Policies

Student safety and courtesy for others are matters of considerable importance at Silver Oak School. It is important that parents do their part to assist in this effort. We request that all families respect the traffic guidelines.

• Drive all the way forward in the drive through areas before dropping off or picking up your child.
• Make sure your child exits your vehicle through the passenger side.
• Do not park your car and leave it unattended in the drive through areas.
• Do not block handicap parking spots at any time.
• At all of the entrances (main parking lot, bus loop and Trowbridge) make sure you pull all the way forward to pick up or drop off your child.
• Do not double park at any time.
• Do not park behind other cars, thus blocking their exit.
• Backpacks should be easily accessible, and children should be prompted by drivers to move quickly and safely onto the sidewalk.
• Please be courteous to the adults that are assisting our children in arriving and departing from school in a safe manner.

Please review our school Student Drop-off and Pick-up Protocol.

General Attendance

Regular attendance is essential to a student’s success in school. Persistent absenteeism creates a genuine hardship for a student and is regarded as a very serious problem. It is the parents’ responsibility to ensure that their children arrive at school every day on time.

Please report absences before 8:30 a.m. on the day your child is absent. You may receive an automated phone call at work or home verifying an absence.

Tardiness to class is harmful to the individual student and disruptive to the classroom. Students are marked “tardy” if they arrive at school after 8:05 a.m.

Tardy students must acquire a tardy slip from the office prior to going to class. Parents of students who have frequent absences will be contacted by the classroom teacher and/or the principal to discuss interventions to improve the child’s attendance pattern. Students with excessive absences or tardies may be referred to the Student Study Team, and /or District Student Attendance Review Board (SARB) Committee.

Missing School for Extended Vacations

Around school holiday breaks we often receive inquiries about extended vacations. Please make sure you understand these policies we have in place before committing to travel plans:

• After 10 consecutive days of a child being marked with an unexcused absence, they will be dropped from our system. Parents are reminded that a student absence from school is considered "excused" when it is due to illness, a medical/dental appointment, funeral service for a member of the student's immediate family, a court appearance, or religious observance. All other absences are considered to be unexcused. If your child misses 10 consecutive days of school you will be referred to the Student Study Team and/or District School Attendance Review Board (SARB).
• After that you will have to re-enroll and if spaces are full then you may lose the specific teacher or spot at our school.

Independent Study

Parents have been asking about independent study to make up the work and not be dropped. Independent study is designed for students who have medical issues and is not for families to take extended vacations. If you are interested in moving to online learning you can contact Evergreen School District's Instruction department for more options.

It is each student's responsibility to bring to school their classroom supplies, homework, P.E. clothes, lunch or lunch money, and anything else they need at school. It is important for students to learn to handle this responsibility. It is NOT the responsibility of parents or school staff to do it for them.

If your child forgets items that he or she was supposed to bring to school, we encourage you to let them learn from the experience. If they have to deal with the consequences themselves they will have a strong incentive to take more responsibility for bringing what they need the next time.

The office staff will NOT interrupt classroom instruction to notify your child, call your child's classroom, or deliver a note or summons to them. 

This policy limits disruptions of class instruction and facilitates a full instructional program for all students. We appreciate your cooperation in making sure all students' school days are without interruptions.

If you are bringing lunch, money, assignments, or have other business, please go directly to the office rather than the classroom where such interruptions can be disruptive. Parent volunteers are required to go to the office to sign the visitors’ log and pick up a visitor’s badge before going to the classroom. Parents wishing to visit their child’s classroom should telephone the teacher in advance for an appointment.

We ask that parents and family members who are dropping off and picking up students in the afternoon wait outside the building and not in the multipurpose room or classroom wings. Our students' safety and security is our highest priority.

Students may not leave the school without permission. If you must remove your child prior to dismissal, please come to the office, and we will notify your child’s class. Please schedule appointments late in the afternoon to minimize disruptions to your child’s education.

Students riding bicycles to school are required to observe the following rules. Silver Oak School assumes no liability in case of theft or vandalism.

• Wear approved bike helmets.
• Do not ride bikes on or through the campus.
• Provide individual lock and chain. Park and lock bicycle in racks provided.

Students are expected to dress appropriately and to be properly groomed for the school day. The type and style of clothing and hairstyle are individual and personal. The school shall be concerned only when these are extreme and could cause distractions or are unsafe. Appropriate shoes must be worn at all times for safety reasons. Shorts, skirts and dresses must be a minimum of fingertip-length.

Examples of inappropriate clothing may include:

• Garments where the torso is exposed, such as tube tops, tank tops, half shirts, spaghetti straps and halter tops.
• Clothing or buttons which show obscene words or pictures, sexually suggestive statements, drug or alcohol statements.
• Hats (limited to playground during recess times; no backward caps are allowed).
• Clothing suggesting gang-related activities
• Recreational clothing, such as bathing suits, gum shorts, cut-offs, etc.
• Sandals, opened-toed shoes and platform shoes.

We believe that a student's success in school is directly proportionate to being at school and on time daily. The California Department of Education agrees.

The California Legislature defines a truant in very precise language. In summary, it states that a student missing more than 30 minutes of instruction without an excuse three times during the school year must be classified as a truant and reported to the proper school authority. This classification and referral helps emphasize the importance of school attendance and is intended to help minimize interference with instruction. The California Education Code (EC) section that defines a truant reads as follows:

EC Section 48260(a): Any pupil subject to compulsory full-time education or compulsory continuation education who is absent from school without a valid excuse three full days or tardy or absent more than any 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 the superintendent of the school district.

In compliance, we will send out truancy letters accordingly. Should you have any questions about letters received, please contact the site Principal. Parents are reminded that a student absence from school is considered "excused" when it is due to illness, a medical/dental appointment, funeral service for a member of the student's immediate family, a court appearance, or religious observance. All other absences are considered to be "unexcused."

The following Evergreen School District policies are provided to you to increase your awareness of what is and is not tolerated at any Evergreen School District campus. Policies can be accessed online or requested from the school office.

Student Use of Technology - B.P. 6163.4

The Governing Board recognizes that technology provides ways to access the most current and extensive sources of information. Technology enables students to practice skills and to develop reasoning and problem-solving abilities. Every effort shall be made to provide equal access to technology throughout the district’s schools and classes. Students are responsible for adhering to Evergreen School District’s Acceptable Use Agreement.

Non-Discrimination - B.P. 5145.3

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.

Sexual Harassment - B.P. 5145.7

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 - B.P. 1312.4

The Board recognizes that the district has primary responsibility for ensuring compliance with state and federal laws and regulations governing education. The district shall investigate and seek to resolve complaints at the local level. The district shall follow uniform procedures when addressing civil rights guarantees, complaints alleging unlawful discrimination or gender equity issues, or failure to comply with state or federal law in programs for consolidated categorical aid, Indian education, migrant education, child nutrition, special education, adult education, career/vocation education, and child development. The Board prohibits retaliation in any form for the filing of a complaint, the reporting of instances of discrimination, or for participation in complaint procedures. Such participation shall not in any way affect the status, grades, or work assignments of the complainant. The Board acknowledges and respects employee rights to privacy. Discrimination complaints shall be investigated in a manner that protects the confidentiality of the parties and the facts. This includes keeping the identity of the complainant confidential except to the extent necessary to carry out the investigation or proceedings, as determined by the Superintendent or designee on a case-by-case basis. The Superintendent or designee shall ensure that employees designated to investigate complaints are knowledgeable about the laws and programs for which they are responsible.

Tobacco-Free Environment - B.P. 4016.1 and 5131.62

Documentation and research has demonstrated the health hazards associated with the use of tobacco products and the breathing of second-hand smoke. Further, a legislative mandate requires the district to alleviate the presence and use of tobacco products in the educational environment. The Governing Board intends to maintain tobacco and smoke-free school facilities, grounds, offices, work areas, and district vehicles for all of its students, employees, parents, volunteers, and visitors.

Williams Uniform Complaint Procedures - B.P. 3212.4 W

The Board recognizes that the district has primary responsibility for ensuring compliance with state and federal laws and regulations governing education. The district shall investigate and seek to resolve complaints at the local level. The district shall follow uniform procedures when addressing complaints regarding Instructional Materials, Teacher Vacancy/Mis-assignment and Facilities conditions which pose an emergency or urgent threat to the health or safety of students and/or staff.

Protection of Pupil Rights

The district has adopted policies, in consultation with parents, regarding student and parent rights as well as arrangements to protect the privacy in the administration of protected information surveys and the collection, disclosure, or use of personal information for marketing, sales or other distribution purposes. The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act gives parents certain rights with respect to their child’s educational records. More information is available in the school office.