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Policies

Parents/guardians must contact the school office whenever their child is absent.
 
Call the school office at 650-877-8825 or e-mail [email protected] with the following information:
 
  • Caller’s name and relationship to student
  • Student’s full name
  • Date(s) of absence
  • Reason(s) for absence
 

Excusable absences include: 

 

  • Illness
  • Medical/dental appointment
  • Death or funeral of immediate family member.
 
Parents/guardians may clear excused absences by providing the school office with a signed note within 72 hours of the absence that includes the current date, student’s name, and exact days he/she was absent.
Studies show that there is a direct correlation between attendance rates, health, and student achievement. Some of the negative impacts of spotty attendance include:
 
  • Students must work twice as hard the next day to catch up on missed instruction and missed assignments including homework. 

  • Teachers lose class time by having to repeat lessons for students who were absent. 

  • Schools lose funding from the State of California when students are absent from school. This includes all absences, even those related to illness, medical, or dental appointments.
     
  • A loss of funding can lead to the loss of programs such as music, technology, summer school, etc.
 
Chronic absence in kindergarten is also associated with lower academic performance in first grade among all children and may predict lower levels of educational achievement by the end of fifth grade.
 
 
Help your child achieve consistent attendance by:

 

  • Creating a contract with your child;

  • Discussing problems your child may have at school and informing teachers about anything serious;

  • Reinforcing the importance of punctuality;

  • Setting regular bedtime schedules;

  • Incorporating regular exercise in your child's daily activities.

Students who have received three (3) or more office behavior referrals will be referred to the Positive Behavior Intervention Support (PBIS) system.
 
Identified students will receive effective behavior interventions, and their parents/guardians will also receive support via the RTI2/PBIS framework as measured by student and staff surveys.
 
Our schoolwide discipline goal is to reduce the percentage of students referred for office discipline or suspended for violation of Ed Codes 48900.
  • The health and welfare of our students and staff are a top priority. Please observe the following guidelines to help maintain your health and that of your child:
     
    • Teach children to wash their hands properly, especially after using the restroom, and frequently throughout the day.

    • Provide healthy, nutritious food and a good breakfast everyday. Reduce the consumption of soda and foods with processed sugar, while increasing daily intake of fruits and vegetables.

    • Designate regular and consistent bedtimes for children, so they can receive 8 hours of sleep each night.

    • Cough into the elbow to reduce the spread of germs.
Regular attendance and being on time is closely related to achievement and success at school.
 
The cafeteria opens at 8:00 AM for breakfast, and school starts at 8:25 AM.
 
Students should come to school on time each day.
 
Because school attendance is compulsory under state law, parents/ guardians must ensure that their child attends school on time.
  • Students may be picked up early during school hours for emergency appointments only. Parents/guardians must notify the school office no later than 24 hours after the emergency appointment.
     
    To minimize learning loss, parents should refrain from making appointments for their children during school hours, and students should attend classes up until the time they need to leave for their appointment.
     
    All persons picking up students early from school must provide appropriate photo identification when signing students out at the school office.
     
    School staff will review the student’s emergency card information to confirm that the person is authorized to pick up the student.
     
    The student will not be authorized to leave school, if the person is not listed on the student's emergency card.
Tardy students must obtain a tardy slip from the school office before entering class. 
 
The school will initiate a discussion with parents/guardians in the event of a student's excessive tardiness.
 
Three (3) tardies of 30 minutes or more may result in referral to the district's attendance and welfare office. 
First Notification Letter
 
To be classified as a truant, a student must have had three (3) unexcused absences or three (3) tardies of 30 minutes or more. Education Code Section 48260.5 requires that the parent/guardian be notified by a letter informing them of what can occur if their child fails to attend school.
 
Second Notification Letter and Truancy Meeting
 
In the event of continued attendance issues, the school will generate a second letter that includes a time and date for a meeting with the school principal.
 

Students who have been identified as truant (5 or more unexcused absences and/or 10 tardies) will be presented with an attendance contract or attendance improvement plan.

 

Regular truancy meetings will be held with students and their parents/guardians to improve the student's attendance rate. Our schoolwide average daily attendance (ADA) goal is 98%. 

 

Third Notification Letter and School Attendance and Review Board (SARB)
 
In the event of continued attendance issues, the student child will be referred to the School Attendance Review Board (SARB). 

Our school has adopted a color-specific uniform policy and will enforce a strict dress code. Uniforms may be purchased at any of the retail vendors including:

  • Children’s Place
  • CookiesKids.com
  • Dickies.com
  • FrenchToast.com
  • JC Penney
  • Kohl’s
  • Landsend.com
  • Old Navy/Gap
  • Sears
  • Simply Uniforms in Colma (PTA recommended)
  • Target

 

Land's End.com donates a portion of all uniform purchases back to our school.
 
When shopping at Lands end.com, click “Shop by School" and enter Ponderosa's school ID #900049396.
 
 
School-branded shirts, hoodies, and crewneck sweatshirts are available for purchase on the Spirit Store website.
 

Parents should write their child's name name on the inside of all garments. All students must adhere to the following guidelines.

 

Please contact the principal for noncompliance/waiver procedures.

 

Tops

Standard uniform tops for boys and girls must be plain, solid, and collared or optionally bear the school logo.

 

Colors

  • White
  • Navy blue
  • Maroon

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Types

  • Blouses (Peter Pan collar)
  • Button-down
  • Long-sleeved
  • Polos
  • Short-sleeved
  • Turtlenecks

 

The following clothing tops do NOT conform with the school's uniform/dress code policy and are NOT ALLOWED:

 
  • Tops with outside writing, printing, designs, patterns, symbols, graphics, or logos;
  • Tops that are ragged or torn;
  • Tops that are oversized;
  • Tops that expose a student's back, shoulder, midriff, or chest (e.g., halter tops, low cut necklines, mesh fabrics);
  • Tank tops or undershirts*
 
*Plain, solid, white, or navy undershirts should be worn under the top.
 

Bottoms

School Uniform Little Boys Iron Knee Stain Resistant Wrinkle Resistant Plain Front Chino Pants, FrontSchool Uniform Little Boys Iron Knee Stain Resistant Wrinkle Resistant Plain Front Chino Pants, FrontAll bottoms for boys and girls must be plain, solid, fitted at the waist, and hemmed.

 

Colors

  • Navy blue
  • Khaki
  • Green plaid

 

Types

  • Pants
  • Shorts
  • Skorts, skirts**
  • Jumpers**

 

**The length of shorts, skorts, skirts, and jumpers must pass the mid-thigh. (to test: stand with arms at side, length cannot be shorter than fingertips). Plain, solid, white or navy leggings and spandex shorts should be worn under skirts and jumpers, not by themselves. All undergarments must be concealed.

 

The following bottoms do NOT conform with the school's uniform/dress code policy and are NOT ALLOWED:

  • Jeans
  • Sweatpants
  • Pajamas
  • Bottoms that are ragged or torn
  • Bottoms that are oversized
 

Shoes

 
All shoes must be flat-heeled, close-toed, and properly tied and/or have heel straps.
 
The following bottoms do NOT conform with the school's uniform/dress code policy and are NOT ALLOWED:
 
  • Opened-toed shoes
  • Backless shoes
  • High heels
  • “Wheelies”
 
Teachers will enforce the school's dress code when taking attendance. Students who arrive at school out of compliance with the uniform/dress code policy, will be asked to change into appropriate clothing that has been previously donated to the school or that is subsequently provided by their parent/guardian.

 

Students who continually fail to comply with the school uniform/dress code policy will face disciplinary action that includes confiscation of the inappropriate clothing item and/or suspension (State Education Code 48800K).

 

Pictures, symbols, emblems, insignias on clothing or accessories are strictly prohibited when deemed:

  • Contrary to law (e.g., advertising drugs, alcohol, tobacco, gambling, weapons, and gangs);
  • Degrading/advocating any cultural, racial, ethnic, homophobic, sexist or religious prejudices; or
  • Crude, vulgar, profane, obscene or sexually suggestive or explicit