School Cancellation	Delayed Start
Notification being made on the radio or TV stations.  When possible, our phone, 303-840-7070, will have a cancellation notice recording by 7:00 A.M.  No school for the day.	School will begin one hour later than usual (9:00 A.M.). As with the school cancellation procedure, this will be announced on radio and TV stations by the 6:00 A.M. news.  The school phone will have a delayed start recording as early as 5:30 A.M. Dismissal time will be as usual at 3:15 P.M. on delayed start days.

For the most current and accurate information on Snow Day Schedules, you may either call the DCSD weather line or access the district web site.

District Weather Hotline – EAST Parker area 303-387-SNOW District Internet >> www.dcsdk12.org

4.03 - Drug Free School

PCKCS is a tobacco free/drug free zone in accordance with state law. We practice ‘zero tolerance’ for drugs and alcohol at school.


4.04 - Fees for Students

Student fees collected by the school are used by PCKCS to cover the cost of consumable items used by individual students at PCKCS.  This accounts for the variation in fee amounts by grade.  The school has made the decision to collect one fee for all these items, including field trip transportation fees, the Douglas County School District Book Fee (for normal wear and tear of textbooks), and for an annual yearbook. Payment is expected at registration (August).  If a lump sum payment presents a financial hardship, families are encouraged to contact the Business Manager to arrange a payment schedule. 


4.05 - Field Trips
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Each class will take at least two field trips a year.  The parents will fund trips if entrance fees are required.  Each PCKCS student is assessed a bus fee [see Section 4.06] in order to cover bus transportation for field trips. 

A permission slip and emergency medical form must be completed for each field trip.  The forms will be sent home prior to the scheduled trip.  This form must be completed and returned to school before a student may participate on the trip.  Phone permission is not sufficient and will not be accepted. 

If the field trip requires parental transportation, each parent that will be driving must fill out a DCSD authorization form.  This form, along with a copy of insurance coverage, must be filled out at least two weeks prior to the date of the trip.  Forms are available at the school office.


4.06 - Leaving During the School Day

We strongly encourage parents to schedule medical and dental appointments outside of school hours.  When it is necessary to schedule such appointments during school hours, parents must first report to the school office.  For the protection of students, parents are required to sign out students from the office when they are picked up early.  No child will be permitted to leave the school with any other adult unless the parent has given written permission to release the child in that person’s custody.


4.07 - Lost ‘n’ Found
The school has a Lost ‘n’ Found bin located in the back Middle School hall.  Shortly after the end of each quarter, the school will donate any unclaimed articles.  Please label your children’s clothing and school supplies in order to alleviate any mix-ups.


4.08 - Lockers for Middle School

Middle School students are given the privilege of using lockers.  Student lockers are the property of Parker Core Knowledge Charter School.  Lockers may be periodically inspected, without notice, for illegal items, stolen property, or potentially harmful items.  Have your child check Lost ‘n’ Found regularly.  Students should not leave money or valuable items in hall lockers. 

Middle school students must use a school-supplied padlock on their locker if they want it locked. Outside locks are not permitted.  A deposit will be paid to the school.  At the end of the year, students may return the padlock and receive their deposit.  PCKCS padlocks are all combination locks.  Combinations must be kept confidential.


4.09 - Mascot

The School Mascot is a Cougar.


4.10 - Medical Needs

The school will utilize reasonable precautions to ensure a healthy environment. To ensure the health of students, please keep your child home if s/he has one or more of the following symptoms:

• a fever of 100 degrees or more
• sore throat
• rash
• stomach pain
• conjunctivitis (pink eye)
• vomiting and/or diarrhea
  

Be sure your child is free of the symptoms mentioned for at least 24 hours before returning him/her to school. Some communicable diseases require a longer exclusion from school.

Should any of the above symptoms appear in school, the following procedures will be followed:

1. When a child becomes ill at school s/he will be isolated from other children.
   
   
2. The parents will be notified that their child must be picked up.
   
   
3. If parent(s) cannot be reached, the emergency contact person listed on the emergency card will be called.
   
   
4. The child will remain isolated until picked up.
   
   
5. In case of a more serious injury or illness, "911" will be called for medical assistance and the parents will be notified immediately. Emergency personnel will determine if the child should be transported to your designated hospital.

Prescription medication and over-the-counter drugs will be administered to students at school only on the specific written request of the student’s parent or guardian and with the written authorization of the student’s physician. Student Medicine Request Release Agreement Form is required.

Tylenol (acetaminophen) may be used at school only with parental permission through a signed Acetaminophen Permission Card. Designated school personnel may give acetaminophen to students with the following symptoms, providing prior written parental permission has been given.

• headache
• toothache
• dysmenorrhea (menstrual cramps)
• musculoskeletal pain
• fever (100 degrees F or above) only after the parent has been notified to pick up student

A phone call will be made or a note will be sent home with a student if s/he has taken acetaminophen during the school day.

Immunizations

Colorado law requires that Parker CKCS have on file, at the time a child enters school, a certification stating that students have received immunizations against communicable diseases as specified by the Department of Health. Exemptions from this ruling can be given upon:

1. A written statement from your doctor that immunization might be harmful to your child.
   
   
2. The parents or child have a religious belief opposed to immunizations.
   
   
3. The parents or child have a personal belief opposed to immunizations.
   

Emergency Care

Each student must have a current emergency procedure card on file indicating persons to be called in case of illness or emergency. It is important that the school be informed of home or work phone numbers or other contact numbers that change. Also, a contact person other than parent must be listed.

Allergies

The school must be informed of any situation that warrants particular attention such as high allergy to bee stings, possibility of seizures, etc. In case of an extreme medical emergency when parents cannot be reached, the student will be taken to the nearest medical facility for treatment. All efforts will be made to reach the parents.

4.11 - School Hours

	Office Hours		Student Hours
	The school’s office hours are from 7:30 A.M. to 4:00 P.M. Monday through Friday during the days of regular school operations. The office is closed during holidays and the whole month of July. Voice mail is available at all times, but not necessarily checked daily when school is out.		The school day for 1st through 8th grade is 8:00 A.M. to 3:15 P.M. Students should arrive by 7:55 A.M. in order to be seated in class and ready for their day by 8:00 A.M. Students who arrive after 8:00 A.M. will be marked tardy. Morning kindergarten hours are 8:00 A.M. to 12:00 P.M. Afternoon kindergarten hours are 11:15 A.M. to 3:15 P.M.

4.12 - Severe Weather

	Fire Drills		Severe Weather		Lightning
	Fire alarm and fire drill procedures have been established and will be practiced periodically. Law requires periodic fire drills. It is essential that everyone obeys directions promptly and clears the building by the predetermined routes.		In the event of a severe weather warning, the district office has a weather-radio alert which is automatically activated by the National Weather Bureau (in Aurora). In addition, our building has been examined to determine the most protected areas in the event of a tornado. Drills will be held to familiarize students with appropriate procedures.		Outdoor activities will be curtailed whenever the possibility of a lightning storm exists. The following guidelines will be applied by those on duty to determine the existence of a hazard. a. Rolling tumultuous clouds b. Sudden darkening of the sky c. Unusual stillness d. Lightning spotted and thunder heard in the surrounding areas

Please respect the schools decision regarding dismissal of students during severe weather. Dismissal may be delayed at times when the safety concern of students and staff is in question due to severe lightning, heavy rains, tornado, or the like.

4.13 - Student Council.

The Student Council will make many constructive contributions to school life and to the personal development of students. It serves the following purposes:

• Provides leadership opportunities.
• Help students learn to formulate and express ideas in a group.
• Help students understand the school program and develop a sense of ownership and responsibility for the success of the school

Student Council Members are elected by their classmates for a one-year term.

4.14 - Supervision.

PCKCS students are always supervised during school hours (7:40 A.M. – 3:45 P.M.)  It is the responsibility of parents to supervise non-PCKCS siblings whenever they are on school grounds. For safety, when on school grounds outside the normal school hours, (7:40 A.M. – 3:45 P.M), children must remain with their parent(s) at all times.

4.15 - Telephone and Fax Numbers.

Office phones are limited to the use of school personnel and official business only.  Except for an emergency, neither teachers nor students are called to the phone during school hours.  Parents are requested not to call school for delivery of routine messages, to make after school arrangements, etc.  These interruptions effect instruction and learning time for students.

 
This number is to be used when you want to speak directly to someone in the office. If the call goes immediately into the voice mail, it indicates that the line is currently busy and you can either leave a message or try again in a few minutes.  If it rings several times before going to voice mail, it indicates that there is no one available to answer the phone at the time.


4.16 - Transportation

Students must arrive and depart by private vehicle. Their parents or an assigned adult must pick children up. Written permission must be provided to the office before a student will be dismissed to anyone other than his/her parent or regular carpool driver.

STUDENT'S SAFETY IS THE PRIMARY GOAL DURING CARPOOL

Please follow the drop off and pick up procedures listed below.

	Drop Off - 7:40 - 7:55 A.M.		Pick Up - 3:15 - 3:40 P.M.
	As you enter, stay to the right following the “old” driveway around in front of the school building and continue around past gym to the back of the parking lot (same as previous years). Students should be dropped off only in the designated unload/load area.  Students will enter at back hall entrance. Drivers exit to the right onto Pine Dr. (southbound only during carpool).  The back hall entrance will be closed at 7:55 A.M. Students arriving after this time need to enter through the front office doors and be signed in by their parents.		As you enter from Pine Dr. stay to the right and loop into the new parking lot circling the island. Please “hug” the new center island to allow cars to exit on to Centennial Dr. from the visitor parking spaces. Continue back into “old” parking lot stacking two cars across. As you approach the loading zone you will merge back into a single line. Exit, as before, to the right onto southbound Pine Dr. We discourage the left turn onto northbound Pine Dr.   Children should be picked up in designated loading area only. Use carpool sign throughout carpool pick up process.

Safety Guidelines

NOTE: If children are delayed in the building, you will be directed to and park so carpool line can continue.

4.17 - Visitation / Observation

Parents’ access to the teachers and administration of PCKCS is vital to the success of PCKCS.  Parents of enrolled students are welcome to visit the school any time.

Please observe the following guidelines:

• Contact the teacher or administration to schedule an observation.  This will help avoid conflicts with classroom procedure, testing, etc.
  
  
• Only one (1) observation will be scheduled at a given time.  If additional observations are desired, please contact the PCKCS administration.
   
• For safety considerations, when arriving at PCKCS for a visit or observation period, parents and visitors are asked to sign in at the office, get a name tag, and inform the administration staff as to the purpose and location of their visit before proceeding to classrooms or other areas of the PCKCS facilities.  For security purposes, no one may proceed beyond the office area until asked to do so.
  
  
• Observation periods are for observing only.  Comments or discussion regarding what is observed need to be scheduled as a conference with the teacher or Director at a later time.  The teacher and students should not be interrupted during the observation period.  To maintain an optimal learning environment, parents are asked not to interact with students unless directed to do so by the teacher. 
  
  
• Other children are not permitted to accompany an observer in the classroom, nor can they be left in the PCKCS office.  Arrangements must be made for the care of siblings or other children during the observation periods.
  
  
• Aligning with DCSD Policy KI - Visitors to Schools, it is the policy of PCKCS to encourage parent involvement in school activities and events as long as such visits do not disrupt school operations or interfere with the educational process.  Furthermore, in order to ensure the safety and security of all students, parent involvement during open recess times shall be limited to observation only.  Parents who wish to join their child for lunch and then recess must first check in at the front desk.  Once outside, parents may observe their child from the observation bench near the ramp; PARENT PARTICIPATION SHALL BE LIMITED TO OBSERVATION ONLY.  In the event a parent observes a behavior that requires correction, they will notify the Recess Aide(s) on duty; only the Recess Aides or the teacher-on-duty shall address inappropriate behaviors. (Revise/Approved 8/9/07)

* Observation for Waiting-List Families - Only those potential students who have been offered a spot at PCKCS are allowed to observe a classroom.  This observation must also be scheduled in advance through the office to avoid disruption to the educational environment.