Policies

Otis Butler Whaley School is a walking school, which means the majority of the student population lives within walking distance of the school. Students and their families are STRONGLY encouraged participate in our Walk n’ Roll program. Mondays are “Move It Mondays”. Students earn incentives simply by walking to school. Walking school buses operate on Mondays. Permission slips are available in the front office.

• Students should be dropped off on the sidewalk surrounding the school.
• The school parking lot is reserved for staff and school buses only. The parking lot gates will be kept closed to the public during peak hours, which are as follows: 8:15 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. and fifteen minutes before and after dismissal. Vehicles displaying a valid Handicap Sign will be allowed into the parking lot even during peak hours.
• The visitor parking spaces are for volunteers and other visitors to the campus after drop off / pick up times.
• There is absolutely no parking in the Fire lane or double line parking.
• If you would like to walk your child to their classroom (kindergarten only) or to the gate (grades one to six), please park in the neighborhood and walk into the school.
• Do not block neighbor’s driveways when dropping off and picking up children. They will contact traffic abatement. Your car may be towed.
• Do not park in any space specifically reserved for staff (name will be written on the ground in front of the parking space)
• All cars enter our parking lot on Alvin Avenue and exit on Tierra Buena Drive.
• When walking to school, you are STRONGLY encouraged to use the crosswalks.

If it is necessary for a student to have a cell phone, it must remain off and in their backpack during school hours. The school is not responsible for lost or stolen cell phones. A telephone is available for student use in the office. For the safety and protection of our students, we encourage ALL students to know at least one telephone number of an adult listed on their emergency card and/or in Parent Portal.

Lunch Drop Off Policy

Student lunches from home should either be brought with them to school or dropped off in the office fifteen minutes prior to their lunchtime. Student lunches cannot be handed through the fence/gate next to the café.

Lunchtime Expectations

1.Enter and exit the cafe in an orderly fashion.

2.All students must remain seated during lunch and must request permission toleave their seat.

3.Food should be eaten in a polite and courteous way.

• 4.Students should speak in a quiet voice.
• 5.When the whistle is blown, students are expected to be quiet immediately.
• 6.When finished with your lunch, put trash in the garbage can, pour milk in receptacle, and stack trays.
• 7.Tables and surrounding area are to be left free of food and trash.
• 8.Students will be dismissed by the noon duty and should walk to the playground.

To better assist our students in gaining independence and establishing greater peer interactions, students will eat lunch with their peers in grades 1 – 6. Parents will no longer be allowed to eat lunch in the café with their child daily. Instead, special days will be calendared in which parents will be invited to eat lunch with their child(ren). Parents may stop by the office to sign their child out and then back in during their designated lunch period should they desire to eat off campus with their child. Students must return to school on time before the end of their lunch period. Lunches can be dropped off at the office for students prior to their designated lunch period. See lunch schedules below.

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday

First Lunch (Grades 1 and 2) – 11:30 a.m. – 12:10 p.m.

Second Lunch (Grades 3 and 4) – 12:10 p.m. – 12:50 p.m.

Third Lunch (Grades 5 and 6) – 12:50 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.

Thursday Minimum Day

First Lunch (Grades 1 and 2) - 11:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

Second Lunch (Grades 3 and 4) – 11:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Third Lunch (Grades 5 and 6) – 12:00 p.m. – 12:30 p.m.

* The only exception to this rule is that parents of Kindergarten students may sit with their child at the designated table in the café while their child eats his or her lunch prior to starting school (afternoon Kinder students) or before leaving for the day (morning Kinder students). Parents may not accompany their children through the serving line to select meal items.

Code of Conduct

O.B. Whaley Elementary School students agree to:

• Be Safe.
• Be Respectful.
• Be Responsible.

Behavior Intervention

Possible consequences for students who choose to disregard school expectations:

• Time out of recess
• Exclusion from special events or activities
• Principal, student, parent, teacher conference
• Lunch time detention
• In-school suspension
• Out of school suspension

Discipline Policy

School Expectations

A positive behavior system can be observed at O.B. Whaley School. Our school has high academic and behavioral expectations based on the belief that all students can and will be successful learners. All classrooms have effective management procedures that include clearly defined rules, appropriate consequences, and recognition for positive behavior. As a school, we have adopted a research based systems approach designed by the program Building Effective Schools Together (B.E.S.T.), which promotes a positive social culture and provides behavioral support in order to offer an effective learning environment for all students. Discipline is handled with sensitivity to the dignity of the child. The rules and policies concerning behavior at O.B. Whaley are intended to ensure the safety of students as well as promote a positive place for learning. Our expectations are that students, staff, parents, and community demonstrate our Whaley Way to Go principles by being: Safe, Respectful and Responsible.

WHALEY PLEDGE

School employees acknowledge students with Whaley Way to Go tickets when they demonstrate Safety, Respect, and/or Responsibility.

Should a student choose not to follow school expectations, he or she may receive a citation for a minor infraction or an office referral form for a major infraction.

• No halter tops, backless tops, spaghetti straps or tops that expose the belly. Shirts must be of the appropriate length. No short tops or tall tees.
• No slippers such as corduroy, house slippers, or flip-flops. Shoes must be closed-toe.
• Hats are allowed outside and worn facing the front. All hats and hoods should be removed when indoors.
• No inappropriate logos are allowed. This includes anything profane, vulgar, or drug/gang/alcohol related. Examples are 408, Shark City, Scarface, etc.
• Shorts and skirts must be appropriate length (fingertip) even if tights or leggings are worn underneath.
• Pants must be worn at the waist. No “sagging”.
• In an effort to keep kids safe and on track, we will monitor the colors of garments students wear. This refers to blue and red since, unfortunately, everybody is aware of the association and connotation of these colors. For that reason, clothing and accessories worn in a manner conveying gang affiliation are not permitted.
• Backpacks and notebooks should be kept clean and graffiti-free. In an effort to curb graffiti, permanent markets such as Sharpies are not permitted.
• The administration, working together with the staff, reserves the right to use discretion to deem other items inappropriate or disruptive to the learning process since fashion trends change with such regularity.
• Students inappropriately dressed for school will be asked to telephone a parent/guardian to bring a change of clothes. If parent/guardian contact cannot be made, the student will stay in the office during recess times. Please label clothes with your child’s name.

Playground Rules

General Rules

• Treat all students, noon duties, staff and your school with respect.
• Play safely and cooperatively with others.
• Roughhousing is never allowed . This includes rough physical play in soccer, basketball, etc. Should rough housing become problematic during recess and/or lunch recess (soccer, basketball, etc.), the activity will be banned for the balance of the school year.
• Be kind. Do not do anything to hurt the feelings of others, such as name calling, teasing, or using inappropriate language.
• Hurting or bullying others is not allowed.
• Playground equipment must be used safely and appropriately.
• Balls are to be used on the field, basketball courts, and handball court.
• Walk around the games of others.
• Run on the grass. Walk on the blacktop and in the hallways.
• Play in appropriate play areas. Hallways, restrooms and behind buildings are not play areas. Stay on the playground side of the yellow line, except to use the restroom or water fountains.
• Use the restrooms appropriately.
• Throwing rocks, dirt, sticks, etc. is not allowed. Do not dig or play in dirt.
• Unsafe activities are not allowed on the playground. Be careful not to do anything that will harm yourself or others. No fighting, pretend fighting, ball kicking, or chasing games.
• When the bell rings all students must FREEZE on the playground. When all students are quietly in the FREEZE position, teachers will blow a whistle. The whistle is the signal to WALK to your line. Stand in line quietly, with hands and feet to yourself, hold the play equipment still, and wait for the teacher to take you to your room.
• Snacks may only be eaten while sitting in the designated areas. No walking or playing while eating.

Play Structure

• Tag or chasing games are NOT allowed. No running on equipment.
• Slides are one-way, down, in a seated position with feet first. One student allowed on the slide at a time. No climbing upwards.
• Jumping off the playground equipment is prohibited.
• One student at a time on traveling bars.

Consequences for Not Following Playground Rules

• Time Out - amount of time to be determined by playground supervisor.
• Loss of entire recess.
• Loss of playground or sport equipment privilege for a specific length of time.
• Student is sent to the principal for repeated playground violations.

During school hours, NO student is permitted to leave the school grounds without written permission and checking out with the office. Please come to the office to sign out your child for any appointments during the day. All campus visitors and volunteers are required to sign in and out at the office, and wear a badge while on campus. When volunteering on campus, please be respectful of the teachers’ time in the staff room by not using it as a short cut or being in the staff room during recess and lunch times. Children are not allowed in the staff room at any time. This includes before, during and after school hours. Remember not to use your cell phone when volunteering in the classroom and leave the phone on vibrate so it does not disturb the class.

For the safety of our students, adults are not allowed in any student bathroom. A restroom available for adult use is located in the office. Adults must wear a visitor’s badge in order to enter the café and have lunch with their child. Students may not be taken outside of the café to eat lunch with parents/guardians. If students are having a scheduled outdoor lunch, parents/guardians must sit at the designated table with their child.

• Student Use of Technology Policy: The district recognizes technology and on-line resources as support to instructional programs and it shall be used to further student learning. Regulations prohibit access to harmful matter on the Internet. Student and parent must sign an Acceptable Use Agreement, outlining responsibilities and obligations, before using the district on-line resources.
• Student Non-Discrimination / Harassment Policy: District programs and activities shall be free from discrimination, including harassment, with respect to the actual or perceived ethnic group, religion, gender, color, race, ancestry, national origin, and physical or mental disability, age or sexual orientation. The Governing Board shall ensure equal opportunities for all students in admission and access to the educational program, guidance and counseling programs, athletic programs, testing procedures, and other activities.
• Student Sexual Harassment Policy: The Governing Board is committed to maintaining a school environment that is free from harassment. The Board prohibits sexual harassment of any student by another student, an employee or other person, at school or at a school sponsored or school-related activity. The Board also prohibits retaliatory behavior or action against any person who complains, testifies, assists or otherwise participates in the complaint process established in accordance with this policy. Any student who engages in sexual harassment of anyone at school or at a school-sponsored or school-related activity is in violation of this policy and shall be subject to disciplinary action.
• Uniform Complaint Procedure Policy: The district shall investigate and seek to resolve complaints at the local level. This district follows uniform procedures when addressing complaints alleging unlawful discrimination or failure to comply with state or federal law in programs for consolidated categorical aid, migrant education, child nutrition, special education, adult basic education, vocational education and child care and development. Contact the Superintendent or Assistant Superintendent for Educational Services if you have a question concerning noncompliance on any of the above listed programs. After receiving the district’s decision regarding a complaint, appeal procedures to the California Department of Education are available. Complaints may use any civil law remedies that are available.