Handbook
- Introduction
- Attendance and Reporting Absences
- Brunch and Lunch Program
- Behavior Expectations
- Classroom Behavior/Discipline
- Field Trips
- Dress Guidelines
- Emergencies
- Bicycles, Scooters, Skateboards, Rollerblades
Introduction
Eisenhower Beliefs
- In student-centered learning
- In a supportive, safe environment that values diversity
- In responsibility, respect, and integrity
- In a growth mindset
- And that learning requires a collaborative effort between students, staff, and parents
School Colors/Mascot - The Eisenhower colors are Blue and White. Our mascot is an Eagle.
Parent Teachers Association (PTA) - The PTA is a vital part of the culture and community building at Eisenhower. They support teaching and learning by providing funding for programs, materials, supplies, equipment, assemblies, and by coordinating volunteer support for these programs. PTA membership is open to all members of our school community. We encourage you to become part of PTA to assist Eisenhower in accomplishing its goals in educating your children. Contact PTA President, Heather Yocke at EisenhowerPTA.President@gmail.com with questions or concerns.
Attendance and Reporting Absences
Absences, Tardies, and Attendance:
Arrival Time: Playground supervision begins at 8:00 a.m. and students are not allowed on campus before then. Students are expected to be seated on their classroom lines by the time the second bell rings. Students arriving late to school will need to go to the office for a tardy slip.
How to Report Student Absences, Illness or Tardies
- To report a single day absence due to Illness, tardy, religious holiday, or doctor appointment, go to ParentSquare and complete the Absence/Tardy form located at the top of your ParentSquare newsfeed. Complete the form and then click Save to submit.
- This Report of Extended Absence form for Eisenhower Elementary must be completed by a parent or guardian for any FUTURE planned student absences. The school will work with parents to determine if the planned student absence is considered an excused or unexcused absence.
Please note:
- Office notification does not automatically make for an excused absence.
- If your child has a fever, diarrhea, or is vomiting, please keep your child at home. Students returning to school should be symptom free for 24 hrs without medication.
- If your child arrives after 8:15 a.m., they must report to the school office for a late slip before heading to their classroom.
- If your child has a doctor’s appointment during the school day, Please inform the teacher a day before and submit the doctor’s note verifying the appointment/absence.
- An absence for religious participation in religious exercises may be considered excused; please discuss options for such purposes with the school office. Per Education Code, an advanced written request must be submitted to the school office to receive a full day excused absence for participation in a religious exercise or holiday. Failure to provide the advance written request will result in your child receiving an unexcused absence.
First Day of School Absences:
Students are expected to be in attendance on the first day of school. If a student is absent on the first day of school, the parent/guardian must contact the school as soon as possible to report the reason for the absence. Extended family vacation/travel is considered an unexcused absence. Students who do not attend by the 11th day of school, without pre-approval due to extenuating circumstances, will need to re-enroll and the District cannot guarantee placement at the current school site.
Absences Due to Student Illness:
Absences due to illness, including a doctor's appointment during the school day, may be considered verified in the following ways:
- Physician's verification via note, email, or fax within 5 days of the absence 2. School Nurse/Principal's exchange with parent/guardian via a phone conversation, on site visit, email or written note
- Visit to the student's home by the Principal/School Nurse or any other investigative method which establishes the fact that the student was absent for the reasons stated
Students may not return for 24 hours after having a fever or vomiting. Students are encouraged to always bring a physician's note when possible if an appointment interferes with any part of a school day.
When a student has had seven absences or tardies (late arrival of 30 minutes or more) for illness, which were not verified in the ways listed above, further absences or tardies for illness may require verification by a physician or qualified medical personnel (see number 1). Failure to provide verification may result in unexcused subsequent absences.
Unexcused Absences/Truancy
Any student who is absent for three full school days in one year or tardy or absent for more than a 30-minute period during the school day without a valid excuse on three occasions in one school year, or any combination thereof, is a truant and shall be reported to the attendance supervisor or to the superintendent of the school district. (Education Code 48260). These students may be referred to, and required to attend a school attendance review board (SARB) program, a truancy mediation program established by the district attorney or the probation officer, or a comparable program deemed acceptable by the district’s attendance supervisor. (Education Code 48263, 28364.5).
Absences Due to Family Travel and Vacations:
The District does not support the practice of taking trips/vacations on school days and parents are urged to schedule their travel during school breaks.
Brunch and Lunch Program
Brunch is available to all students during morning recess. Hot lunches are available to all students at their designated lunch time. Due to Assembly Bill (AB) 130, California established a universal meals program. The program provides brunch and lunch at Eisenhower free of charge.
If you have further questions please contact Sophia Chen at (408)248-4313 x67132
Behavior Expectations
PBIS - Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports
Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports, or PBIS, “is a framework or approach for assisting school personnel in adopting and organizing evidence-based behavioral interventions into an integrated continuum that enhances academic and social behavior outcomes for all students. PBIS IS NOT a packaged curriculum, scripted intervention, or step-by-step strategy. PBIS is a prevention-oriented way for school personnel to (a) organize evidence-based practices, (b) improve their implementation of those practices, and (c) maximize academic and social behavior outcomes for students. PBIS supports the success of ALL students. “ (www.pbis.org)
The PBIS system and methods are grounded in research-based evidence that have shown to significantly reduce the frequency of unexpected behaviors. The focus of PBIS is prevention. Behavior expectations are explicitly taught to the students as we do any other curricula. Responses to behaviors are also taught, with the goal of school wide consistency regarding how expected and unexpected behaviors are addressed. Expected behaviors are positively reinforced with both intrinsic and extrinsic rewards. Unexpected behaviors are addressed through tiered interventions with the goal of teaching the students how to demonstrate expected behaviors. Research has shown that 85-90% of students will demonstrate expected behaviors when expectations and responses are explicitly taught and reinforced. Interventions for those students who are struggling can then be targeted to the specific behavior.
We have three core behavior expectations for all students, staff, and community members any time they are on campus. These three expectations are:
Be Safe
Be Respectful
Be Responsible
At the start of each school year all staff members will provide lessons to the students at all shared areas of the campus to teach the students what the expected and unexpected behaviors are for each of the shared campus areas. These expectations will be reviewed with the students on multiple occasions throughout the school year. These expectations are listed for you at the end of this section.
Expected behaviors will be positivity reinforced in multiple ways. The primary reinforcement will be positive praise. Students may also be rewarded for demonstrating expected behavior by being given a “Golden Eagle.” The Golden Eagle is a ticket given to the student with their name, room number and the core behavior they demonstrated circled. Any staff member can give a student a Golden Eagle. Students will give the Golden Eagles to their classroom teacher.
Once a week the classroom teacher will draw one Golden Eagle from the classroom collection of tickets. This student will be recognized in the classroom for their positive behavior and their name is posted outside of the office. Each month the classroom collections of Golden Eagles will be brought to the office. Once a designated amount of Golden Eagles have been collected school-wide, all students will receive a special prize or privilege from the school staff.
Unexpected behavior will be addressed in multiple ways. The goal in addressing unexpected behaviors will be to help the student understand what the unexpected behavior was and what other positive choices they could make to replace the unexpected behavior. The response may be as simple as a reminder and re-direction to the expected behavior. Students may also receive a “Yellow Card.” Yellow Cards describe the observed unexpected behavior and are shared with the classroom teacher and administration. Yellow Cards will also be tracked to determine if additional interventions are needed to support the student. Communication with parents, Student Referrals and loss of privileges may also be used to address unexpected behaviors.
PBIS is a data driven system. Progress toward expected and unexpected behavior will be tracked using a data management system. Additionally, staff will complete self-assessments regarding both school wide and individual progress toward our goals. The information gathered will help the staff determine what, if any, changes need to be made to best support the students in their progress toward demonstrating expected behaviors.
For additional information about PBIS, we recommend you visit the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Programs PBIS website or the Santa Clara County Office of Education PBIS website at: www.pbis.org or pbis.sccoe.org
For additional information about PBIS at Eisenhower, please contact Joanne Conner at conner_joanne@cusdk8.org or (408) 248-4313.
Classroom Behavior/Discipline
At Eisenhower, our teachers work with their students to develop classroom norms and standards. Classroom norms form the foundation for guiding positive behaviors and providing teachers and students with a sense of security.
- Classrooms will display norms by which behavior is governed. Teachers will review those standards throughout the school year as appropriate. Teachers will send home their discipline policies at the beginning of the school year.
- Classroom meetings will be held, as needed, to assist students in resolving conflicts and complaints. Positive incentives may be used as encouragement and logical/natural consequences will be imposed for misconduct.
- Students who have a problem on the playground will be referred to their classroom teacher who will include the offense in the classroom discipline process if appropriate.
- A student may be suspended for a severe infraction of classroom/school rules. Students who have been suspended are expected to complete all missed work when they return.
Classroom Observations:
Parents of enrolled students or their representatives may schedule an appointment to observe in their child’s classroom only. All classroom observations must be scheduled with a school administrator and will last no longer than 20 minutes. For the safety of all students and staff and to minimize disruption to the instructional day, we do not allow guests to observe classrooms.
Conferences:
You will have a formal opportunity to have a Goal Setting Conference with your child's teacher, on shortened days, during the first trimester, in mid-October. This is a time for you and your child's teacher, and, in some cases, your child, to meet to work together to plan for your child's success. However, the teachers and the principal will meet with you at any time during the year, at your request or the teacher's request. We ask that you call first for an appointment.
Field Trips
Opportunities for students to receive standards based instruction outside of the classroom may occur throughout the school year. Field trips are only sustainable with the support of donations. The California Constitution mandates that public education be provided to students free of charge, unless a charge is specifically authorized by law for a particular program or activity. This constitutional right of free access encompasses all educational activities, whether curricular or extracurricular, and regardless of whether credit is awarded for the educational activity. Asking parents or guardians to sign a waiver, for an otherwise mandatory fee, charge or deposit, does not render it constitutionally permissible.
Fees will be requested to support field trips. However, all children will be able to participate on this field trip with or without contributing. Children will not be singled out in anyway and fees received will not be assigned to the child of the adult. All fees will go to support the total costs of the field trip and will not be applied to costs associated with an individual child. If the necessary amount to cover all costs of the field trip are not received, the field trip will be canceled.
Dress Guidelines
Students are asked to attend school dressed in a manner which is clean, safe for themselves and others, and that doesn't detract from the learning environment. Hats may be worn outside only. Shoes must be worn at all times. Children should wear shoes that are appropriate for physical activities, so most sandals are not appropriate. Short shorts or short dresses which are not long enough to reach at least half way down between the hip and knee are not permitted; bare midriffs, tank or tube tops, half shirts, halters, or see through clothing are not permitted. Beach attire, tops with small straps and bare shoulders, makeup, and high heels may detract from the learning environment and are not allowed. All underwear needs to be covered at all times. Also, clothing or materials that display obscene messages, refer to drugs, cigarettes, and/or alcohol are not permitted.
Emergencies
Fire, Earthquake, Evacuation:
In case of emergency, please do not call the school. Our phone lines must be kept open for emergency purposes. We are well equipped to handle these situations. We will be on an immediate telephone alert system with our district office. If our phones are out of order, we have a backup radio system. Many staff members are first aid and CPR trained. We have multiple first aid kits, clean water, and food provided by families at the start of the year. Enrollment Cards are used as a means of identification for each child, so it is imperative you keep the information on the Enrollment Card current. Children will remain at school until a parent or designee is located, unless an evacuation becomes necessary. If a major emergency occurs when schools are in session, information will be communicated by the school or district via phone or email using Blackboard.
There will be a student release center set up in the middle of the blacktop where parents must go to check out their children. Both the district and the school have disaster plans in place.
Bicycles, Scooters, Skateboards, Rollerblades
If parents feel their child is able to safely get to and from school by riding a bike, a scooter, rollerblading, or skateboarding, parents should review the safety rules of the road and the routes to and from school with their child. Please note that all riders must wear a helmet as required by state and city laws. When a student is found on campus not wearing a helmet, the vehicle will be confiscated until the parent can pick it up. Once students arrive at the edge of the school grounds, they are required to get off their vehicles and walk them to the bike rack and lock them. At the end of the day, vehicles are required to be walked off the school grounds. The school will not be responsible for damaged, lost or stolen personal items brought to school. All of our rules to protect bicycles are not enough to stop a determined thief. A good deterrent is to have your bicycle licensed, which can be done at any fire station.
Rollerblades must be taken off before coming onto school grounds. Skateboards must be carried and scooters must be walked or carried on school grounds.