Attendance IS Important!
When students are absent or late, they miss important learning, and they often feel behind when they return to the classroom. When teachers stop instruction to help a student who is tardy, all other students lose precious learning time as well. PLEASE HELP YOUR CHILD BE AT SCHOOL ON TIME EVERYDAY. Students can arrive, and will be supervised, on the school playground starting at 7:45 a.m. The first bell is at 7:55 a.m. Students are tardy after 8:00 a.m.
If you know that your child will be absent or late, please report this as soon as possible to the 24 hour attendance line 303-734-5780 or submit the Attendance Form (please do not do both). We will be following established state and district guidelines regarding unexcused and excessive absences and tardies. Minutes accumulated beyond 24 hours of unexcused absences and tardies are considered excessive
Attendance Policy
Animals in Schools
Students and parents may not bring animals onto school or district premises unless authorized by the site administrator. (Board Policy Code IMG) Animals may be on school or district premises in connection with an organized and approved school or district activity approved by the site administrator. Animals are allowed to be in a classroom or district facility for a specific and appropriate educational purpose for the time necessary to achieve the educational goal.
**If the family dog walks a Sandburg student to school or comes to pick-up at the end of the day, it may not enter the school property. This includes the playground area! Make arrangements to meet your child(ren) out on the sidewalk by the street if you have a pet with you.**
What: Inside Mornings are when students are supervised inside the school building before school due to inclement weather. Inside Mornings provide:
• students a safe place to be before school
• staff time to prepare for the school day
When: Inside Mornings will take place before school (starting at 7:45 a.m.) if the weather is:
• Stormy with lightning
• Rainy, more than a misty or intermittent drops
• Snowy, more than flurries or intermittent flakes
• Temperature or wind chill factor is below 20º F.
Where: Inside Mornings will take place in the gym and cafeteria. Students will enter the school building ONLY through the lobby doors OR through monitored south entrance near the art room.
Who: Inside Mornings will be supervised by school staff.
How: Inside Mornings will be determined by 8:41 a.m. by the supervisory staff with input from the National Weather Service, local weather data, on site observations, and district direction. On Inside Mornings, students will be escorted/directed to the gym where they will have the option to:
• Be seated on the gym floor to watch a student-appropriate video OR
• Students will be seated in the cafeteria and may talk in an inside voice with those next to them.
At 9:01 a.m. (10:01 a.m. for delayed start) students will be dismissed to their classrooms.
Bad Weather - Recess when it is Cold and/or Snowy Weather
Children must come to school prepared to play outside. We will have recess if the temperature with wind chill is 20 degrees or higher. If they wish to play in the snow (in the field) they must be wearing boots and they must keep the snow on the ground. If there is considerable precipitation, recess will be held inside. If your child has a doctor's note to refrain from PE or recess, we will honor that and allow them to remain inside the building.
Birthdays/Parties
Classroom teachers will share with their families how birthdays are celebrated in the classroom.
If your child brings party invitations to school have your child pass out the invitations before or after school hours. Please do not have them give the invitations to the teachers to hand out.
Buses
Your child's bus stop You can find information pertaining to your student's bus number, stop & pick-up time on under the Transportation tab in your Parent Portal account.
Are you open enrolled and would like to request transportation for your child? Click here for more information on the district's transportation webpage.
Does your child want to ride the bus home with a friend? If your child is either a bus rider who wants to ride a different bus to or from school or is a non-bus rider, he/she must have a written note signed by the front office. The note may be written by parents and then brought to the office for a signature or the office can write a note (with permission & under direction from the parent).
Car Drop-off & Pick-up
With your cooperation, we can safely increase the efficiency of dropping off (and picking up) your child for school each day. Sandburg Staff will provide supervision and guidance in this area for 10 minutes before and 15 minutes after school. The same procedures apply for picking up your child in this area.
~Enter the Drop Off Area from Elizabeth St. and do not u-turn after you pick up your student.
~Pull as far forward as you can in the “Drop Off” lane without blocking the crosswalk. Make sure you are in the Drop Off/Pick Up lane before your child gets out/in your vehicle.
~Please remain in your vehicle (if you need to get out of your vehicle to assist your child(ren), please park on the street or in the Cherry Knolls Park parking lot).
~Have your children always exit your vehicle on the SIDEWALK SIDE (children will follow the sidewalk to the playground).
~Do NOT use the “Drive Through or Parking lot” lane to drop off your child, this is reserved for buses to drop off and pick-up.
If you have questions or concerns, please contact Karen Tarbell, Interim principal, at 303-347-4675 or ktarbell[at]lps.k12.co[dot]us.
Classroom - Entry before & after school
Students must come to the front office to ask for assistance. Office staff will call into the classroom. If the teachers are in the classroom & available, students will be able to go to the classroom. If the teachers are not in their classrooms or unavailable, students will not be able to enter the classroom and must go out to the playground to wait for the bell to ring. Students may not wait in the front office lobby before school.
Class Placement
Parent input is welcomed on the best learning environment for your child. However, we do not take requests for placement with a specific teacher.
Closure / Delayed Start
If schools are closed or delayed due to inclement weather and/or questionable road conditions, parents should visit LPS's website (www.littletonpublicschools.net) for information about school closures or delays or tune into local radio & television stations the morning of the day in question. Media outlets are informed if schools are closed or delayed. No announcements on the LPS website or by the media means all schools are open as usual.
Click here for detailed information from the district regarding closures and/or delayed starts.
Communication
A weekly newsletter will be sent out to families via email with a letter from the principal as well as any important information to share. Important dates and announcements will be updated on the website daily. Other communication will be sent home in Friday folders.
Discipline
The Littleton Public School District Code of Conduct will be enforced by Sandburg staff and the principal. There will be no tolerance for bullying, weapons, drugs or fighting.
In keeping with LPS Board Policy JICA, we respectfully ask students to refrain from beach, swim, and summer wear (short shorts, spaghetti/halter straps, and large arm hole shirts without under leggings/shirts or tops worn over). If children wear inappropriate clothing, parents will be called to bring new clothes or we will provide something for them to wear.
Additionally for student safety, we ask students to wear shoes that will not interfere with activities such as running, jumping and/or climbing. Students wearing flip flops, slippers, and sandal type shoes often experience falls, sprains and injuries to feet/toes.
Hats should not be worn in the building or on the playgrounds (winter hats during cold weather are permitted outside only).
Duties
When teachers/staff are on duty they will be wearing a bright orange vest. Please refrain from visiting too long with them so they can supervise.
Homework
Lost & Found
Clothing lost & found is located in the hallway near the cafeteria. Lunchboxes & water bottles are on the silver shelves in the south lobby. Small item are in the front office.
Every year we donate hundreds of items that are left behind at school. We remind students often to check lost and found with limited success. We encourage you to label your child’s coats, hoodies, boots, gloves/mittens, hats, scarves and lunchboxes to that we can return them to you.
Parent-Teacher Conferences
Formal parent-teacher conferences will be scheduled in the fall (October) and the spring (March) of each year. If at any time you wish to conference with a teacher, please schedule an appointment.
Personal Property (toys, electronics, etc.)
Children should not bring any items of great value. We will not be responsible for lost or stolen items. Toys, iPods, iDevices, eBook readers, MP3 players, Pokemon cards, CD players, hand held games, etc. are not allowed in class without the teacher's approval. Accessing school wi-fi without approval is also prohibited.
Phones & Phone Calls
All personal cell phones are to remain off during the day and are to be stored in a child's backpack, not out in class. If children need to make phone calls they must get permission from a school employee before using a school telephone.
Safety and security remain the most important parts of providing a great place for students to learn and grow at Sandburg. We need your help in the following ways:
Emergency Drills
Bus Evacuation Drills: The Colorado Department of Education requires that these Emergency Evacuation Drills be conducted twice each school year by the Transportation Department. Every effort will be made to minimize the students arriving late for class.
Fire Drills: If you are in the school during a fire drill, you will be required to join us in getting outside and away from the building. Classroom teachers will be taking their students to a pre-designated location and are required to account for each of their students. No child will be dismissed during a fire drill and only after we are assured that every student is safely out of the building will we return to the building. If you come to the building during a fire drill, please wait outside until the drill is complete. In the event of a fire, please move away from the building. We are required to conduct one drill per month during the school year.
Secured Perimeter / Lock Down Drills If you are in the school during a Secured Perimeter/Lock Down drill, you will be required to join us in our secured locations. No child will be dismissed during a Secured Perimeter/Lock Down drill and only after we are assured that every student is safely in a secured location will we return to our classrooms. If you come to the building during a Secured Perimeter / Lock Down drill, please wait outside until the drill is complete. In the event of a Secured Perimeter / Lock Down, our doors will remained locked until the all clear signal is given.
Tornado Drills: If you are in the school during a tornado drill, you will be required to join us in getting to our sheltered areas and away from exterior doors and windows. No child will be dismissed during a tornado drill and only after we are assured that every student is safely in the sheltered area will we return to our classrooms. If you come to the building during a tornado drill, please wait outside until the drill is complete. In the event of a Tornado Watch or Warning, you will be required to join us until the all clear signal is received.
Playground Safety
Rules and Expectations for Safety on the Playground
Equipment: Students shall use playground equipment as it was intended, i.e., sitting on the swings and swinging front to back, hanging from the monkey bars by hands only, going feet first down the slide, hanging from the flyer. Jumping from the swings, climbing atop the monkey bars, going head first down or walking up the slide, and climbing the chains of the flyer are all prohibited. Student must keep both hands on the hanging bars; no dismounts are allowed. Chasing is not allowed on the equipment. The “count to 30” rule is in effect for taking turns on the swings and “3 tricks” for taking turns on the bars.
River Rocks and Boulders: Students shall leave river rocks in the “riverbed.” Rocks, sticks, and dirt clods are to remain on the ground. Rock smashing is strictly prohibited. Students are permitted to sit on the large boulders; however standing or jumping from boulders is prohibited. The large boulder in the Reading Park is off limits to all students.
Hands and Feet: Students shall maintain “safe hands” and “safe feet.” Hitting/punching/pinching/pushing/grabbing/body slamming/ wrestling another student are prohibited. This also goes for kicking/tripping/stepping on another student. Unsafe physical will not be tolerated!
EXCEPTION: In the event that students are playing an organized game such as basketball, kickball, or tag, there is an implied agreement that students will be in appropriate contact with each other in the course of the game. Unnecessarily roughness or unsafe play requires that the game be stopped.
Words and Body Language: Students shall talk to other students and adults with respect, using kind and appropriate words and body language. Disrespect, threats, swearing, harassment, and bullying will not be tolerated.
Appropriate Wear: Students shall wear clothing and shoes appropriate for the weather and activity in which they are involved. Snow or all weather boots are required for walking/playing in the snow. No student shall be permitted to engage in an activity where their clothing could cause them to get injured, i.e. running in flip flops or pants that drag on the ground. Spaghetti straps and muscle shirts are prohibited. Hats can be worn outside only and on Crazy Hat Day (last Friday of each month).
Areas and Boundaries: Students shall stay in full sight of the duty at all times. Behind the portable, the bike rack area, and on the east side of the building are off limits. Students are not permitted to hang on/dig under/play against the fences that border the playground. No student will be permitted to engage any person outside the fenced area. All visitors/guests to Sandburg must check in at the office and wear a badge. The gate must remain closed.
Visitors and Guests: Visitors and guests to Sandburg Elementary School must check in at the office and wear a badge. No student will be permitted to engage any person inside the fenced area who is not wearing a Sandburg visitor badge.
Please reference Student Code of Conduct for behaviors that may result in suspension and/or expulsion.
Traffic Safety
Please obey traffic laws and respect staff members on duty.
S.T.O.P.
To improve the safety and quality of life of our citizens, the Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office implemented the S.T.O.P. program to combat traffic violations in school zones. The amount of time it takes for drivers to: Slow down, Think, Observe, and Proceed with care (S.T.O.P.) only takes a few extra moments.
When a violation is observed, absent the presence of a deputy, school staff or volunteer crossing guards will provide the violators license plate number, description of vehicle and driver, to the Sheriff’s Office for follow up. Registered owners will then be sent a letter in the mail identifying the violation as a notice. Continued violations may lead to the issuance of a citation.
Pedestrians: Do not cross the street until the duty has stopped traffic and motions you to cross.
Bike riders: Walk bikes across the street at the crosswalk and onto school property to the bike rack.
Bus riders: Buses park in the bus lanes off of Elizabeth. A duty will monitor students in getting to the playground.
Always call the office if you have questions, 303-347-4675.
Scooters, bikes and skateboards must be walked on the school property. This is for the child’s safety and the safety of others on school grounds. Please observe dismount lines (point at which student is to walk his/her bike/scooter/skateboard) near bus lane along Elizabeth St. and just inside playground entrance off of Columbine St.
Attention Parents: Community members have reported seeing students using these modes of transportation in the middle of the street and in clear danger of being hit by cars on the way to/from school. If your child is taking his/her skate board, bike, or scooter to school, please talk with them about the safest route and way to get to school using these wheeled delights.
Students using roller blades are asked to change into their shoes as soon as they arrive on school grounds. At the north entrance there is a low concrete wall to sit on just inside the gate. At the south entrance, students can sit on the wooden timbers that surround the play area just inside the gate. These locations should also be used to change back into skates for the trip home. Violators will be asked to leave their wheels at home.
A visitor means anyone who is not a full or part-time employee at that school site (e.g., central office administrator or other staff, volunteer, parent(s)/guardian(s) visiting for a purpose other than classroom or assembly program).
Volunteer Guidelines
We love volunteers!! We know partnerships help make our school a great place to be. Parents/guardians are welcome to volunteer in the building. Other family members or community members must complete a volunteer application (click here for the application) and submit it to the district volunteer coordinator.
