ST. BRENDAN PARISH
SCHOOL HANDBOOK REVISIONS FOR 2008-2009
The staff and I welcome you and your
children to St. Brendan Parish School.
We are glad that you have chosen our school for your child. We use the school handbook as a means of
communicating the school’s policies, procedures, and regulations. Please read and keep the handbook readily
available throughout the year. The
handbook and revisions are posted on our school website at www.saintbrendan.org.
It is our goal to provide your children with
the very best Catholic education. Parents are encouraged to volunteer in the
school as well as attend School Commission, PTO, Development, or Technology
Meetings. These meetings are opened to all parents; the dates and times are
listed in the school bulletin and calendar. Parents are asked to advise the
commission or committee chair prior to the meeting to add an agenda item. Some
commissions or committees may have as part of their regular meeting an
Executive Session. That session is open to commission or board members only.
Parents are urged to bring their questions and
concerns regarding school incidents into proper focus by modeling Christian
values. Besides acting in a respectful and confidential manner, parents are
asked to:
o
Listen
to what their child has to say and remember there are at least two sides to the
story. Be open to hear other sides of the incident.
o
Discuss
the situation honestly, respectfully, privately, and calmly with the teacher
and child, first whenever possible.
o
Confer
with me when the situation requires more extensive decision making or
clarification.
You will be given prompt notification when
changes are made to this school handbook.
We will not issue a completely new handbook this year. Below are the
revisions (in bold) to the School Handbook for 2008-2009. Thank you, Mrs. Lunn
Tuition Rates
1. Tuition
is collected August through May
(fees are paid up front in August). Parents
may pay tuition and fees over 10 or 11 months (August through June) by giving
written notice to the school by September 5th.
2. Active/Contributing
Parishioner (In-Parish Rate) - The Active/Contributing Parishioner tuition
rate for 2008-2009 is as follows:
One child $3,930.00 per year
Two children $6,065.00 per year
Three or more children $8,050.00 per year
3. Non-Parishioner
$6,250.00 per student per year
4. Other
Fees
Books/Materials fees $200 per student
Science Lab Fees (5th - 8th
grade students) $15
per student
Technology Fee $25 per student
Parent Commitments:
The school will advise parents in December/January and May/June of their
status with their obligations to the school. Compliance with the parent
commitments is used to qualify families for the in-parish (active/contributing)
tuition rate. The parent commitments are:
˙
Have on file a
stewardship card with St. Brendan Parish (or a subsidizing parish), support the
parish by being an active participating Catholic, and fulfill the stewardship
pledge as agreed.
˙
Keep tuition payments
and fees paid current, complete a background check, and support financially the
˙
Complete, sign, and
fulfill the fundraising plan in the PTO Agreement.
˙
Fulfill and properly
record volunteer hours: 45 hours for a two-parent family and 30 hours for a
single-parent family (hours run from May to April).
Parents paying non-parishioner or out-of-parish tuition
rate are obligated to keep tuition
payments and fees current, complete a background check, support financially the
Annual School Appeal, fulfill the fundraising obligations in the PTO Agreement,
and fulfill and properly record the volunteer hours as described above.
Animals on campus
No
animals are allowed at any time on school property including during the
school day or at carpool. If a child wants to bring a pet to show and tell, the
teacher will put a notice in his/her weekly newsletter ahead of time asking if
anyone has allergies and also advise the principal. If there are allergies in
the class, then no pets are allowed.
Attendance
Tardy Delete: Any student with a total of five or
more tardies in any one trimester requires a conference with parent(s),
student, and principal.
Any student with more than five tardy arrivals and/or five
late pick-ups in one trimester will be required to attend an after-school
detention. It is important students are on time for morning instruction, and
the school does not have facilities for after-school child care. Students are
tardy if they are not in their classroom at 8:30 AM and are considered late
pick-ups after 11:45 for half-day Kindergarten students and 3:30 PM (or 12:30
on noon-dismissal days) for all other students.
Business Marketing Policy: Auction:
St. Brendan Parish School Auction Committee offers two advertising
options for any business wanting to market its products or services to our
community. The first option is to place
a print advertisement in our catalog.
The second option is to sponsor a silent closing, check-in table, or
other event during or related to the auction (i.e. Bingo Night). Both options are available to all school
family-run businesses and individual agents, as well as the general business
community.
Businesses and individual agents sponsoring an auction event may have
business cards and/or marketing brochures available to attendees to pick up if
interested in the company’s products or services. Each business may supply one
poster board per sponsorship and/or advertise the business as part of an
Auction Newsletter. This marketing opportunity will be limited to print
information only. No microphone
presentations, sales demos or mailing solicitations will be allowed. All print information will be provided by the
sponsoring business. Pricing will be set each auction year.
Other: No other marketing from outside
businesses, school family-run businesses, or individual agents will be allowed
at school sponsored events, posted in the school building, placed as a separate
flyer in any school literature (i.e. bulletins or brochures), or advertised on
the school’s Web site. School family phone numbers, addresses, and email
information lists are to be used for school purposes only and may not be used
or distributed for any purpose unrelated to school or for solicitation for
profit. In the event sponsorship of another
Policy adopted November 29, 2007 by School Commission.
Carpool
Morning Drop-Off:
All students will be dropped off using the carpool lanes between 8:10
and 8:25 AM. Teacher supervision will begin at 8:10 AM, and students may not be
left at school before then.
Morning Kindergarten Pick-Up-11:30 AM: Morning-only kindergarten students will be
picked up at the church parking lot at 11:30 AM. Parents will park their car on
the church side of the parking lot (park facing the church) and walk over to
the teacher to pick up their child. Students will not be allowed to play or run
around on the church grounds or in the parking lot while waiting to be picked
up.
Afternoon Pick-Up:
School will be dismissed at 3:00 PM, and parents can begin to line up in
the carpool lanes at 2:15 PM (after afternoon recess). Afternoon dismissal
proceeds smoothly when parents stagger their pick up times. Parents need to
pull up to the next car in line to provide as much room as possible for more
cars. The Bothell Police Department has advised us parents may not stop out in
the street waiting to get into the carpool lanes. Parents may also not park on
the school side of 195th or on any side-residential streets during pick-up or
drop-off. Teachers will supervise students until 3:15 or when all cars have
proceeded through the lanes. Students not picked up by 3:15 will be brought to
the school office
Afternoon Kindergarten Pick-Up-3:00 PM: All-day kindergarten students (and those
students who carpool with them) will be picked up in the church parking lot.
Parents will park their car on the church side of the parking lot and walk over
to the teacher to collect their children. Students will not be allowed to play
or run around on the church grounds or in the parking lot while waiting to be
picked up. Parents will always be attentive to the safety of the children in
the area.
Noon Dismissal Pick-Up:
On noon-dismissal days, students will be dismissed in the same manner as
a 3:00 PM dismissal. Parents will check the school calendars and weekly
bulletins to be aware of the noon dismissal dates.
For any day and especially noon dismissals: Students
walking to neighboring eating establishments, the library, a friend’s house, or
another designation must have a signed permission note from their
parent/guardian (phone calls are not acceptable). Students may not change from their uniform at
school unless for sport practices.
Late Pick-Up:
Students not picked up at carpool by 3:15 (or 12:15 on noon dismissal
days) will be brought to the school office. Late-arriving parents must come in
to the school office and sign out their child. Students are considered ‘late
pick-ups’ when signed out by parents after 3:30 PM or 12:30 PM (on noon
dismissal days). Any student with more than five late pick-ups (and/or five
tardies) in one trimester will be required to attend an after-school detention
Church Parking
School Parents may use the church parking lot when attending Daily Mass, picking
up morning kindergarten students at 11:30
(remainder of paragraph remains the same), picking up all-day Kindergarten and
carpool students at 3:00 or (12:00 on noon dismissal days), volunteering at the
school, with permission from the principal, and families who purchased the reserved spaces at the auction.
Full-Day Kindergarten Program
Parents have the option of changing their Kindergarten
student from full-day to half-day or half-day to full-day with the following
conditions:
a)
Discuss the option
with the Kindergarten teacher before any change is made.
b)
Complete the change
before the end of the first trimester.
c)
Give written notice to
the Kindergarten teacher of the change.
d)
Pay the pro-rated
full-day Kindergarten fee or be refunded a pro-rated amount.
Parent-Student-Teacher Annual Conferences
Parent-student-teacher
conferences will be held for all students after the first Mid Trimester Report
period. Students and parents are
required to attend the October/November conference. Parents will have the
opportunity to sign up for the Oct/Nov conference at Curriculum Night in
September.
Recess Toys
Only First and Second graders may bring one
small item from home to play with and share at lunch recess. The item will stay
in the child’s backpack until lunch recess. If there are any difficulties, the
teachers will ask all students not to bring any items from home.
No students may bring any electronic devices
or expensive items to school.
The school is not responsible for any items
brought from home that are lost or damaged.
School/Office Hours/Students Before and After
School
Students
are not permitted on school grounds until 8:10
AM. Any student on the school grounds before 8:10 AM will be sent to the office to call his/her parent to
advise the parent supervision of carpool area begins at 8:10 AM. From 8:10
to 8:25, students gather in their designated grade locations under the awnings.
Kindergarten is in session from 8:25 - 11:30
or 8:25 – 3:00 PM.
Student Behavior
Expectations and Consequences (Discipline Policy)
St.
Brendan Parish School strives to create a learning environment that fosters
Christian behavior among students, a respectful attitude toward other students, parents, and staff, and
respect for all property while:
(1)
on
school and parish property during
school or non-school hours,
(2)
outside of school or
parish property and/or during school or non-school hours,
(3)
being
transported to and from school and parish
sponsored activities, and
(4)
attending
school and parish sponsored events
away from school property.
If a
student chooses to disregard his/her responsibilities during school hours or non-school hours, corrective measures will
be taken.
Examples
of behaviors:
Student Behavior
Expectations -This list is not inclusive of all student behavior expectations.
Students:
1. Act respectfully
toward all other students, school and parish staff, parents, guests, and
volunteers at all times on school and parish property and especially at church.
2. Participate fully at
school liturgies by singing, praying, and modeling appropriate behavior to
younger students.
3. May not borrow
sweatshirts for church attendance.
4. Remain standing in
assigned areas during carpool. Students act responsibly and watch for carpool
car. Students walk to their car and enter on the right side only. There is no
game playing or running around during carpool.
5. Do not change uniforms
after school unless for sport practice or games.
6. Walk quietly in
a single line on the right side of the halls and on the right side of the
stairs.
7. Do not disturb work
and displays in the hallways.
8. Line up in a single
line to the right side of the classroom door (as one faces the classroom door-
line up on the right side) when waiting for a class to be dismissed.
9. Enter the classroom
only if there is an adult or teacher present.
10.
Enter the classroom quietly, put things away, and begin
the day or class with prayer.
11.
Exit a classroom quietly and in a respectful manner to
incoming students.
12.
Raise their hand and when recognized by the teacher to be
called on to speak.
13.
Respect the property of other students, teachers, guest
speakers, parent volunteers, and school staff.
14.
Give their personal cell phones to their homeroom teacher
each morning. The phones are returned to the students at 2:55. Students may not
use their cell phone at any time during school including at carpool.
15.
Sit only in their assigned seats in classrooms, labs, and
for gym assemblies.
16.
Speak using inside voices when working or moving in the
hallways.
17.
Do not borrow any items from students or teachers without
permission.
18.
Ask permission to use the restroom. Give their bathroom
pass to the teacher and sign in and out on the form provided. Only one student
is allowed at a time for bathroom use. Students may not open windows or climb
on bathroom property and may not use bathrooms during class transitions or
going out to recess. All bathroom use must be signed in and out. Students may
not use any hair or make-up accessories or cell-phones in the bathrooms. Older
students are responsible to be good role models to younger students by acting
politely and appropriately in the restrooms.
19.
May not chew gum at any time on school or parish property.
Student is given detention.
20.
Say grace before eating lunch.
21.
Follow classroom procedures for milk and hot lunch
delivery. Unused milk is returned to the gym refrigerator as soon as possible.
Hot lunch corrections are returned to the gym kitchen by a student with teacher
permission.
22.
Eat lunch and snacks in the classroom and not in the hall,
library, computer lab, gym, or at recess or carpool (unless a specific event).
23.
Do not share lunch items and do not bring glass containers
to school.
24.
Dispose of all trash properly. Take home all uneaten food.
25.
Sign in and out from classroom for bathroom visits before
going out to recess.
26.
May not damage school or parish or other students’
property in any manner.
27.
Share birthday treats at lunch time only (not at recess or
end of day).
28.
Follow teacher and staff instructions at all times and in
emergency situations.
29.
Follow PE teacher’s instructions when changing for PE
class. PE clothes may not be borrowed from lost and found. Students change
quickly and wait for instructions from teacher.
Uniform-
Non-Uniform Days
All
shorts worn on non-uniform days must be uniform shorts. Boys
may wear shorts which extend below the knee (comparable to girls' capri). Boys’ shorts must button, snap or zip close.
End of Revisions to School Handbook for 08-09