Westglen School

Family Handbook

WESTGLEN …A creative, inclusive, active

and engaged learning community.

2016-17

10950 – 127 Street NW

Edmonton, Alberta T5M 0S7

Phone: 780.454.3449

Fax: 780.454.3281

E-mail:

Website:

SchoolZone: schoolzone.epsb.ca

WELCOME TO WESTGLEN SCHOOL

Westglen School is a strong, vibrant community school committed to creating a supportive and challenging learning environment in which all students experience academic success and personal growth. At Westglen, students receive balanced educational programming that promotes lifelong learning and encourages them to become caring, respectful, and responsible citizens who make effective contributions to society.

Westglen provides a strong academic program and staff are committed to implementing effective research based instructional practices that promote student engagement and 21st century learning. All students have access to technology including SmartBoards, netbooks and laptops that support a Universal Design for Learning(UDL) approach to instruction.Beginning in grade four, students receive instruction in French as a Second Language (FSL).

Grade sixstudents are enrolled in theInternational Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme (IBMYP)which is designed to help students develop the knowledge, understanding, attitudes and skills necessary to participate actively and responsibly in a changing world. Throughout the school year, all students from kindergarten through grade six participate in IB related projects that promote intercultural understanding, environmental sustainability, and community service.

Physical education, dance and fine arts programming incorporates guest instructors and artists in residence. Students also have opportunities to participate in a variety of extracurricular activities that foster active healthy living, school spirit, and leadership development. These activities includeAMA Safety Patrols,Westglen Kids Helping Kids,Westglen Athletics (track), choir,Music Enrichment Guitar lessons, gardening club and chess club. Please note that the extracurricular activities offered each year depend on staff and parent interest and support.

At Westglen, we believe that parent partnership is the cornerstone of a successful education. We invite you to participate alongside your children and our staff as we create a welcoming and stimulating learning environment that will enable our children to acquire the competencies they need to become active and responsible citizens in an increasingly globalized world.

At Westglen School we agree to:

  1. Show Mutual Respect
  2. Attentive Listening
  3. Appreciations and no put downs
  4. Right to Pass, Right to Participate
  5. Personal Best

ABOUT THIS HANDBOOK

This handbook is intended to provide you with important information about Westglen School. Please review it with your children and keep it as a reference during the year. The on-line version of this handbook, located on our website and on SchoolZone contains the most up-to-date information about Westglen School.

Our school operations are continually reviewed as we get to know our students and gather feedback from parents, staff, and community. Any revisions to the information included in this handbook will be communicated through memos, newsletters and SchoolZone.

If you have ideas, questions, or concerns about Westglen, please contact us at any time. We look forward to working with you and your children during the 2016-17 school year.

Cory MacTaggart, Principal

Nancy Lastiwka-Durling, Assistant Principal

Kathleen van den Biggelaar, Administrative Assistant

TABLE OF CONTENTS

WESTGLEN STAFF6

SCHOOL HOURS7

SAFETY AND WELL-BEING8

  • Transportation to and from School
  • Traffic Safety and Parking
  • ETS Transportation
  • Bicycles, Scooters and Skateboards
  • Supervision and Entry Doors
  • Inclement Weather
  • Attendance and Absenteeism
  • School Telephone
  • Visitors
  • Volunteers
  • Reporting Vandalism
  • Emergency Response Planning
  • Respectful Learning and Working Environments

STUDENT HEALTH13

  • Illness and Injury
  • Asthma and Allergies
  • Administration of Medication
  • School Nurse
  • No Child Without Program
  • Support for Students and Families

PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY15

  • Supporting Positive Behaviour
  • Lockers
  • Student Dress and Footwear
  • School Supplies and Textbooks
  • Personal Property
  • Video Games and Toys
  • Cell Phones and IPODs
  • Acceptable use of Technology

HOME-SCHOOL COMMUNICATION17

  • SchoolZone
  • Website
  • Memos and Newsletters
  • Bulletin Boards
  • Student Agendas
  • Assemblies / Special Events
  • On-line Distribution of Newsletters and Progress Reports
  • Birthday Book Program

REPORTING STUDENT LEARNING18

  • Progress Reports and Conferences
  • Student Assessment
  • Homework

FIELD TRIPS19

EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES

LUNCH PROGRAM

  • Microwaves
  • Healthy Food Choices
  • Litterless Lunches
  • Supervision

WESTGLEN SCHOOL COUNCIL AND WPA20

FEES21

OUT OF SCHOOL CARE

Student Behaviour and Conduct PoLICY22

CALENDAR OF EVENTS 23

2016-17 WESTGLEN STAFF

Mr. Cory MacTaggartPrincipal

Mrs. Nancy Lastiwka-DurlingAssistant Principal

Mrs. Kathleen van den BiggelaarAdministrative Assistant

Mrs. Allison TitleyAM & PM Kindergarten, Room 6

Mrs. Kathleen RicheyGrade One, Room 5

Mrs. Barb WrayGrade One, Room 4

Ms Mary BatemanGrade Two, Room 13

Mrs. Katie RaynerGrade Two, Room 14

Mrs. Kristine LuftGrade Three, Room 1

Ms Anna Maria MaranoGrade Three, Room 3

Ms Danica YoungGrade Four/Five, Room12

Mrs. Adrienne SwelanderGrade Four/Five, Room 9

Mrs. Beth McCormickGrade Four/Five Room 11

Ms Amanda RuppGrade Six Room 10

Mrs. Katherine AndreychukGradeFive/Six, Room 2

Mr. Patrick HughesMusic, Room 15

Mrs. Kathleen RicheyMusic, Kindergarten

Mrs. Debbie SemeniukLunch Program Coordinator/Clerk

Mrs. Sandra BlackEducational Assistant

Mrs. Jennifer ReaEducational Assistant

TBDHead Custodian

Ms Nataliya AdamenkoCustodial Assistant

2016-17 SCHOOL HOURS

8:20 am Outdoor Supervision Starts

8:30 am Office Opens

8:32 am First Bell

Students Enter School

8:37 amSecond Bell

O' Canada and Announcements

8:40 am Morning Classes Start

10:13 - 10:28 am Morning Recess

11:31 am Morning Classes End

11:31 - 11:51 am Lunch Recess

11:51 am - 12:16 pmStudents Eat Lunch

12:16 pmFirst Bell

12:18 pm Second Bell/ Afternoon Classes Start

2:00 – 2:15 pm Afternoon Recess

2:09 pm Thursday Early Dismissal

3:21 pm Regular Dismissal

4:00 pmSchool Office Closes

SAFETY AND WELL-BEING

TRANSPORTATION TO AND FROM SCHOOL

At Westglen School, we strive to promote healthy and active lifestyle choices and encourage students to walk or bike to school if at all possible. If you drive your children to school, please pay particular attention to the section below regarding Traffic Safety and Parking.

TRAFFIC SAFETY AND PARKING

127thStreet is a ONE-WAY street and the area in front of Westglen School is abike lane and a

NO-STOPPING ZONE.

The School Parking Lot is for Staff use only.

The parking lot is NOT a drop off zone for parent use for the school or for YMCA OSC.

Out of consideration for safety, please respect the rules of the parking lot.

Staff members pay a substantial rental fee for parking spaces in the school lot and expect to have their spaces available to them upon arrival at school.

Please help us to ensure the safety of all Westglen students and families by respecting city bylaws regarding traffic safety.

The crosswalks at 109 and 109A Avenues are patrolled by our AMA School Patrols. If you drop your children off at school,please park safely along the east side of the streetand ensure your children cross the street at the crosswalks. Do not jaywalk or cross between vehicles. The Edmonton Police Service workswith us to respond to safety concerns including jaywalking.

School patrols are on duty at 8:20 am and 3:20 pm (2:09pm on Thursdays). This roleischallenging and requires the support of students and parents. Please reinforce with your child(ren) the importance of cooperating with patrols when crossing the street.

Parent and driver cooperation, courtesy, and patience will help to make drop-off and pick-up times safe and efficient for all.

ETS TRANSPORTATION

Westglen is a neighbourhood school and yellow bus service is not available. Students who require ETS transportation may purchase a monthly bus pass at the school office for a cost of $55.00 per month (annual fee $470.00). In the event a monthly bus pass is lost or stolen, the cost of a replacement pass is $69.00.

BICYCLES, SCOOTERS, AND SKATEBOARDS

Bicycles, scooters, or skateboards used as transportation to school are not to be ridden on school property(e.g. tarmac) before or after school or during recess or the lunch hour. Bicyclesare tobe ridden directly to the bike rack and locked and skateboards and scooters should be carried into the school for storage. Students are expected to obey all traffic and safety regulations and laws when riding to and from school.The school is not responsible for the loss or theft of bicycles, scooters, or skateboards brought to school.

The City of Edmonton BY-LAW 13145

Dogs are not permitted on school grounds, playground or city park. Failure to comply can result in a $100.00 fine.

Please be a responsible pet owner.

In the interest of safety and the environment, we do not permit students to climb in the trees.

SUPERVISION AND ENTRY DOORS

Outdoor supervision is provided to students beginning at 8:20am. Please ensure your children do not arrive at school before this time. Students are expected to remain outside the school until the bell rings at 8:33 am when they will enter the school through their designated door with their classmates. The only exceptions are during inclement weather or for students involved in approved extracurricular activities. Please note that childcare is not provided by school staff before or after school.

All students are expected to report home immediately following dismissal unless they have made previously approved arrangements or attend an extracurricular or Out-Of-School Care program. For students attending Out-of School Care, theprogram becomes the responsible agent beginning at 3:25 pm or 2:14 on Thursdays.

INCLEMENT WEATHER

Students are permitted to enter the school and wait quietly inside the locker areas when the weather is extreme and conditions make it unsuitable for them to be outside. Outside recess will be cancelled when temperatures drop below -23° C, including the wind chill factor.

Please ensure your children are dressed appropriately for the weather. During rain and winter weather, children should be dressed warmly enough to play outside at recess without experiencing discomfort or extreme cold (e.g.raincoat, boots, mittens, scarves, hats).

Attendance and AbsenTeEISM

School attendance is an important factor in academic success. Students are expected to attend classes regularly throughout the school year. Punctuality is equally important. Late arrivals disrupt learning and place students at a disadvantage in terms of missed instruction.

Edmonton Public Schools strongly encourages students to attend school regularly and punctually in order to enhance the likelihood of successful learning. The School Act provides the provincial expectations related to student attendance at school and defines what reasons may legitimately keep students away from school. Section 13(5) of this act excuses a student from attending school only if due to sickness, religious holidays, suspension/expulsion, permission from the Board, or other unavoidable circumstances.

Family holidays, extension of school vacation periods, student work schedules, or parental permission given to a student to stay away from school are not considered to be excused absences. If a student is chronically absent from, or late for school for “unexcused” reasons, the school will refer the student to the Attendance Board.

All schools in Edmonton Public use the following set of district-wide student absence reasons that align with the School Act.

Absence Reason / Example of Use / School Act Interpretation
Absent / No reason given / Unexcused
Confirmed Absent / School notified with reason not conforming to School Act excused / Unexcused
Illness / Student is sick / Excused
Other Medical / Any medical/dental other than illness / Excused
Religious Holiday / Day is holiday in student’s religion / Excused
Bereavement / Death in family / Excused
Transportation Issue / Bus not running or late / Excused
Out of School Suspension / Student is suspended from school / Excused
Unavoidable Circumstances / Examples are legal or safety issues – school will make a note of reason / Excused
In School – Not in Class / Examples are testing, out of class, call to office, etc. / Not Absent from School
Field Trip/School Activity / Student is absent from classes due to participation in a school-recognized field trip or other school activity / Not Absent from School
In-School Suspension / Student serves suspension at the school / Not Absent from School
Late / No reason given or reason not conforming to School Act excused / Unexcused Late
Excused Late / Late for reason conforming to School Act excused / Excused Late

Please inform the school office at or at 780.454.3449 by 8:45 a.m. if your child will be absent for the morning and by 12:20 p.m. if the absence is only for the afternoon. Please indicate the reason for your child’s absence.

To ensure student safety and to account for every student each school day, the school office conducts an Absentee Check program to verify unreported student absences or lates.

Students who arrive at school late should enter the school via the frontdoor on 127th Street and stop at the office for a late slip before proceeding to class. Student attendance and punctuality is closely monitored by staff and concerns will be addressed on an individual basis with parents.

Students are not permitted to leave school property for any reason during the school day without parental permission. When students leave the school during the day, a parentis required to sign the student out at the office.

SCHOOL TELEPHONE

The school telephone is a business phone. Students are permitted to use the school phone only in an emergency or at the request of a staff member. For this reason, it is important that parents confirm any transportation, child care arrangements, or play dates before their child leaves for school in the morning.

VISITORS

Visitors to Westglen School are always welcome. For safety and security reasons, all visitors must enter the school through the front door (all entrances are locked during the school day) and sign in at the office before proceeding through the school.

VOLUNTEERS

Each year, parent and community volunteers contribute time, energy and expertise to enrich and enhance our school. Many of the programs and events available at Westglen would not happenwithout our manydedicated volunteers.

Volunteer opportunities can be arranged to accommodate your schedule. You may choose to volunteer regularly or for a special event or activity. All volunteers are asked to sign in at the school office upon arrival so that office staff can account for all individuals in the school in the event of an emergency.

Please note that Board Regulation(GBCE.AR) requiresall regular and occasional volunteers to complete a district Volunteer Registration Form. Additionally, all volunteer coaches, volunteer chaperones of overnight field trips, and volunteer drivers that transport students are required to submit an application for a police records check in accordance with these regulations.

If you are interested in volunteering, please contact your child’s teacher or the school office.

REPORTING VANDALISM

Respect and care for school property is everyone’s concern. Vandalism that occurs outside of regular school hours costs the school valuable educational dollars. We request the support of all community residents in reporting vandalism, loitering, and any suspicious incidents that occur on school property.

If you see someone on the roof of the school, throwing objects at windows or doors, destroying shrubbery or playground equipment, or committing other acts of a suspicious nature, please call the Edmonton Police Service at 780.423.4567 or Edmonton Public Schools Security Services at 780.429.8295. Offenders will be prosecuted and the school will pursue restitution for damages.

In circumstances where a student is deemed responsible for damage of school property or the personal property of others, either in whole or in part, repair or replacement costs will be the responsibility of the student and his/her parents.

EMERGENCY RESPONSE PLANNING

Evacuation (e.g. fire) and lockdown drills are practiced regularly throughout the year to prepare staff and students to respond quickly and appropriately in an emergency situation. Any visitors who are in the school during an alarm should immediately exit the school via the closest exit and go to the muster point at the soccer fields behind the school. During a security alert or lockdown, visitors should move to the nearest secure area (e.g. classroom, library) and follow school directives.

Fire Bell Drill

Students are expected to do the following when the fire bell rings:

  • line up single file and remain silent. Do not stop to retrieve shoes or coats - this is why it is critical that all students wear footwear at all times
  • exit the school quickly and move to the designated spot on the field
  • wait quietly, listen, and respond as the teacher takes attendance
  • wait for further instructions from the teacher
  • when the bell rings or the teacher signals proceed back into the school in an orderly fashion

Parents who are in the school are expected to leave the school quickly and quietly and move to the muster point in the far soccer field.

Lock Down Drill

Students are expected to do the following:

  • when lock down is announced, remain in classroom.
  • follow all instructions, and remain silent. Go to ground only if required.
  • if in hallway, move to nearest open classroom. Move quickly and silently. As teachers are locking the doors they will be checking the hallway for students and motioning to any children they see to seek safety in the nearest classroom
  • remain silent and alert until the "all clear" is announced or the police have arrived and the school is notified that it is safe

Parents are reminded of the following expectations:

  • If you are in the school when a lock down is called you must head to the closest room where a Westglen staff member is so that you will be safe in a locked room. If the school bell is ringing continuously, do not enter or approach the school. Please stay in your vehicle.
  • Students, visitors and staff will be released when the all clear has been received

Tornado Drill

Students are expected to do the following during a tornado drill: