Student & Parent Handbook

 

Attendance/Illness/Absences

Eastwood and IUSD take student attendance very seriously. We believe that student success begins with daily attendance. As a result, we take steps to ensure that students attend school daily and that each student complies with school attendance laws and stipulations outlined in the California Education Code. The two basic attendance laws are:

• All persons 6 through 18 years of age are required by California State Law to attend school. Parents have a legal responsibility to ensure their child’s attendance. (Education Code Section 48200)
• A pupil is considered truant if he/she is absent for more than 3 full days in one school year without a valid excuse; tardy or absent for more than a 30-minute period during the school day without valid excuse on 3 occasions in one school year, or any combination thereof. (Education Code Section 48260)

As parents of elementary school children, you bear the primary responsibility of ensuring that your children are in school daily, arrive on time, and remain in school the entire day. With that in mind, parents are encouraged to take a proactive approach in establishing positive attendance patterns and avoiding chronic truancy. This will assist your children in reaching their highest potential. By law, absences or tardies are only excused if the child is ill, is attending a funeral for an immediate family member, or involved in religious observance. In each case, documentation or proof may be required. Unless it is an emergency, it is recommended that medical and dental appointments be scheduled after school.

In order to establish positive attendance patterns, it is recommended that parents teach their children the following:

• Follow all district and school attendance policies.
• Make education their top priority.
• Emphasize to them that to get the best start in life, they need a good education.
• Remind them if they do not go to school, they will fall behind other students and they cannot get the grades needed to graduate.
• Explain to them that students who miss school are often victims or perpetrators of crimes.
• Understand that tardies and leaving school early should be an exception, not a norm.

The majority of students who have accumulated more than three unexcused absences from school or tardies at Eastwood are not considered habitual/chronic truants, but would be categorized as soft truants.

Soft Truancy includes, but is not limited to:

• Bringing a child late to school (less than 30 minutes).
• Picking up your child early for family outings, vacations, frequent medical appointments or business, or even trying to avoid traffic.
• Excusing a student as ill more than 10 days without medical verification.
• Frequent excused absences.
• Keeping an older child home to baby-sit.
• Keeping an older child home to work.
• Irregular attendance.
• Taking vacation during school.

Chronic truancy almost always begins with a pattern of soft truancies that is not corrected.

 

In order to keep all of our students safe, it is important that we verify all student absences as soon as possible each day. Should your child need to be absent from school, please call our attendance line at 949-936-8101 to report the absence. This number may be called at any time. If possible, we ask that you call this number and report your child’s absence by 8:00 a.m. By doing this, we can avoid calling you at home or work to verify your child’s absence.

As stated above, it is important that children be in attendance whenever possible. In addition to missing important classroom instruction, students are often challenged with feelings of trying to catch up.

As important as punctuality and attendance are to student achievement, children should not be sent to school ill. Children who come to the office with a body temperature of 100°F degrees or above will be sent home and should remain at home until a normal body temperature is maintained for 24 hours. Missed class work may be requested after the second day of absence. You may contact the teacher directly and check the classroom website for information.

If you find it necessary to schedule a medical/dental appointment during the child’s class time, please have your child dismissed through the office. A sign-out sheet is located in the main reception area. We do require that children be signed out on this sheet by an adult who is listed on their Contacts List should they need to leave school for any reason.

Tardy Policy

In order to foster student responsibility, minimize classroom interruptions, and avoid unnecessary embarrassment, it is important that students arrive to school on time. It is for these reasons that we have instituted a formal tardy policy at Eastwood. A student is considered tardy if he/she arrives after class begins. This will be 8:15 AM for students in grades 1st through 6th, 8:10 AM for kindergarten students attending the AM schedule and 11:30 AM for kindergarten students on the PM schedule. A tardy will be unexcused for any reason other than the following: medical or dental appointment.

• After the fifth unexcused tardy: A letter will be sent home.
• After the tenth unexcused tardy: A conference with the principal may be held. A second letter will be sent home.
• After the fifteenth tardy: The student will be referred to the district’s School Attendance and Review Board.

Behavior Management

The Eastwood staff believes that all children, with proper guidance and reinforcement, can behave appropriately at school. Thus, we have implemented a few simple school expectations rules and a plan to teach character development with intentionality to accomplish this goal. These rules and character education plan are based on several beliefs we have regarding discipline and character development.

We understand that in order to be happy, productive people, children need to learn to respect others, interact appropriately, and develop personal responsibility. We care too much about our students to allow them to grow up to be disrespectful or irresponsible because we know this will ultimately lead to their unhappiness.

It is our belief that disciplining of students should be done privately, whenever possible. The correction of a student’s behavior is a private matter between a student, the adult in charge, and the parents. We do not support the concept of public humiliation.

We believe that all students, when given proper guidance and reinforcement, can behave appropriately. There is an antecedent to every behavior, and it is our job to identify why a poor decision is made. It is with this in mind that we have formulated a few basic expectations to assist us in providing students with a safe, orderly, and respectful environment.

• We BELIEVE that there are no limits to what we can accomplish. We know our voices matter and we have the ability to do great things.
• We RESPECT ourselves and others by showing honor and appreciation through words and actions.
• We ADAPT our thinking and embrace growth.
• We VALIDATE each other as we seek to solve problems together.
• We EMPATHIZE to improve the lives of everyone.

Our school-wide positive behavior program is at the core of being BRAVE. We do not live with a predefined set of rules...but rather a high level of expectations that we all must abide by to create an environment we are all proud to be part of.

To aid students in understanding what behaviors look like, we conduct school-wide assemblies and provide continuous reminders. Our PBIS matrix can be found by clicking here. This matrix clearly defines what it looks like to make good choices around the campus. Our goal is that students not only act accordingly, but they also help their peers recognize these expectations. Collectively we are greater than ourselves.

In addition to the natural intrinsic rewards attained by students who exhibit positive behavior, Eastwood positively reinforces students individually and as groups through classroom and school-wide recognition programs. We will continue to refine our rewards system to meet the desires of the children.

Possible negative consequences earned by students for not being BRAVE may include a verbal warning, loss of privileges, parent contact, parent conference, suspension from class, and suspension from school.

It is important to note that profanity is considered disrespectful language and will not be tolerated.

The Irvine Unified School District enforces a policy of zero tolerance. This means that the following violations will result in immediate suspension and/or expulsion:

• Causing serious injury to another
• Possession of any knife or other dangerous objects or look-alikes
• Sale of a controlled substance
• Robbery or extortion
• Assault or battery

In addition, the following violations will result in immediate suspension and determination of further actions which may results in expulsion:

• Causing or attempting to cause damage to school or private property
• Possession of or use of tobacco
• Stealing
• Committing an obscene act or habitual profanity
• Possession of a controlled substance
• Disrupting school activities or willfully defying authority
• Receiving stolen property

Campus Visitations

In the interest of safety, we ask that all visitors report to the office to sign in through our automated computer system. At that time, visitors will be issued a badge to wear, indicating to the students and staff that they are authorized to be on campus. The visitor badge must be worn at all times when they are on school grounds.

In order to effectively manage students during recess and lunch and ensure their safety in this less restrictive environment, our campus is closed to visitors on our playground.

All volunteers must complete an IUSD Volunteer Registration & Screening Information form online prior to volunteering. This form is completed at the beginning of each school year. Once the form is completed our front office can sign you in the first time. Additional information about volunteering is available on the district website here.
 

Classroom Celebrations and Parties

Celebrations can be educational, fun, and exciting for our students. Dietary restrictions, cultural beliefs, food allergies, and the varied nutritional preferences of our parent population require considerable and deliberate coordination of any event involving food. Students in our school community have life-threatening allergies to certain foods and other allergens. With that in mind, classrooms are expected to follow the guidelines outlined below for celebrations and parties.

• As part of our Health and Wellness Initiative, we will not allow food to be shared for student birthday celebrations.
• To reduce the risk of exposure to one of the most common allergens, please do not send any peanut or nut containing foods for any classroom celebration or party.
• Classrooms will make allowances for students with food allergies or certain health conditions to bring an alternative item and participate in the festivities.
• Parents are notified prior to any food being brought into the classroom.
• Consider non-food items for parties and events so that all children may participate in the fun.
• Consider a physical, art or music activity in lieu of a food party.
• Please contact your teacher before bringing any food products to the classroom.

Classroom Interruptions

The Eastwood staff makes a concerted effort to establish a learning environment that is conducive to the development of good study habits and uninterrupted academic learning time. We seek your cooperation and assistance in this effort. You can help us by:

1. Sending the teacher a note or e-mail should you need to pick up your child early. This will allow the teacher time to have your child prepared for pick up.
2. Avoiding calling school and leaving messages for your child, unless it is an emergency. The telephone is made available to students only for emergencies.
3. Establishing a system that helps eliminate forgotten lunches, homework, money, musical instruments, etc. Parents bringing forgotten items to school should place them on the table located in our office. Children are encouraged to check this table for forgotten items throughout the day.

Daycare/After School Care

Rainbow Rising is a positive alternative for working parents in need of childcare. Rainbow Rising is located on campus in the building adjacent to parent parking lot on Rotunda. Hours are from 7:00 AM until 6:00 PM. They can be reached by calling 949-502-6533. To receive information regarding other Irvine child care facilities, you may call the Irvine Community Services Department at 949-724-6632 or 949-724-6635.
 

Dress Code

We ask that students attending Eastwood wear clothing that is comfortable, clean, and appropriate for an elementary school. Because our instructional program includes active play, students must wear clothing that allows them to run and jump. Clothing and other items students wear must not disrupt the educational process nor create any form of disturbance. Fashions that a student might choose may not be appropriate for an elementary school.

Inappropriate clothing includes:

• pants or shirts that are oversized and overly baggy and do not fit securely at the waist;
• clothing with logos, slogans, words, or pictures promoting or depicting alcohol, tobacco, drugs, vandalism, bigotry, violence, sexual connotations, or profanity;
• any clothing that is inappropriately revealing;
• earrings that dangle and could become dangerous while playing;
• any make-up, lipstick, or adornment that causes a distraction in the classroom;
• chains, including those attached to wallets, belt loops, or other items;
• shoes with open toes, such as thongs and sandals, and shoes with excessive heels. These shoes are inappropriate and too dangerous for active play.

With the support and cooperation of our parents, students, and staff, Eastwood will be a positive and productive learning environment.
 

Early Dismissal / Parental Custody

Children leaving campus need to be signed out by the parent/guardian. Please come to the office to do so and we will call for your child. Children will only be released to parents or other adults listed by you on the child’s emergency card or contacts list in our system. If there are specific limitations related to the release of a child to a natural parent, please be advised that legal custody documents must be on file in the office. The natural mother or father can obtain their child from school at any time, unless a court order is on file indicating otherwise. Photo identification is required.

Field Trips

Field trips are an integral part of the elementary school experience. It is common for students in every grade at Eastwood to take a few field trips each year. In order for students to participate in a class field trip, a Field Trip Permission Form is required to be completed and signed by a parent/guardian prior to departure.
 

Homework

We all live busy lives, and we know kids have numerous extra-curricular activities. We expect kids to be kids and to have family time each evening. To this...there will be minimal homework assigned by the teacher. Our expectation is that kids read or are read to each evening.

 

Illness and Accidents at School

We document each time a child comes to the health office and will call home and send a notice if there is an injury to the head or face. If your child does not have a fever or the reason for their health office visit is minor and does not require action from a parent, they will be sent back to class. If your child becomes ill or experiences an accident at school that requires him/her to be sent home or seek medical attention, you will be contacted immediately. If we are unable to reach parent(s) or guardian(s) at home or work, we will then call the emergency contacts listed on your child’s record.

Please keep home phone, work number(s), cellular phone number(s), pager number(s), and emergency contact names and phone numbers current in the Parent Portal. If someone cannot be reached that is listed on your child’s emergency card, depending on the seriousness of your child’s condition, paramedics may be called. This includes, but is not limited to a child having an asthma attack or allergic reaction and no inhaler, epi-pen, or medicine has been provided. 911 will be called in all life-threatening situations.
 

Items Brought From Home

Personal play equipment, such as toys, balls, games, etc. should not be brought to school unless special permission has been granted by the teacher or principal. This includes electronic devices like phones, smart watches, music players, media players, and video games. If students bring these devices to school, they must be turned off.
 

Lost and Found

Throughout the school year, we accumulate a large number of sweaters, sweatshirts, jackets, and lunch boxes. We urge parents to label everything with your child’s first and last name that is sent to school. Items that are labeled are easier to locate when they are put in the Lost and Found. If your child is missing any of these articles, please visit the lost and found racks located near the lunch tables. Small items such as glasses, retainers, jewelry, and more valuable items such as musical instruments are placed in the front office. Unclaimed items are donated to charities during winter recess, spring recess, and at the end of the school year.

Lunch Program

Hot lunches are available for students in grades 1-6 for the price of $3.25 each school day. Students may pay for lunch with cash or by establishing a School Bucks online account. For additional information about lunch payments please visit the IUSD website. For those students with existing accounts, you may pay online or pay with a check or cash. Envelopes are available in the school office to use if you pay with a check or cash. Once a deposit is made in your child’s account, he/she will be able to buy lunch. If you have any further questions, please call IUSD Food Services at 949-936-6520.

Please be certain that your child has a lunch each day. In an effort to foster student responsibility, it is our policy not to loan lunch money.

If you are bringing a lunch to school after the day has started, you may place it in the late lunch basket behind the office. A noon duty supervisor will roll that basket out to the tables prior to lunch time.

Medication

Any time your child requires medication at school, the medication must be kept in the health office to be given by school personnel. Education Code 49423 allows school personnel to administer medications if the following steps are taken:

• Physician’s request form is completed and submitted to the office annually for each medication.
• Parental release form is on file in the office. Both the physician and a parent must sign the consent form prior to medication being administered at school. This form is available in the school office.
• The pharmacy container with the medicine is labeled with the name of the child, name of the medicine, dosage requirements, and physician’s name.
• Medicine is brought to school by the parent.

These regulations apply to non-prescription medications as well. Non-prescription drugs include aspirin, vitamins, cough syrup, cough drops, ointments, etc.

Parent Teacher Association

The Eastwood PTA is a very active and supportive group. The association is composed of volunteer parents and committed staff members who devote their time and talents to providing support for our school and special experiences and events for our students. There are many opportunities for parents to become involved. Your membership and participation in this outstanding organization benefits your child’s education. Meetings are held monthly in the school multi-purpose room. Membership and other PTA related information is sent home during the first few weeks of school.

Research shows that parent involvement is key to helping children succeed in school. The idea has been basic to PTA’s philosophy and action since its beginnings in 1897. PTA goes even further by stating that children do better in all ways when their parents care about what they are doing at home, in the community and in school.

PTA activities establish communication between school and home. Parents are encouraged to attend meetings, support activities, and volunteer. Dates and times of meetings and activities will be on the Eastwood website, and on Facebook at EastwoodPTA. PTA questions can be directed to EastwoodPTA@yahoo.com.

Parent Volunteers

Eastwood welcomes and values our volunteer parents. Without volunteers, many programs and activities offered at our school would not be possible. Parents will be given opportunities to sign-up to help in the classroom, and to assist with various events taking place throughout the school year.

In the interest of safety, we do ask that all volunteers report to the office to sign in through our automated computer system. At that time, volunteers will be issued a badge to wear, indicating to the students and staff that they are authorized to be on campus. The volunteer badge must be worn at all times when they are on school grounds.

All volunteers must complete an IUSD Volunteer Registration & Screening Information form online prior to volunteering. This form is completed at the beginning of each school year. Once the form is completed our front office can sign you in the first time. Additional information about volunteering is available on the district website here.

 

Pets

Pets should not be on campus unless the teacher or principal has granted special permission. Please be aware that, pursuant to Orange County Ordinance 41.46, dogs are not to be on school grounds at any time. Should you choose to bring your dog when walking your child to and from school, please wait for your child off school grounds.

Playground and School Supervision

Supervision by staff at entry points to our campus, in the parking lots, and on the playground is provided fifteen minutes before school begins every day. For your child’s safety, students should not arrive on campus prior to 8:00 AM. Upon arriving, all students in grades first through sixth report to the playground blacktop and line up for class in their assigned area. Kindergarten students must be accompanied by an adult and line up outside their classroom in their assigned area. They are dismissed directly to their parent or guardian at dismissal. Students in primary grades (first through third grade) are dismissed at the lunch tables to meet their parents. Students in upper grades (fourth through sixth grade) are dismissed by the teacher at the classroom door to meet their parents, carpool, daycare provider, or walk home. After school supervision ends fifteen minutes after dismissal every day. All students should leave campus within fifteen minutes after dismissal unless other arrangements have been made or they are being directly supervised by a parent. No student will be kept after school without prior parent permission.

Recess and lunch supervision is provided by trained Eastwood staff. Playground supervisors are easily identified by the neon yellow vests they wear and their IUSD identification badge.

Report Cards/ Parent Conferences

Report cards are issued at the end of each trimester during the school year. During the first month of school, parents are invited to attend Back to School Night to learn about the grade level curriculum and instructional program for their child. A goal setting parent/teacher conference is held in October to establish learning goals for each student. A second parent/teacher conference is scheduled in the spring for some students. Parents are encouraged to schedule conferences with the teacher anytime they feel there is a need during the school year.

Open House is scheduled in the spring on the Thursday before Spring Recess. All members of the family are invited to come and share in the activities and experiences your child has had during the school year.

Safe Travel To and From School

IUSD Board Policy only allows elementary children in grades third through sixth to ride their bicycles to school. Each bicycle must be in safe working order and be equipped with a lock and be parked in the bike racks. Bikes should be locked at all times when not in use. California law requires that all school age bike riders wear safety helmets. Additionally, Eastwood students in grades third through sixth may ride skateboards or scooters to school if they are wearing a helmet and have the ability to lock it in the bike racks or have made arrangements with their teacher to keep it in the classroom while school is in session. Students in grades kindergarten through second may ride skateboards or scooters to school if they are wearing a helmet, are accompanied by an adult, and the adult takes home the scooter or skateboard. Children and adults are expected to follow all traffic safety laws when going to and from school. In the interest of safety and taking into consideration the number of people around the school at arrival and dismissal times, students must walk their bicycle and carry their skateboards or scooter when they are on school grounds.

If your child will be walking, riding a bicycle, skateboard or a scooter to school, please discuss the safest route with your child. Bicyclists and pedestrians must use crosswalks and utilize the assistance of a crossing guard or staff member when provided. Students are not allowed to cross the parking lot at any time without using a parking lot crosswalk. CLICK HERE for Safe Route to School Map.

Safety/Disaster Preparedness

We want to reassure you that Eastwood Elementary has an extensive emergency plan. In compliance with California law, the Irvine Unified School District uses the Standardized Emergency Management System (SEMS) in its emergency plans and procedures. Response procedures are in place to activate the emergency plan. Each year the staff reviews and practices the plan in mock drills to ensure the safest and most efficient response to an emergency. State law requires each elementary school to conduct monthly fire drills, a lockdown drill, and a drop-and-cover drill as part of the emergency preparedness plan.

How can you help ensure our students’ safety as a parent?

• Always sign-in your child at the office if your child is arriving late or sign-out your child in the office if your child is leaving school.
• Make sure to sign-in and out at the front office and wear a visitor/volunteer sticker at all times when visiting the school.
• Be familiar with the school site and report anything out of the ordinary to the school office or after school hours to the police.
• Carefully read newsletters and correspondence sent home by the school.

In the event of an emergency:

• Remain calm.
• Walk to the playground and follow student release procedures.
• Ask, “How can I help?”
• Volunteer and follow the instructions and guidelines carefully.

Student Accident and Health Insurance

The school district makes available to parents a low cost accident and health insurance plan for their children. Forms are available through our re-registration/data confirmation process. Additional forms are available in the office. The desirability of having such a plan can provide benefits and coverage when help is needed.

Student Birthday Celebrations

While we appreciate the joy and excitement that accompanies our students’ birthdays, we do not allow parents to bring food items to their child’s classroom to commemorate their child’s special day. Dietary restrictions, food allergies, and the varied nutritional preferences of our parent population require considerable and deliberate coordination of any event involving food, and we cannot facilitate such oversight for every student’s birthday. Party favors are seen as more appropriate for a private setting, but if strongly desired, a parent may bring non-food items such as pencils, stickers, stamps, etc. for classmates.

Student Fee Information

Background

California's Constitution affirms that students and parents cannot be required to pay money to gain access to educational activities, nor can they be charged for materials and supplies necessary to participate in educational activities.

“Educational activities” has been clearly defined to include extracurricular offerings such as music, sports and some clubs. Moreover, the rules described above are believed to apply to all affiliated groups supporting district and school programs, including PTAs, boosters and foundations.

In 2010, the American Civil Liberties Union filed a lawsuit against the state over impermissible fees, charges and deposits imposed on public school students. Two years later, Governor Jerry Brown signed legislation that codified existing laws and judicial decisions while establishing reasonable enforcement measures for schools and districts. The ACLU subsequently dropped its suit.

It should be noted that IUSD was in the process of analyzing its own practices even before the ACLU suit, looking specifically at funding requests that were made to help offset the cost of transportation, elective courses, summer school classes and essential supplies and equipment. The district has since worked to clarify that parent donations for most educational activities are voluntary, and that students will not be denied participation if their families choose not to contribute.

For further information, please check the following link on the Irvine Unified School District website: http://www.iusd.org/student-fee-info/

Student Recognition Program

The Eastwood staff wants to publicly affirm appropriate student behavior and positive character development. Each teacher has his or her own method for recognizing positive student behavior in the classroom. In addition, students are recognized at assemblies for outstanding citizenship, academic achievement, outstanding effort, athletic and physical fitness achievement, and demonstration of ethical behavior.

We welcome the opportunity to assist our students’ parents in helping their child become a happy, productive citizen.

Textbooks/Library Books

Textbooks and library books are school property and are loaned to students. Students are responsible for their safekeeping. Students are responsible to pay for lost or damaged textbooks. Most textbooks are available online.

Traffic and Parking Procedures

The Irvine Police Department actively patrols the area around Eastwood at arrival and dismissal times. They watch for cars speeding, illegally parking, and other unsafe driving behaviors. In order to keep our students safe, we ask that parents use caution when driving in our parking lot and around our school. When parking in the neighborhood, please obey all traffic laws and be considerate to our neighbors. Please do not block driveways, leave trash in the area, allow your children to play on someone’s yard, or make excessive noise.

Parent Parking

Parents may park their car in the parent lot (off Rotunda) in any parking space. The front parking (off Meander) is for staff only There is also ample street parking surrounding the school.

Drop off Zone

The front lot has a designated loading zone identified by a yellow curb. You may only drop off and pick up your child in this area. When dropping off students:

• Please pull as far ahead as possible next to the curb in the loading zone before dropping off your children. This will keep things moving quickly.
• At no time may a driver leave his/her car unattended or park in the loading zone.
• Students may only exit the vehicle on the curbside.
• Parents should not open driver side doors at any time.

In addition, the Irvine Police Department will cite any parent unloading students in any street away from the curb, often referred to as double parking. Not only is it illegal, but incredibly dangerous.

Use of Telephones and Cell Phones/Smart Watches

We ask that you take care of all arrangements for the day with your children before they leave for school. If the forecast is for rain, send them in a coat or jacket and give them a plan for pick up/dismissal for inclement weather. If after school activities are scheduled, be certain that they know what is expected of them before they leave for school. We ask that ONLY EMERGENCY MESSAGES be telephoned in to children, since we strive to keep instructional interruptions to a minimum. Arrangements with friends must be made prior to coming to school.

Cell phones are permitted at school, however, board policy requires that they be deactivated during the regular school day and used only during an emergency affecting the school or community. The use of cell phones (and smart watches that communicate like a cell phone...ie. the Gizmo Gadget) is prohibited during school hours. They are to be turned off and in the student’s backpack during school hours. Cell phones that are turned on during school hours are subject to confiscation and will only be returned to a parent through the front office.