spot free from distractions with good lighting,

2. Avoid areas near televisions, telephones, etc.

3. Be sure your child has the necessary materials to do their work, i.e., paper, pens/pencils, dictionary, etc.

4. Establish a routine time for them to do their homework. It doesn’t matter if this is before dinner or after.

5. The important aspect is establishing a routine so it will be remembered the next day.

6. Some find it beneficial to put the work directly into the backpack, and the back, pa, ck next to the door.

Just a reminder…Make homework completion a positive experience. When you let your child know how important homework is to you and that you care about his or her success in school, homework will become important to your child too.

* Provide support and praise for homework completion.

* Encourage your children to complete homework well enough that they have a sense of control over their own learning and levels of

competence.

* Maintain a positive and helpful attitude; avoid anger and criticism.

Illness or Injury

In case of illness or injury, a student will be cared for temporarily be a member of the school staff. School personnel will render first aid treatment only. If emergency medical treatment is necessary, the parents will be contacted. If parents are not available, the student will be taken to the emergency room at the hospital. Remember an emergency telephone number where parents can be reached and the name and telephone number of the student’s family doctor should be on file at the school.

If your child, prior to coming to school, is exhibiting behavior that appears to indicate that he/she may not be up to their normal energy level, or if they are obviously sick with a cough, cold, or fever, keeping your child at home may be the best choice. It’s a long school day filled with lots of activities, and it’s hard to keep up when you are not feeling well. We don’t want to expose other children to illnesses if it can be avoided. Please keep your child at home until you are sure they , can keep up with the pace of a busy day at school, including P.E. activities and outdoor recesses.

Immunizations

State Law requires that every student who is admitted to public school must have evidence of vaccination for Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertussis, Polio, Measles, Mumps, Rubella, Hepatitis B, and Varicella (Chicken Pox).

Lunch Money

Medications

Health consultants care for students during school days. Three school health consultants provide the health services for North Kitsap School District. The nurses work with students, parents and school staff to help resolve student health problems and to plan care in case of emergencies.

Whenever possible, it is recommended that medication be given at home, before or after the school day. The term “medication” refers to prescription, as well as over-the-counter, medications. If medications must be administered at school, the following policy shall apply:

Physicians Requests for Medication at School and Parents Request of Medication at School Form 3416-F1 (available online at the district website) or facsimile shall be completed before medication is administered by designated school staff or, in pre-arranged situations, self-administered by the students. The form can be obtained from your school s, ecretary or the distric, t's School Health Consultant office at 779-8765. Medications shall be furnished in the original container, which shall contain only the required number of doses or no more than one-month supply. A student’s medication must be brought to school by the parent or other responsible adult.

In order to protect both the student and the school, the following requirements must be met for all prescription or over the counter medications brought to school:

1. No medication will be given at school until a physician/dentist form called AUTHORIZATION FOR ADMINISTRATION OF ORAL MEDICATION AT SCHOOL has been signed and completed by parents and physician/dentist.

2 . The forms will be referred to the health consultant who may review the request with the physician/dentist prescribing the medicine.

3 . The principal from each school will designate which secretary/ secretaries will dispense the medications.

4 . The health consultant will inform the designated secretary/secretaries regarding medication use and its side effects and the safe

keeping of medication.

5 . The parent will bring to school the completed form and the medication in the original container that is well labeled and containing

only the required number of doses. The parent may want to obtain two bottles from the pharmacist when purchasing the medication.

6. The secretary will record the name, the date, the amount and the hour for each medication given on the medication record.

7. Upon completion of the medication schedule, or at the end of the school year, the permission form (101) and the medication record

(102) will be filed in the students health record.

8. Medication remaining at the end of the school year will be discarded unless the parent picks it up within five (5) days. Medication will not be sent home with the student.

9. Medications refer to prescription, as well as over-the-counter medications.

Parents, who send medications and notes to the teacher requesting that the school dispense pills, will be contacted. The principal, or designee, will make this contact and review the policy that NO MEDICATIONS will be given at school until Form 101 is completed and presented to the school.

The Gordon Flash will be distributed once a month. The Newsletter will feature timely information, and educational articles. Please read the information, as it is a good way to keep up with events and happenings at the school!

and Middle School age students. Following is the philosophy of the Options program:

* The Options Program recognizes and encourages the unique contribution each child can make in his/her classroom, school and community.

* Students, parents and teachers cooperate to create a flexible learning environment that allows students to learn at varying rates in a variety of styles.

* The program emphasizes experiential learning, decision-making skills, and life-long learning attitudes.

* Parent participation is essential to the Options Elementary Program. Parents volunteer a minimum of 8-10 hours per month helping in a variety of ways including assisting in classroom instruction, grading papers, helping prepare instructional materials and going on field trips.

Middle School Options (6^TH/7^TH/8^TH Options)

In keeping with the Options tradition and philosophy, the goal of this classroom is to encourage independent and self-motivated learners within a dynamic family- and community-oriented environment.

The 6^th/7^th/8^th grade multi-age classroom also incorporates looping. This means that students entering the 6th grade stay with the same teacher for their 7^th & 8^th grade years.

The 6th/7^th/8th-grade program offers a refreshing alternative to the traditional Middle School model. If you are interested in pursuing this as an alternative for your student, call Claudia Alves, Principal at 394-6700, for further information.

Officers of the Options program for the 2012/13 school year at Gordon are:

Co-Chair persons :             Mark Andersen & Christa Webb

Classroom Liaisons – 2/3

Classroom Liaisons-4/5/6         

All Parents picking their child (ren) up at school during school hours must report to the office, sign out their child (ren) and the office personnel will contact the classroom to have the child (ren) sent to the office for dismissal.After 3:00 pm we will no longer be calling students  to the office and disrupting teaching time. If you know your child(ren) needs to be released early, please send a note to your child's teacher.  Safety first!

Parents/Guardians Picking Students Up After School

All students are to be picked up at the end of the day by their parents walking to the front of the school to get them or by picking them up in our traffic circle. Our safety patrol will help with this process. NO children are to be picked up in any other areas. For students who have written notes that they will be picked up at the end of the day, we will have 3 pickup areas.The 3 areas in the front of the school will be alphabetic areas, which you will see diagramed below. Your student/s will wait in the designated area according to last name.

Your family will need to figure out where you want your child to meet you if any of the following pertain to you:

1. You have children in OPTIONS as well as the regular Gordon program

2. You have children in your family with different last names

3. You are part of a carpool and have children from several different families

Please tell your child where you will be picking them up. Each of the four areas will be marked and will be manned with a safety patrol student. The safety patrol student will assist your child into your car and help keep things moving. It is our hope that this procedure will help with the traffic congestion at the end of the day.

Our goal is to make sure that our students are safe getting to and from school as well as during the day. We need your help!

· Please DO NOT park in the circular driveway before 9:15 and after 2:45. The cones are there as a reminder. Please do not park in

between them or drive through them.

· Please respect that the handicapped spaces are NOT to be used for general parking. Also, please do not block these spaces when waiting

in line to pick up your children. We have people that need and use them.

· We have many more walkers now than we did when Gordon opened. The students and families who walk need a clear and safe path from Barber Cut-Off to the school. Please note the new sidewalk funded by our PTA and others.

· Please do not drive or park on the undeveloped field. We use it for PE activities as well as evacuations.

· Please do not pull into the custodial/garbage/kitchen area to park

The North Kitsap School District applies pesticides (herbicides, fungicides, insecticides) as needed throughout the year by district employees and licensed contractors. District employees responsible for applying pesticides are required to attend annual pesticide application training.

The District shall comply with all legal requirements for record keeping regarding the application of pesticides to school grounds or school facilities. This includes creation of an annual summary report of pesticide usage and compliance with state department of agriculture rules regarding record keeping. Such records will be available on request by interested persons under the state Public Records Act and other laws.

Procedure 6895 shall be printed and distributed annually in employee handbooks and student handbooks to employees, students and parents at the start of the school year or when an employee begins work or a student enrolls.

At least 48 hours before the application of a pesticide to school facilities or school grounds, the District shall notify parents and staff of the planned application in writing, including the heading, "Notice: Pesticide Application." This notice shall be posted in a prominent place in the building office in addition to being provided to parents and staff. This pre-notification is not required if the school grounds or facilities will not be occupied by students for two days following the application of the pesticide. If the application is not made within 48 hours of the notification, another notification shall be made prior to the application. This pre-notification is not required in the case of any emergency application of pesticides to a school facility, such as an application to control stinging pests, but full notification shall be made as soon as possible after the application.

Following the application of a pesticide to school facilities (structures and vehicles) a sign shall be posted at the location of the application. The notice shall be at least 8.5 x 11 inches in size, shall include the heading, "Notice: Pesticide Application," and shall state the product name; date, time and specific location of the application; the pest for which the application was made; and a contact name and telephone number. The notice shall remain posted for 24 hours, or longer if required by the label of the pesticide.

Following the application of a pesticide to school grounds notice shall be posted at the location of the application and at each primary point of entry to the grounds. The notice shall be at lest 4 x 5 inches in size and state that the landscape recently has been treated with a pesticide and provide a contact name and telephone number. The notice shall remain posted for 24 hours, or longer if required by the label of the pesticide.

The same general rules for behavior apply on the playground as in the classroom. In addition:

1. Use playground equipment for its intended purpose only during recess or supervised break times.

2. Follow approved rules for games.

3. Play in assigned areas, which are visible to teachers and/or playground aides.

4. Play in a manner that does not interfere with the safety or the activities of other students.

5. Line up when the whistle is blown and respond promptly to the requests of the teacher or the person on duty.

6. Be courteous and show good sportsmanship.

We also will be using the following Levels of Behavior to help students learn social skills and responsibility for their choices!

Unacceptable (Level 1)

· Not following direction

· Not participating

· Arguing

· Hitting or pushing

· Out of control

Acceptable (Level 2)

· Following directions

· Participating

· Taking care of equipment

· Respectful of others

· Under control

Outstanding (Level 3)

· Being self-responsible

· Cooperating with others

· Returning equipment

· Helping others

The PTA at Richard Gordon Elementary welcomes you to the school year!

Our top priority is to help more parents get involved in our school because it benefits our kids. When parents are involved, our kids perform better in school. In addition, the PTA benefits the entire school – teachers, school personnel, parents and students – by funding and conducting special events throughout the year.

As a member of Gordon’s PTA, you will be connected with what’s happening at school and will get to meet and work with other parents, with teachers and with other critical school personnel. You’ll be able to take advantage of the wealth of information the PTA provides on everything from parenting tips to state legislation that affects Washington state families. You’ll also have the opportunity to influence what happens at Gordon Elementary by voicing your opinions and ideas at member meetings and voting to decide what PTA events and projects we will fund here at our school.

We encourage you to join us and attend our meetings the Third Thursday of every month at 6:30 in the library. If you are unable to attend these meetings, we will keep you updated via e-mail on our various projects and on the opportunities that are available for alternate participation. We have several committees that address different aspects of the PTA’s role at Gordon, plenty of possibilities for those wishing to contribute around their own schedules. We look forward to working with you, please come to a meeting and let us know what you are interested in seeing move forward.

E-mail address – www.ptsite.org/gordon

PTA Officers for the 2012-2013 school year are:

Report Cards are issued three times a year following the completion of each 12-week grading period for elementary students The Middle School Options program issues report cards quarterly. Please carefully review your child's progress and contact the school if you have questions regarding grades or comments on the report card.

The Resource Room is provided for children who qualify for Special Education support. Certified special education teachers staff these classes with the assistance of educational paraprofessionals. Either the teacher or the parent(s) may refer students for testing for this program. Children receiving Resource Room support have Individual Education Plans (I.E.P.'s) which outlines the best program for the student. Students are assigned to regular classrooms where they may receive support or go to the Resource Room.

On the advice of our insurance agent, there will be no scooters, skateboards, rollerblades/skates or heelies on district property (including school buses) because of injury or theft. Therefore, students are not to ride or bring these items to school.

Prompt arrival at school is expected of all students. Late arrival disrupts class and causes loss of instructional time. Any student who arrives at school after 9:15 is considered tardy. Also, if any student leaves school after 2:15 p.m. and before dismissal is considered tardy.

Personal belongings, toys, etc. should not be brought to school unless otherwise specified by the teacher. Bringing items to school for sharing day is okay, but items should not be taken out to the playground. The school administration and staff cannot be responsible for valuables students bring to school. It is recommended that students leave all valuables at home.

Volunteers

One of our main goals is to create and encourage a warm, nurturing and student centered school environment where parents are always welcome. All parents and community members are welcome to volunteer. Please look for a volunteer form to come home. We look forward to seeing you as a Gordon Volunteer Please let us know how you would like to help! Some suggestions would be:

· In the classroom working with children • Project Linus

· Helping with special projects • Walking Club

· Taking things home to work on • Mentoring

· Field trips • After School Clubs

· In the library • All School Auction

· Joining PTA

These are just a few of the possibilities!.

When you do volunteer at the school, things that you may see or hear are confidential regarding student behavior, academic progress etc. and shouldn’t be discussed with the teacher, other parents or students. This keeps everyone’s dignity intact and respects his or her right to privacy. Thank you!

The school board of the North Kitsap School District has passed a policy (#3246) in accordance with state laws which has significant implications for all students. The School Board has declared its intent not to tolerate the possession of any weapon by students on district property.

Students who possess, carry, exhibit or displays any weapon capable of producing bodily harm, or intimidating others, are subject to discipline, up to and including expulsion.

“Possession” includes, but is not limited to, having a weapon on district property or at a district-sponsored event located: (a) in a space assigned to a student such as a locker or desk; (b) on the student’s person or property, such as on the student’s body, in his/her clothing, purse, backpack, gym bag or vehicle; or (c) under the student’s control or accessible/available, such as hidden by the student.

A dangerous weapon under a student’s control, accessible or available, or hidden by a student, is also considered as being in possession (of that weapon), and the student is subject to emergency expulsion. A student expelled for a firearm violation is also expelled from all public schools in the State of Washington. Students shall also be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including expulsion, for carrying pocketknives.

General Notice Regarding Section 5604