School Handbook
Cedar Mill Family Handbook
- Welcome to Cedar Mill!
- Arrival and Dismissal Procedures
- Attendance Expectations
- Emergency Drills and Closures
- Nutrition Services
- Health Information
- Home/School Communication
- Volunteering
- School Hours & Schedule
- School & District Policies and Procedures
- Behavior Expectations
Welcome to Cedar Mill!
Dear Cedar Mill Community,
Welcome to a new school year! I am as excited as Cedar Mill's students, teachers, and parents for what is to come in the upcoming school year.
We all have an important role in encouraging children to become active learners. It is important for us to partner together in providing a safe and inclusive atmosphere, which sets all students up for success. This includes providing engaging and rigorous academic experiences, and supporting students to be safe, kind, and respectful individuals.
This handbook is designed to provide answers to common questions about Cedar Mill. Please find some time to review this handbook as a family. In establishing the guidelines, procedures, and expectations in advance, it is our hope to set both students and families up for success from day one. If at any time during the year you have questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me.
You may also find it helpful to reference the BSD Student Code of Conduct and the BSD Policies and Regulations with which this handbook is aligned.
We look forward to a wonderful year ahead and your continued partnership in empowering all students with opportunities for success.
Sincerely,
Amy Chamberlain, Principal
Arrival and Dismissal Procedures
School Bus
Riding the school bus is a privilege. Students who do violate bus rules will initially receive a verbal warning. Further violations may result in a formal bus citation. Parents will be contacted and the principal will determine the consequences of the citation. It is possible to lose bus-riding privileges if problems persist.
BUS PROCEDURES
- Students are to get on and off the bus at the stop designated by transportation.
- If a student plans to ride a bus other than their assigned bus, or get off at a stop other than their assigned stop, they must have a written note from a parent/guardian. This note must also be signed by the school office.
- Students should arrive at their assigned bus stop five minutes before the scheduled time.
BUS BEHAVIOR: A Cedar Mill bus rider always...
- Obeys and does not bother the bus driver.
- Uses proper language at an appropriate level.
- Is courteous to others.
- Uses feet, hands and objects safely and appropriately.
- Takes a seat quickly without shoving or shouting.
- Stays in the same seat until ready to get off the bus.
Arrival
Staff members will be stationed to greet and supervise students from 8:15am until 8:30.
- DO NOT drop off children earlier than 8:15am.
- Parents must pull forward to the designated drop off area at the north-east end of the parking lot before dropping children off.
- It is extremely helpful if students are ready to exit the vehicle as it pulls into the designated drop off area. If extra time is needed please pull through and locate a parking space.
- After 8:30am, parents MUST park and walk their children to the office.
Dismissal
At the beginning of the school year, a parent or guardian must provide a written record of each student's dismissal plan. Any time there are changes from the normal routine, written notification from a parent or guardian is required. Please do not email same-day changes to the teacher or office. If there is an emergency change to a child's dismissal plan, please call the office before 2:00pm.
- For "office pick up," please park in the lot and wait outside the main entrance of the school. Students will be released to an authorized adult starting at 3:05pm.
- For "drive-through pick up," please do not arrive before 3:15pm to allow busses time to load and depart. Students will be escorted to the designated pick up area at the north-east end of the parking lot at this time.
- Parents may not wait in the hallways outside of classrooms as this leads to unnecessary congestion in the hallways during dismissal.
Walking and Biking
- Students who walk to school should only cross Cornell Road and NW 102nd at the intersection with the school crossing guard. Crossing guards are on duty 8:10-8:30am and 3:05-3:20pm.
- Students may ride bicycles to school. Once on school grounds, bicycles must be walked directly to the bike rack and locked securely.
- We strongly discourage students from bringing roller blades or scooters to school because they cannot be stored in the school building. They must be locked to the bike rack.
- Shoes with roller skates in the soles (eg. Heelys) are not allowed.
- Skateboards are not allowed on school grounds by district policy.
- All students using bicycles, scooters or roller blades MUST wear a helmet at all times.
Parking Lot Procedures
The safety of all children is our number one priority at Cedar Mill. EVERYONE must do their part to assure the safety of our students. Because the size of our drop-off and pick-up area is so limited, parking lot rules designed to minimize safety issues must be strictly followed. Staff will always be available to assist individuals unfamiliar with our drop-off and pick-up routines.
RULES OF THE ROAD
- Students must be dropped off and picked up ONLY at the north-east end of the parking lot, near the red gate at the entrance to the playground.
- Do not park, drop-off or pick-up children along NW 102nd, Cornell Road, or as you first enter the parking lot.
- Do not park in the BUS PARKING ONLY section. This includes the entire bank of spaces at the north end of the parking lot, facing the field.
- Do not stop in the middle of the driving lanes.
- Cars entering the parking lot before 8:15am must park to allow for busses to enter the lot.
- Parents should not walk along or through the sidewalks in the bus-loading zone while busses are loading.
Attendance Expectations
absences
All students are expected to attend school daily. If your child must be absent, please call the attendance line to let us know (503-356-2051). Some excusable reasons for absence include illness, quarantine, bereavement, family illness, inclement weather, religious instruction or emergencies. Please note that vacations are recorded as unexcused absences per District policy. In the event that a student is absent for ten consecutive days, the student will be dropped from the roll and must be reactivated upon return to school. Please make every effort to schedule your child's appointments, family vacations, music lessons, etc. around the school day and calendar. Missed instructional time, even in small increments, quickly adds up and impacts your child's overall learning.
tardiness
It is very important for your child to be on time to school so that they start the day with everyone else. The school day begins promptly at 8:30am. Children who arrive after 8:30am are recorded as tardy. In order to get your child off to a good start in the morning, and prevent disruption of classes, please help your child be at school on time. If you child arrives after 8:30am, you must park and escort him/her to the office to obtain an admit slip.
Emergency Drills and Closures
School Closure for Inclement Weather
Snow days - school closure or delayed opening
In the event of inclement weather, an announcement of a school closure or a delayed school opening will be made between 5:00am and 7:30am on local television and radio stations. The District will also call or text all SchoolMessenger subscribers and post the information on the BSD website. Please do not call the school office phone with unnecessary calls. In the event of a two-hour delayed opening, school will start at 10:30am.
snow routes
In inclement weather, some busses will make limited runs and some routes will be cancelled. Snow Routes will be updated and posted on the Beaverton School District Transportation website. Please familiarize your family with the Snow Routes before the need arises.
Emergency Early School Dismissal
Any early dismissal due to inclement weather or for any other reason (power outage, etc.) is considered an emergency school closure. Cedar Mill will follow the Emergency School Closure Plan that parents indicated in their online enrollment verification at the beginning of the school year. This plan includes information about how children will leave school and where they are to go in the event of an emergency closure. Parents should share this information with children in advance to help reduce anxiety. Parents will be notified of any emergency closures through SchoolMessenger.
Emergency Drills
Beaverton School District has adopted the Standard Response Protocol for responses to emergencies and critical incidents that occur in our schools. The Standard Response Protocol is utilized for students from Kindergarten through twelfth grade. Please take a moment to review the four actions as they are crucial for all Beaverton School District stakeholders.
- Lockout – The threat or hazard is outside the of the school building. Secure the perimeter.
- Lockdown – The threat is inside the building. Locks, lights, out of site.
- Evacuate – Evacuate students and staff from one location to another.
- Shelter in Place – Shelter is called when the need for personal protection is necessary.
Fire and evacuation drills are practiced monthly. All other drills are held two or more times per year.
More information on the Standard Response Protocol can be found in the BSD Student and Family Handbook and on the District website.
Nutrition Services
Nutritious breakfasts and lunches are available for all students to purchase each day. Students my also purchase low-fat white or non-fat chocolate milk to go along with lunch brought from home.
We understand the occasional need to drop off student lunches at the school office. However, we are unable to accommodate this practice on a daily or frequent basis.
- Meal Prices
- Menu
- Meal Times
- Free & Reduced Price Meal Benefits
- Meal Etiquette
- Student Meal Accounts & Payments
Meal Prices
Menu
Breakfast and lunch menus for the current month are posted on the Nutrition Services Webpage.
Meal Times
Free & Reduced Price Meal Benefits
If a family is experiencing financial need, they may complete an application for free or reduced-price meals for all school-age students in their family. Applications and instructions are available on the Nutrition Services Webpage. Paper applications are also available at the school office.
The application process and each student's meal benefit status are completely confidential. Families may apply for meal benefits at any time throughout the school year. A new application is required for each school year. For more information, please call the Nutrition Services Meal Benefits Office at 503-356-3957.
Meal Etiquette
Health department regulations stipulate that students should wash their hands before eating and are not allowed to share any portion of their meal. Students are expected to clean up after themselves, return trays to the proper location, recycle appropriate items, and dispose of garbage in the waste bin.
Student Meal Accounts & Payments
Each student is assigned their own individual meal account which they can access using their student ID number. The meal account is a debit account, so students not eligible for free or reduced-price meals must deposit money into their account before they can purchase meals. Parents can deposit money into their child's account by cash, check, or using an online payment service.
Sending Cash or a Check
When making a payment, please indicate your student's first and last name, along with their student ID number on the memo line of the check, or on the outside of an envelope for cash. Checks should be made out to "BSD Nutrition Services." It's best to deliver payments directly to the Nutrition Services staff in the cafeteria so that payments can be applied before the next meal. There is also a drop-box for payments in the cafeteria, however it is possible that payments deposited in the box may not be applied in time for the next meal service.
Making Payments Online
Beaverton School District Nutrition Services has contracted with SchoolCafe to manage student lunch accounts. Parents can register for a free account on the SchoolCafe Website. You will need your child's student ID number. Payments made are usually credited to a student's account within 2 hours, but may take up to 24 hours, so it's best to make payments at least one day in advance. There is a $20.00 minimum and a 5% service fee for deposits made through SchoolCafe.
Once you have registered for a SchoolCafe account, you can do the following at no charge:
- Create a free, secured account to manage all of your students' meal accounts.
- Check your students' current account balance at any time.
- Monitor items your student has been purchasing in the cafeteria.
- Create settings to receive email notifications when the account reaches a low balance.
- Create settings to automatically replenish your students' accounts when they reach a low balance.
If you have further questions, please call Nutrition Services at 503-356-3955. For technical issues with SchoolCafe, call 1-800-729-2328 or email customercare@schoolcafe.com.
Charging Meals
If your student does not bring a meal from home and has a zero cafeteria account balance, the District Meal Charging Procedures will be followed.
Health Information
When to Keep Your Child Home
Home is the best place for a child who is ill. If your child is sick with a diagnosed communicable disease, please notify the school as soon as possible. This notification will greatly assist others who, due to medical reasons and/or treatments, have weakened immune systems and may require immediate and specialized care.
Below are some guidelines to help you make the decision about when to keep your child home from school. The recommendations are based on the guidelines provided by the Communicable Disease Program of the Washington County Department of Health and Human Services. They were developed to help prevent the spread of potentially contagious disease.
- Fever: With fever greater than 100.5° F; student may return when fever-free for 24 hours (WITHOUT use of fever-reducing medicine).
- Vomiting/Diarrhea: Any unexplained vomiting episode. May return 24 hours after last episode. Diarrhea equals three or more unexplained episodes of watery or loose stools in 24 hours OR sudden onset of loose stools. May return 24 hours after last episode.
- Cough: Serious, sustained coughing, shortness of breath, or difficulty breathing.
- Rash: Any new rash accompanied by a fever. May return after rash goes away or clearance given by a health care provider.
- Skin Lesions/Sores: Drainage from a sore that cannot be contained within a bandage OR sores are increasing in size OR new sores are developing day-to-day.
- Other: Symptoms that prevent the student from active participation in usual school activities OR student is requiring more care than school can safely provide.
Immunizations
State Law requires students entering Oregon schools to have certain immunizations (see the link below). Kindergarteners and 1st graders must be immunized before starting school; older students must provide immunization records upon enrollment. If you have questions, contact your child's doctor or the County Health Department at 503-648-8881.
Medication
Home is the best place for your child to receive medication. If possible, spacing of medication dosages should be arranged to allow for home administration. If home administration is not possible and a child will need medication during the school day (including things such as eye drops, medicated lotions and throat lozenges), please observe the following guidelines:
- A parent must bring medication to the school office in person. Students may not transport medications.
- Prescription medication must be in a pharmacy container that states the student's name, dosage and frequency, prescription number, and doctor's name.
- Over-the-counter medication must be in its original packaging.
- Parents must complete a Medication Administration Authorization Form (available in the school office).
- A parent must pick up, in person, any left-over medication at the end of the school year.
Illness or Injury at School
If a student is injured or becomes ill at school, every effort will be made to contact parents or other designated persons. Please keep your emergency contact information up-to-date with current phone numbers. In case of an emergency, the school will call 9-1-1 and emergency treatment will be pursued.
Home/School Communication
Students will regularly deliver important notices from school to home. Please help us by checking your child's backpack on a daily basis. The Lumberjack Edge, our weekly newsletter, is sent home electronically through ParentSquare. Paper copies are available upon request.
- Electronic Communication
- Parent-Teacher Conferences
- Report Cards
- Messages to Students During School Hours
Electronic Communication
Parentsquare
The Beaverton School District is now using the ParentSquare platform for district, school and teacher communications, primarily with email, text and app notifications. ParentSquare automatically generates an account for each parent/guardian, using their preferred email address and phone number. Download the app or log into the ParentSquare web portal.
ParentVUE
ParentVUE is a web portal that allows parents and guardians to access real-time information related to their students. It is also used on annual basis during the start of each school year to verify student enrollment information. Information that can be found in ParentVUE includes:
- Attendance
- Calendars
- Course history
- Emergency contacts
- Grade Book information
- Report cards
- Schedules
- School information
Online Payment System
The Beaverton School District has implemented a new Online Payment System for all schools. Using a Visa, Discover, or MasterCard​ debit or credit card, you may make secure online payments for your students with no transaction fees. You can access the Online Payment System to pay:
- Student fees – athletic, student body, band, field trip, etc.
- Fines – lost library book, lost textbook
- Donations to programs and activities
Information and registration for all of these electronic resources can be found on the Parent Apps & Resources Page:
Parent-Teacher Conferences
Parent-Teacher Conferences are scheduled in the fall and spring. A conference provides an opportunity to discuss your child's academic achievement and social-emotional learning and are typically 20 minutes long.
Home-School Communication is an integral component to each child's success. If you have concerns at any other time during the year, please call or email your child's teacher as it is better to deal with small concerns than to wait until they become large ones.
Report Cards
Messages to Students During School Hours
Only emergency messages can be relayed to students by the office staff. Students will NOT be called out of class except in emergency situations. Please discuss after-school plans with your child before they leave for school in the morning.
Students are allowed to use the school telephones in the case of emergencies. Going home with a friend after school or staying for activities does not qualify as a critical situation and must be pre-arranged so that telephoning from school is not necessary.
Volunteering
Cedar Mill volunteers play a vital role in meeting the individual needs of students and staff. We love to see our volunteers working with students one-on-one or in small groups, assisting in the library media center or taking part in the work party in the office. No experience is required, just a willingness to help and a desire to do what is best for students.
Per district policy, volunteers should not bring younger siblings to the school when they are scheduled to volunteer; this is a safety issue. It is distracting and causes disruptions when there are additional children in a classroom or other learning space.
Volunteer opportunities at Cedar Mill are often coordinated through the work of the Parent Teacher Club (PTC). More information can be found on the Cedar Mill PTC Website.
It is vital and MANDATORY that EVERY volunteer complete and clear a Beaverton School District background check before working in the school or chaperoning field trips. The application is quick and can be completed online in just a few minutes. It can take up to three weeks for a background check to clear, especially in September; please be sure to plan accordingly.
Once you receive confirmation that your background check has been approved, please visit myvolunteerpage.com to sign-up for volunteer opportunities. Each time a volunteer volunteers at a school they must sign in AND out through the volunteer computer in the school's front office.
BSD Volunteer & Background Check Application
VOLUNTEER GUIDELINES
Sign In & Sign Out: Volunteers are expected to sign in and out of the building using the volunteer management system computer. You must come prepared with your username and password.
Identification: All volunteers are required to wear a school-approved name tag at all times when in the building. Volunteers not wearing proper identification should be directed to the school office.
Professionalism: This job is voluntary, the commitment is professional. Volunteers work with staff and maintain an attitude of mutual respect and confidence.
Dependability & Punctuality: Students and staff rely on volunteers. Please contact the school if you are unable to volunteer on your scheduled day.
Confidentiality: Volunteers must protect the teachers' and students' rights to privacy. Volunteers must not disclose school affairs or personal matters which may come to their attention. Please discuss any issues or concerns only with the teacher, volunteer coordinator, or principal.
School Hours & Schedule
Before School
Students may arrive after 8:15am when morning recess supervision begins. Students are not permitted on school property before 8:15am without adult supervision.
A list of childcare centers in the area is available in the school office. A fee-based before-school care program from an outside provider is available at Cedar Mill. The Beaverton School District and Cedar Mill do not screen or endorse any childcare services.
After School
School ends at 3:05pm and students are to be picked up promptly from school. Please make arrangements for dismissal changes in advance of the school day. A note from home is required when there is any change in a student’s after-school routine, or students will be sent home according to their regular dismissal plan.
Changing after-school plans at the last minute should be reserved for emergencies only. Phone calls into the classroom at the end of the day are disruptive to the learning environment.
A list of childcare centers in the area is available in the school office. A fee-based after-school care program from an outside provider is available at Cedar Mill. The Beaverton School District and Cedar Mill do not screen or endorse any childcare services.
Office & Teacher Hours
Student School Hours
School & District Policies and Procedures
Student Apparel
Dress and grooming are primary responsibilities of students and parents/guardians. However, students may be directed to change dress or grooming if it interferes with the learning process or school climate, is unclean, or threatens the health or safety of the student or others. Clothing, jewelry, or wording/graphics on clothing or on the person that is sexually suggestive, drug or alcohol-related, vulgar, which depicts violence, insulting, gang membership related, or ridicules a particular person or group may be prohibited.
Past practice has prohibited the wearing of hats during the school day, with the exception of religious or medical exemptions. In an effort to be inclusive of cultural differences as well as allowing students the right to self-expression and identify, students are allowed to wear hats and head coverings, so long as it supports respect for self, others, and an atmosphere of learning. Hats and other headwear (including hoodies) must allow the face to be visible to school staff. Should there be questions or concerns about the appropriate wearing of a hat or headwear, parents will be contacted before privileges are revoked unless a direct safety concern is presented. Thank you for partnering with us to support a safe and respectful learning environment while also supporting student identity and self-expression.
Items from Home
Cell Phones & Electronics
Toys
Treats
Students are discouraged from bringing candy to school. Chewing gum is NOT allowed at school or on the bus.
We ask that students and families do NOT bring birthday treats to school. We LOVE birthdays, but interruptions can disrupt the school day.
Food or treats are provided during the school day, must be preapproved by the classroom teacher or school staff and must be store bought. All foods offered on the school campus are encouraged to meet the nutrition standards set by the USDA and the Oregon Smart Snacks Standards. This includes, but is not limited to, celebrations, parties, classroom snacks brought by parents, rewards and incentives.
Pets & Animals
Only service animals serving persons with a disability and animals approved by the superintendent or designee that are part of an approved district curriculum or cocurricular activity are allowed in district facilities.
Dogs must be kept off all play areas, as well as student arrival and dismissal areas. All dogs must be kept on a leash with a maximum length of eight feet and must be kept under the owner’s control at all times.
All requests to have animal visitors (student or staff “Show and Tell,” or educational presentations for example) in the classroom or on school property during school hours must be submitted to the principal or designee in advance and in writing. Included in the request should be a description of the activity, type of animal, educational purpose/benefit, length of activity, and a plan for the care of the animal. Additionally, if applicable, the request should include verification that the animal is properly and currently licensed with the appropriate inoculations. The principal or designee has the discretion to permit or deny the presence of any animal visitor in the school. Prior to approving the request, the principal or designee shall determine whether any child has a health condition (such as allergies) that could be exacerbated by exposure to animals. Parents must be notified of the plans to have an animal in the classroom so that accommodations may be made for their student. Animals will be permitted in classrooms only for a specified and appropriate educational purpose and for the time necessary to achieve the educational goal. This exception is not intended to allow long-term, regular, or continuous animal visitors.
Umbrellas
Umbrellas do not work well in congested groups of students. They will not be allowed on the playground during school, and bus drivers would prefer students do not have them on the busses. It solves a number of issues if students do not bring umbrellas to school at all, and instead dress in proper rain attire.
Invitations
Visitors
We know that many great things are happening at Cedar Mill; we invite and encourage you to visit the school and/or your child's classrooms to share in his/her experiences. Please contact the teacher to make arrangements for visits.
Visitors who will have a limited onsite visit, not student supervision responsibilities and who are within sight and sound of a staff member are not required to undergo a background check. However, they must be accompanied by a student's parent or guardian or appear on a student's emergency contact list.
We discourage other students from visiting during school hours.
To help with the safety and well-being of all Cedar Mill students, we must know who is in the building at all times. Please check in at the office and let us know you are here. We will provide you with a visitor's badge.
Please help us respect and not interrupt the important work that takes place in the classroom. If special circumstances arise, parents need to get approval from the principal.
Behavior Expectations
Be Safe, Be Kind, Be Respectful
At Cedar Mill, we empower students to be safe, kind, and respectful of self and others as lifelong learners.
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Be Safe: Be free from harm of any kind (physical or emotional).
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Be Kind: Be polite, cooperative, and build peace with others.
- Be Respectful: Allow students to learn and teachers to teach, and care for all people.
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These principles are modeled, discussed, and reinforced in the classroom and throughout other settings of the school. Expectations for all settings will be taught at the start of each school year and reteaching will take place after winter and spring breaks. Reteaching may also be needed at other times during the school year to reinforce expected behavior.
Our belief is that misbehavior is an opportunity to teach a child how to make different choices in the future, to understand why their choices are important, and how their choices impact others. This happens through explicit instruction, self-reflection, problem solving, and use of logical consequences.
Our approach to school discipline is:
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To protect students and employees from harm
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To provide opportunities for students to learn from their mistakes
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To foster a positive learning environment
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To keep students in school
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To impose disciplinary sanctions without bias towards students from a protected class
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To employ a range of strategies for prevention and intervention which are developmentally appropriate and proportionate to the degree of the behavior
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To propose alternative programs of instruction, including age-appropriate and accessible counseling
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To use research-based, effective strategies
Conflict Management
Problem-solving are important life skills. When students experience difficulties with others, students are learning about what problems they can try and solve themselves and those they might need additional support from an adult to solve.
When children experience difficulties with others, we encourage them to try at least TWO of the following ideas to resolve "small" problems:
- go to another game
- share and/or take turns
- walk away
- ignore it
- tell the other person to stop
- apologize
- wait and cool off
When students experience difficulties with others that are "big" problems, they are asked to tell an adult they trust.
Students should make an immediate report to a trusted adult if they feel unsafe or threatened at any time.
Learning to differentiate between various levels of conflict is an ongoing process which is supported in the classroom as well as ongoing guidance lessons. Partnership between the home and school also supports the ability to support student learning and growth in this area.
Playground
Quick Rules to a Safe Playground
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Students will show respect for others by always using good sportsmanship.
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Toys from home are not permitted on the playground.
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Students can play with wood chips as long as they stay on the ground.
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Students must receive permission from a staff member before entering the building. For example, to use the bathroom or go to the classroom.
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Two tag games are allowed: Foursquare Switch or Foursquare Line Tag. No tag games permitted on the play structure or bark chips.
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All games will be safe, kind, respectful, fair, and inclusive.
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During games, all students will abide by the decisions made by the judge. Disagreements will be solved by rock paper scissors or with help from an adult on duty.
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At the end of recess, three whistles will be blown and students will freeze. On the fourth whistle, students will promptly gather and return all the equipment to the recess carts. Then line up at their classroom lines. For indoor recess, students will clean up materials and snack trash before lining up.
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Use all equipment in a safe and respectful manner.
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Students are never to be on top of the play structures, rails or swings.
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All recess balls and equipment need to stay on the blacktop.
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One person on the slide at a time.
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When using the slide go feet-first, bottom down, facing forward.
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Always sit on the swings with your back to the fence, and one person per swing only.
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When using the swings, students are to swing back and forth and not jump off. Swings should not be twisted to make them higher.
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All activities or running must be a safe distance from the swings.
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When waiting your turn in line for the swings, count slowly to 100, or sing the ABCs 2 times.
- The playground is for FUN! Help others to have FUN!