Grant Elementary Supplement

We are happy to have your scholar arrive at school after 7:45 a.m. Tuesday - Friday and 8:45 a.m. on Mondays. We appreciate your understanding as supervision is minimal prior to this time and could create real safety issues. Any special arrangements must be made in advance with our office staff.

Character development is important in developing healthy values. It is our goal to encourage positive qualities so that our students will develop strong character, make appropriate choices and be effective leaders. Our character building program includes a specific focus trait for each month.

Throughout the month, staff members will be on the lookout for students who are exhibiting positive character in our school. Selected students who have exhibited these traits will be recognized during a monthly assembly.
 

MONTHLY CHARACTER TRAITS

Communication is an essential part of the educational program. It is important for families to keep in close contact with their scholar’s teacher concerning their progress. All scholars will have conferences in the fall. Some teachers will use a “scholar led” conference format. We encourage scholars to participate in their conference. 

During the spring, selected scholars will have conferences. This does not limit you from coming in to discuss your scholar’s progress whenever you have concerns. It is important that you first call and schedule an appointment. 

Report cards are distributed at the end of each quarter and final report cards are mailed home at the end of the school year.

We expect that our learning environment and staff time for scholars will be free from interruption. Except in emergencies, staff will not be interrupted. Calls will be directed to voicemail during instructional times. We encourage staff to check voicemail and email every day. 

Certificated staff will be available for consultation with scholars and families before and after school. Please make an appointment with staff to assure an uninterrupted conference. No one may solicit funds or conduct private business with staff on school time or on school property.

Counseling services are available to scholars and families who need assistance with school-related problems (i.e. academics, social and behavior). Individual, small group and large group counseling is available. Resource materials for families are available through the counseling office. If your scholar is recommended for on-going counseling because of a school-related problem, you will be contacted prior to counseling. In the event that long-term counseling is necessary, referral to an outside agency may occur. You are invited to contact the counseling office if you have concerns or are in need of assistance.

Each year, the Ephrata School District offers Parenting with Love and Logic classes. These classes are taught in English and Spanish free of charge. Childcare and resource materials are provided. Families that previously participated in these classes stated, “I wish I had this training years ago. Wow! What a change I have seen in the way I discipline my scholar.” Look for information to come home with more information on dates and times.

* One-hour late start every Monday

In case of inclement weather, scholars will be allowed into the building earlier.

Classes are dismissed at 3:05 p.m. If you are picking up your scholar, please use the designated area in front of the building and away from the bus loading zones or parking lots. Scholars must bring a note to the office OR families should make a phone call if there is a change to their after-school routine. Crosswalk use will be strictly enforced. We appreciate you modeling safe practices for all scholars. Scholars are not allowed to wait at the East Doors and Parking Lot for families as we do not have supervision in these areas.

Scholars at Grant Elementary will:

• Attend school in order to participate in special programs or activities on that date.
   
• Keep all electronic devices, toys, games, etc. at home. Scholars with special permission from their teacher to bring these items, will leave them in their backpack or with their classroom teacher / designee. NOTE: Grant Elementary and the Ephrata School District are not responsible for any lost or stolen items.
   
• Keep cell phones turned off and put away during the school day. Scholars will not be allowed to use their phones (including texting) unless prior arrangements have been made. A scholar may ask to use the office / classroom phone if necessary.

We all carry around an invisible bucket. Bucket fillers are people who choose to do kind things for others and make conscious efforts to refrain from dipping out of others’ buckets. Bucket filling is easy and costs little. Here are little reminders:

Carry Around a Full Bucket:
You’ll know when your bucket is full because you smile more - genuine smiles that make others feel good. People with full buckets are caring people who are able to separate the little deals from the big deals in life. They subscribe to the “falling down three times and getting up four times” philosophy of life. Bucket fillers are not easily discouraged and are supportive of each other.

Don’t be a Bucket Dipper:
When we focus on what we have rather than on what we don’t have, our good thoughts fill our buckets. Don’t allow your words and attitudes to dip into buckets around you. We can never fill our buckets by dipping into someone else’s.

Put a Lid on Your Bucket:
Make every effort to avoid letting negative circumstances dip into your bucket’s healthy thoughts and feelings. If you are feeling overwhelmed or discouraged, do everything you can to protect your bucket. Find someone who will help fill your bucket.
 

• Be Safe
• Be Respectful
• Be Responsible

When we do these 3 things, we are OK!

Homework is not something you should expect for your scholar. We understand that families have busy schedules outside of school. We know scholars are involved with sports, religious activities, helping around the home or simply being with family. If there is anything we encourage to happen at home, it is reading.

Please encourage your scholar to read as much as possible. This can be a great opportunity to spend time with a family member while developing reading skills. Your scholar’s teacher will provide guidance, but generally:

We are grateful to the Lions Club of Ephrata for sponsoring our Junior Jogger running program. The Lions Club has been a strong supporter of this program for more than 20 years. Free t-shirts are provided to all scholars who meet minimum requirements:
Grades K-2:    Must run 30+ miles
Grades 3-4:    Must run 40+ miles

Scholars that double their miles earn the right to have the words “double miler” printed on the back of their shirt and are given free admission to the Sage ‘n Sun Lions Club Fun Run in June. When a scholar triples their miles, they earn the right to have their name printed on the back of their t-shirt. Record holders are posted on a special bulletin board found at the front of our building.

Federal Law requires that all scholars receive 100 minutes per week of health and fitness, over the course of the school year. Scholars are provided weekly Physical Education (PE) and Health instruction. Junior Joggers will be held daily, during the end of the day. All staff and students participate in our Junior Joggers program. Families are welcome to participate too! Please check-in with the office and receive a visitor sticker. We love your support!

Kelso’s Choice Conflict Management for scholars is a powerful and timely tool to build a vital life skill for the young people in today’s world. Kelso’s Choice empowers scholars to use the skills of conflict management in school, the community and at home. The program is unique in two ways: it builds a foundation for scholars to discriminate between manageable, “kid-size” problems and those that require adult intervention; and it provides a cognitive structure of nine tangible skills that can be used to solve “small” problems. When scholars make negative choices, they may be directed to identify at least two other choices they could have made that KELSO would have made. You can help reinforce this outside of school. Following is a diagram of KELSO’s Choices so that you can become aware of options that kids are being asked to consider when making decisions. All Grant staff are encouraged to use KELSO’s Choices in interactions with scholars. 

During the first week of school, kindergarten scholars will have time to meet with their teacher and family, one-on-one. Appointment times will be assigned. If possible, please try to make your scheduled session as rescheduling can be very difficult.

All scholars in Washington State Public Schools participate in the state assessment system. This is current Washington state law. For more information on assessment, please visit the Office of the State Superintendent website: www.k12.wa.us. Scholars are tested throughout the year in reading and mathematics. Test results are shared with families and are part of instructional planning for all scholars. All scholars are assessed using STAR360, Success Maker Math, Classroom Assessments and State required testing.
 

We believe that each person has value and deserves support and respect. We believe in providing the opportunity for everyone to reach their potential. We believe in each person taking personal responsibility for learning through honesty and integrity. At the beginning of each school year, staff reviews data (academics, behavior, etc.) and set quarterly goals to help all our scholars achieve at high levels of learning. These goals become a significant part of what we do and how we teach. If you would like to see these goals, please contact the office for assistance. 

Additional Focus Areas:

• Provide safe and secure schools
• Continue to increase communication among staff, building, families and the community
• Continue to provide technology support and in-service to scholars and staff

School Board Policy #5630 and Procedure #5630

There are many opportunities to volunteer at school:

• Title 1 Reading Assistance Program (RAP)
• Classroom
• Library
• Playground Games
• Lunchroom Assistance
• PTO, etc.

We are always looking for ways to utilize your talents. Please come and visit with us if you have an idea for volunteering!

Our focus is to promote living a healthy lifestyle. As a result, all foods and beverages provided to scholars at school must meet minimal nutritional values as defined by the following guidelines. This does not limit what you can send your scholar for cold lunches. It does, however, mean that foods not meeting minimal nutritional values will no longer be served during the school day. 

Foods that are recommended may include:

• Fruit
• Vegetables
• Milk
• Real Fruit Juice
• Meat / Cheese
• Pretzels / Popcorn / Trail Mix
• Granola Bars
• Yogurt
• Foods with Grains, etc.

These foods should be low in saturated and trans fat, cholesterol, sugar and salt.

Celebrations (such as birthday parties) that include food must meet these minimal nutritional values. Celebrations related to cultural lessons and state standards are excluded from meeting the minimal nutritional values.

We welcome and encourage visits to school by our families, community and interested educators. We expect all visitors, substitute staff, high school TAs and PTO volunteers to check-in at the office and obtain the necessary badge / identification prior to movement through our campus. The following guidelines are established to permit visitors to observe the educational program with minimal disruption:

1. All visitors must register at the office upon arrival at school.
2. Visitors whose purpose is to influence or solicit scholars will not be permitted on school grounds unless the visit furthers the educational program of the district.
3. If visitors wish to observe a classroom, the time will be arranged after the principal has conferenced with the teacher.
4. If the purpose of the classroom visitation is to observe learning and teaching activities, the visitor may be asked to confer with the teacher before or after the observation to enhance understanding of the activities.
5. The principal may withhold approval if particular events (such as testing) would be adversely affected by a visit. Similarly, if a visitor’s presence becomes disruptive, the principal may withdraw approval. In either case, the principal will give reasons for the action.
6. If a dispute arises regarding limitations upon or withholding of approval for visits:
   • The visitor will first discuss the matter with the principal.
   • If it is not satisfactorily resolved, the visitor may request a meeting with the superintendent.
   • The latter will promptly meet with the visitor, investigate the dispute and render a written decision, which shall be final, subject only to the citizen’s right to raise an issue at a regular session of the board.