Handbook

Children are to arrive no earlier than 8:15 a.m. as there is no supervision available before school. Children arriving after the beginning of their regularly scheduled school day must report to the office for a late slip. The daily start time for all students is 8:30 a.m. Arrival anytime after this will be considered late.

Regular and prompt attendance is necessary in order for a student to progress satisfactorily and is also required by state law. Longer absences may be prevented if parents keep their children home at the first sign of illness.  When a child is absent or late for any reason, parents must complete the Absence and Delay reporting form or call the attendance hotline EACH DAY of the child’s absence.   

Attendance Hotline (24 hours) - (408) 732-3363  

Choose OPTION 6 to report child’s attendance

If a student is out ill for 5 days or more, a doctor's note may be required before the student returns to school. After 7 or more non-consecutive absences due to illness during the school year, a doctor’s note is required to verify the illness. If your child has a temperature of 100.4 degrees or higher they need to stay home until the temperature returns to normal (98.6) for 24 hours without the use of fever reducing medication. Your child will be readmitted to school when she/he can safely be with others according to public health regulations.  The child should be free of fever without fever-reducing medication and have no vomiting or diarrhea for 24 hours before returning to school.  You can get more information about this from your doctor. State law requires that all absences be verified.  Parents do not need to send a note once the office has been notified. If the office has not heard from parents, it is then necessary to call every parent we have not heard from.  When the office cannot reach a parent for verification, the absence will be marked as unexcused. 

We are required by law to monitor student absences and tardies.  When a student has 3 or more unexcused absences or tardies, parents will be notified by letter of the legal attendance requirements.  Continued absences or tardies may result in being asked to appear before the School Attendance Review Board (SARB).

Please visit the CUSD’s website for complete information on the District’s Attendance Policies.

PBIS (Positive Behavioral Interventions & Support) is our our school-wide behavior system. It is a framework to promote and maximize academic achievement and behavioral competence. It is a school-wide strategy for helping all students achieve important social and learning goals. We know that when good behavior and good teaching come together, our students will excel in their learning. Stocklmeir Elementary School is proud to be a PBIS school. 

As part of the PBIS framework, we have established clear rules for the behaviors we expect in all areas of our school. These expectations are explained in our Behavior Matrix. We will explicitly teach these expectations to the students and reteach throughout the school year. Our staff will acknowledge students’ appropriate behaviors by giving them a Panda Paw Ticket. 

The expectations for all student behaviors will be clear throughout our classrooms, playground, lunch tables, bathrooms, Library, and hallways. Our expectations will provide a school environment where more time is spent instructing and less time spent disciplining. By teaching the expected behaviors in a positive way, we are providing a common language for everyone in our school, including students, teachers, and staff. We believe that by helping students practice good behavior, we will build a school community where all students can learn. PBIS is a framework, and one that we will continue to shift as needed to best meet our needs. We appreciate your help, support, patience, and understanding! 

Children may choose to ride their bikes to school, with parent permission. If parents feel their child is able to safely get to and from school using a bike, they should review the safety rules of the road and the routes to and from school with their child.*  Once they arrive at the edge of the campus, children should get off the bike and WALK it to the bike rack and lock it. *The law requires a student to wear a bike helmet when biking, scootering, or rollerblading.

Children who ride bikes, skateboards, scooters, or rollerblades on campus will be given a warning.  Due to safety concerns, no bikes, skateboards, skates or scooters are allowed to be ridden on campus at any time. We work hard to keep our campus safe and fun for everyone and appreciate student and parent support.  

We do encourage walking and biking to school. 

Parent volunteers are encouraged to participate in walking with students to school as a group, or biking with a group of students to encourage children to bike and walk safely, get to know their neighbors, and reduce traffic in our neighborhood.  Details will be forthcoming all year. Another action encouraged is to drop your child/children off on Inverness and walk along the path to campus.

Cellular phones must be turned off during the school day, including recess and lunch and must be kept in the student’s backpack at all times.  Failure to abide by this policy may result in the cellular phone being confiscated and the loss of cell phone possession privileges at the discretion of the site administrator.  (California Ed Code Section 48901.5)

It is necessary for the office to be notified of any change in your address, home, work telephone, or cell number within 10 days of the change.  All residency information is subject to verification.   Valid proof of residence must be provided at the time of registration or when a change of residence occurs.  Change of residence must be reported to the school office within ten (10) days.  Failure to provide current residency information could result in the immediate withdrawal of your child.

Class parties, birthday celebrations, treats or refreshments should be arranged with the classroom teacher.  Food must meet the nutrition guidelines per the CUSD Wellness Policy. School-wide, there is a “no food” practice for birthday celebrations.

Back to School Night 

During Back to School Night parents will have an opportunity to visit your child’s classroom. Teachers will present information about grade level expectations, instructional materials, the homework policy, and the overall curricular program for the school year. Teachers also will try to answer any general questions parents have. This is an evening for adults. Children are not invited to attend, though they are encouraged to attend our Open House in the spring. If you would like to speak to the teacher regarding concerns about your child, please schedule an appointment to talk with the teacher at another time.

Conferences with Teachers 

Goal setting conferences for all parents are scheduled around the seventh week of school. Shortened days for students allow for teachers to meet with parents. Please arrive promptly for your conference appointment.   If a conference is needed at any other time, please email  or send a note to your child’s teacher.  The students’ instructional time is very valuable; therefore, we ask that parents not interrupt the teachers during the regular school day. 

Panda Folders 

This is a weekly communication folder, sent home each Thursday..  Student work, and other informational notices will be sent home along with papers which students have completed that week. The Panda Folder encourages comments between parent and teacher and allows parents to observe the academic progress of the students. We ask that parents set aside some time each week to review the information in the Panda Folders. The folder needs to be signed and returned the next day. Notes to the teachers, lunch orders, etc. may be sent back to the school in the Panda Folder.

Newsletter 

The Stocklmeir Panda Press is the school newsletter. It is sent electronically via email or can be viewed on the Stocklmeir Elementary School website. It is important that you read this publication to keep informed of school happenings. The content of the newsletter is intended to inform parents of current school activities, events, awards, PTA, and district news.  We make it a point to include pertinent, helpful information that you want and need to know. We ask that parents read the Stocklmeir Log and make note of early release days and other important information.

Open House 

Open House is held each spring and provides an opportunity for students and parents to visit the classrooms together, talk with the teacher, and view some of the work students have completed during the school year. Parents and community are welcome to circulate throughout the campus buildings to see various classes and programs.  Teachers are not available during this time for individual conferencing. 

PTA

The Parent Teacher Association (PTA) strives to encourage cooperation between the home, school, and community. The PTA sponsors diverse activities, and the funds raised by the PTA are used to supplement programs and materials not funded through other channels. PTA meets regularly. Visit their website for more information.

School Site Council (SSC) 

SSC is an elected committee. Its function is to annually provide input and monitor the School Improvement Plan, as well as to serve in an advisory capacity on school issues.. The council is generally composed of ten members:  four parents, four teachers, one classified employee and the principal. The SSC meets monthly in the school library.

Telephone 

Students may use the school phone for emergencies only.  Generally, forgotten homework, books, milk money, lunches, etc. are not considered emergencies.  The phones need to be kept available for school business. 

Emergency Evacuation 

In case of an emergency, please do not call the school. We must keep our phone lines open for emergency communications. We are on an immediate telephone alert system with our district office. If phones are out of order, there is a backup radio system.  Staff members are CPR and /or First Aid certified. Student Emergency Cards will be used for identification for each child. If evacuation becomes necessary, the instructions on the Emergency Release Card will be followed. It is imperative that you always keep all information up to date on this card.  

Parents should develop an evacuation plan with their children and be sure that children understand it in detail.  In case of an emergency, traffic conditions may prohibit the use of cars, so parents may need to park a distance away and walk to the school. A student release center will be set up on campus. This is where parents will go to check out their child.

Both the district and the school have disaster plans in place. Fire, earthquake, and lockdown drills are practiced regularly. The school’s Disaster Preparedness Plan is updated each year and is housed in the school office. The PTA and district have supported the school's efforts to purchase necessary equipment and supplies.

Should parents wish to contact the teacher to discuss any issues relating to your student, you may email the teacher, leave a message on the teacher’s voicemail, or send a note with your child to set up a meeting. In the morning, teachers are busy getting ready for the day and greeting their students and may not be available for unscheduled conversations so we ask parents to schedule a time to meet and have conversations with the teacher. The teachers will be happy to speak with you about your student and discuss progress. If you just need to relay information about an appointment, please email the teacher, send a note, or simply check your child out at the school office.

Please refer to the CUSD COVID-19 Health and Safety Guidelines for the most up to date information regarding COVID-19. 

Students will be dismissed from their classrooms at 2:35 or 3:05.  As always, we request that when students are dismissed from school (regardless of the time), they do not play on the playground, play structures or grass areas.  Learning is still taking place and staff supervision is not available.

The Constitution of the State of California requires that we provide a public education to you free of charge. Your right to a free education is for all school/educational activities, whether curricular or extracurricular, and whether you get a grade for the activity or class.  Subject to certain exceptions, your right to a free public education means that we cannot require you or your family to purchase materials, supplies, equipment or uniforms for any school activity, nor can we require you or your family to pay security deposits for access, participation, materials, or equipment.  You may be required to attend a fundraising event; however, fundraising is voluntary, and you will not be prevented from participating in an educational activity because you are unable to raise money or donate goods or services.

Students are asked to attend school dressed in a manner which is clean and not hazardous to their safety or the safety of others, and which does not detract from the learning environment.

In the case of a medical emergency occurring at school during a non-disaster school day, the school will attempt to contact a parent. If the parent is unavailable, the emergency contact person listed on the enrollment card will be called.  In order to best serve your child, please be certain to notify the office of any new phone numbers or emergency contact names.

School and staff will work with room representatives to provide nutritional alternatives for class parties to follow the District’s Health and Wellness Policy. Birthdays can be celebrated with non-edible goodies or even with a donation to your child’s classroom in your child’s name.

RESEARCH has produced no clear-cut consensus on the benefits of homework at the early elementary grade levels. The usual defenses of homework — that it promotes higher achievement, reinforces learning, and teaches study skills and responsibility- none of these assumptions actually passes the tests of research, logic, or experience. Benefits appear to only accrue at the high school level.

EQUITY- Students whose parents are available and able to help with homework have a distinct advantage over those whose parents work in the evenings or are unable to help with homework because of language barriers or their own lack of educational opportunities (Dumont et al., 2012).

FAMILY AND CHILD IMPACTS- Stress, lack of free play time (developmentally inappropriate), battles over homework, loss of family quality time, negative impact on child’s feelings about school.

Stocklmeir Homework Practices:

• No work outside class will be graded

• Unfinished classwork can be completed at home, but child will only be graded on portion completed at school

• Teachers have the discretion to assign work to be done at home occasionally, as needed. For example, teachers can recommend outside activities to prepare for tests, presentations, or projects

• There are grade level resource banks available to parents who might want additional work activities for their child

All articles found on the grounds or in the building will be placed in the Lost and Found. Valuable articles and cash are kept in the office. Marking your child’s clothing and personal belongings will help get the item back to your child. Unclaimed clothing items are donated to charity during each school vacation. 

Our policy is that all items can be put on the lunch/item cart that is located right outside the office. Lunch or other items (including homework, books, etc.) may not be delivered to the classroom where such delivery can be disruptive to the instructional program.  Please advise your children to check on the rolling cart outside the office any time they do not have their lunch or any item for drop off. Please do not go to the tables or playground and wait for your child at any time. You must come to the office and check. 

For the 2023-2024 school year, a free  Hot Lunch Program  is available to all students.   A lunch count will be taken each morning.  Students should be able to indicate which option lunch they prefer.  Vegetarian lunches are available.   Lunches are prepared at a central location in the district and delivered to each school based on a lunch count that is taken daily in each classroom.  

All students are expected to sit with their class at their assigned table or designated eating area for the first 15 minutes of the lunch period.  Students should eat their own food.  There is no trading or sharing.  Lunch from home should not contain any glass or knives. Students are expected to eat their own lunch using good manners and wait to be dismissed by the noon duty supervisor.

Head Lice 

Head lice can happen to anyone, anywhere. Please report any case of head lice to the office.  Cleanliness does not seem to be a significant factor; lice are attracted to ALL children. You will seldom see the lice themselves.  The symptom is an itchy head.  Look for the tiny white eggs (nits) attached to a strand of hair.  After treatment, district policy requires that children not be allowed to return to school until all nits have been removed. Students must be checked in the office before returning to class.  

Injuries, Illness, Medication, Rashes 

In the case of an emergency, the school will contact the parent or if the parent is unavailable, the emergency contact person listed on the enrollment card.  The school must be notified in the case of any changes of telephone numbers.

Students injured while at school are cared for in the following ways:

1. An injury may be inspected by the teacher who may keep the student under observation in the classroom.
2. For a more serious injury, the child is sent to the office for first aid.
3. The home is routinely notified of a student receiving an injury to the head, whether it appears serious or not.
4. The parent will also be notified and asked to come for the child if the student exhibits any of the following:

• Temperature - If your child has a temperature of 100.4 degrees or higher they must remain at home until he/she has a normal 98.6 degree temperature for 24 hours without the use of a fever reducing medication.
• Nausea or vomiting – Students must remain at home until free of symptoms for at least 24 hours if they have vomited. 
• Diarrhea – Students must remain at home until free of symptoms for at least 24 hours.
• Evidence of a communicable disease such as a rash, swelling or unusual sore throat.
• Severe headache
• Spasm or convulsion
•  Complaints from the child of feeling ill when the child was home the day before or felt ill before coming to school.
• Any severe accident, including a deep cut, possible fracture or dislocation, or any accident requiring immediate medical attention.
• Conjunctivitis – pink eye
• Undiagnosed rash – Rashes need to be verified by your doctor that they are non-contagious; a note is needed.
• Continuous coughing or runny nose.

No child is sent home until the parent or emergency contact is contacted and transportation arranged.  Transportation is the responsibility of the parent.

If a student is sent home from school for feeling ill, the child may not return that day.  A doctor’s note for absences over five (5) days is required. This may be 5 separate absences, so we recommend getting a doctor's note for each visit.

A school nurse is on call during the school day. The office staff has been trained in first aid procedures. In the case of a very serious injury or medical issue, 911 will be called, and you will be notified to come to the school. Should no one be available on the emergency card, your child may be transported to the nearest hospital via ambulance with school staff.

Medical/Dental Appointments or Early Check Out 

Please make appointments before or after school hours. On occasion parents find it necessary to pick up their children prior to the regular dismissal time. When this happens, parents must come to the office and sign the student out. Please wait in the office until your child is called from the classroom.  This is less disruptive to the class.  Students will not be released to anyone during the school day that is not indicated on their enrollment/health card, and students are never released from the classroom. You must come to the office and show ID if you are not immediately recognized.

Medication 

NO medication, including aspirin, may be administered by school personnel unless written approval has been given by a physician and parent.  Many medications can be timed so that they can be given at home by a parent. If it is necessary for the child to have over the counter or prescription medication at school, the required permission form must be filled out and signed by both the parent and the physician. All medications must be kept in its original labeled container and will be locked in the medicine cabinet in the office. All student medications must be kept in the office.

When a student is moving from Stocklmeir, parents should notify the school at least a week in advance, if possible. We need the following information:  your child’s name, new home address, name and address of the new school. The new school will request student records.

The office hours are 8:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on school days, unless otherwise posted for professional development or special events.  The telephone will be answered during those hours and someone will be available to assist you. You can reach the office personnel at (408) 732-3363.  During non-school hours, a message may be left.

Parking at Stocklmeir is very limited. Please do not park in designated staff parking spots, even if the spot is empty.  Visitors and volunteers are encouraged to participate in car pools, walk whenever possible, follow the directions of staff and parent traffic volunteers, and be courteous, thoughtful and safe whenever driving on campus. Cars may NEVER be left unattended during student release times.  We ask parents to stay in their cars, always move as far to the front of the “pick up” lane as possible, and wait for their children to come to them. There is only one lane for student drop-off/pick-up. Please, do not block the driveway or the red zone, as staff and emergency vehicles need to enter. Violation of stopping in the red zone may result in a ticket.

Our special education team includes our Resource Specialists, Psychologist, Speech Pathologist, Occupational Therapist, and the Administration. This team meets regularly to monitor the progress of all students receiving special education services.

Before and after school care is available for cost, provided by Catalyst Kids and Champions. Please visit catalystkids.org and discoverchampions.com for more information. Both are located on our campus, which is very convenient!

In order to help students develop study and organizational skills, the staff at Stocklmeir uses an organizational planner for all third through fifth grade students. Our objectives are to create a better organized student, improve academic performance, improve home/school communication, and increase awareness of class functions, expectations, and activities.

The Student Success Team (SST) is a group of Stocklmeir educators who meet regarding students who have any special situation that needs care. The purpose is to provide support and assistance to the student, parent, and classroom teachers. The parents and older students, when appropriate, generally attend the SST Conferences.

Stocklmeir School is a tobacco-free facility in accordance with Cupertino Union School District Board Policy 3513.3 and the State of California.

We value our community partnerships. It is with this help that we are able to achieve excellence in our school. Volunteers help make Stocklmeir a more productive and interesting place to learn. Your help with resources and time can be of great assistance whether you work in the classroom, help out from home or work on organizing projects in the office. Volunteers are an integral part of the Stocklmeir school program.  If you are interested in becoming a parent volunteer, please pick up the forms at the office. There are many events where the TB/Fingerprinting booths are available on campus, as well as having the flexibility to schedule these at your convenience. If you are interested, please email the assistant principal if you need financial assistance for the cost of fingerprinting or TB testing. We cannot thank our volunteers enough for all they do here at Stocklmeir.

TB Test Requirement 

Parent volunteers are very important people and we truly appreciate their time, expertise, and commitment. We must make sure that we are in compliance with California State regulations, which mandate that parent volunteers who serve students in our schools be tested and cleared for tuberculosis in accordance with the required state guidelines. 

COVID-19 Vaccination

Parent volunteers must have completed COVID-19 vaccinations, including booster or have a negative test result prior to volunteering.

Fingerprinting 

To insure the safety of our students, parent volunteers are required to be fingerprinted. If you have been fingerprinted for another agency, law does not permit each agency to share information. You will need to be fingerprinted one time only for CUSD for any length of volunteer service.

All volunteers must sign in at the office and wear their volunteer badge.  This helps us recognize who is on our campus, and students identify strangers versus visitors based on the badge.