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AFTER SCHOOL PICK-UP

Students who ride buses will exit the building on the east side, through the main entrance, onto Grape Street. ALL other students will exit on the west side of the building onto Glencoe Street. Drivers must park cars in appropriate areas and wait for students to cross at the corner. Please DO NOT beckon children to cross anywhere but at the corner. Pick up students at the curb – it is unlawful and unsafe to stop in the street. Please do not park in handicapped or bus loading zones. Adults are requested to follow these procedures for the safety of students.

Parents who come into the building to pick up their child must wait in the hall by the main office and not in the hall outside of the classroom. At 3:55, all students who have not left the school grounds and are not with a parent will be taken to the main office. If students remain at school past 4:00 on two or more occasions, the Denver Police Department or Social Services will be called to retrieve the students.

ANIMALS ON SCHOOL GROUNDS

By city ordinance, no animals are allowed on the school grounds when children are present. The only exception is an animal used for a classroom activity. Check with the main office before bringing any animal to the school grounds.

APPROPRIATE SCHOOL DRESS

Students must come to school dressed appropriately. Clothing that has writing or pictures that include inappropriate references to drugs, gangs, sex, violence, profanity, alcohol, or tobacco are not allowed. Skirts and shorts must be fingertip or longer (with arms and hands fully extended) in length. Bare midriffs, halter-tops, spaghetti straps, or muscle shirts will not be allowed. Trousers must be waist high and no head coverings may be worn inside the building. If inappropriate clothing is worn to school, parents will be contacted and students will be asked to change or cover clothing. Children must wear coats to school in cold weather, as they will go outside daily for recess.

ATTENDANCE,TARDIES AND EARLY DISMISSALS

Please call the school at 303-388-5929 to report a student's absence first thing in the morning. If a call is not received from a parent or guardian, the attendance secretary will attempt to call to verify the student's absence. Daily attendance is very important to school success. Palmer has an attendance and tardy policy in accordance with the Colorado School Attendance Law. The attendance law allows for 10 days total unexcused absences, and violation of the law may result in the initiation of an attendance case filing in Denver Juvenile Court.

Arrival at school on time and remaining in school all day are expectations at Palmer School. All tardies and early dismissals must be accompanied by a doctor's note in order to be excused. After two unexcused tardies, students who are late without a doctor’s note, will be kept in during lunch recess.

If it is necessary to pick up your child from school during the school day, go to the office to sign out your child. Teachers are instructed not to release children from the classroom or playground without authorization from the office. This procedure is followed to protect your child and to hold classroom interruptions to a minimum. A child will not be released to anyone who is not on the student release authorization form, unless the parent has notified the school office, or to anyone less than 18 years of age.

BREAKFAST AND LUNCH

Breakfast is served at 8:30 a.m. Students should arrive no later than 8:45 in order to be served. Children who ride the school bus will be served when their bus arrives at school. Students may pay for breakfast and lunches in advance. Checks should be made payable to Palmer Lunchroom. Free and reduced lunch applications are available in the main office. Students may charge only two meals. Charged meals must be reimbursed. Alternative meals will be offered to students after two charges. Students are expected to eat a healthy, balanced breakfast and lunch. Only single serving bags of chips, cookies or snacks may be brought for lunch. Food may not be shared, saved for a later time or taken out of the lunchroom. Students may bring milk, juice or water to drink and soft drinks are not allowed. Exceptions will be made during special events. Check with principal for further details.

CLASSROOM ASSIGNMENTS

Students are assigned to specific classrooms by teachers and the principal. We strive to have classrooms that are diverse in student population and supportive of each student’s educational needs. Therefore, requests for specific classrooms are not accepted.

COMMUNICATION

Communication between parents and teachers is vital to a student’s success in the classroom. Parent/ Teacher conferences are planned two times per year. Other conferences can be planned as needed. In order to maintain the integrity of our instructional time, please call the main office to make an appointment, 303-388-5929, when you need to speak with a Palmer staff member between 8:00 and 4:00. In order for students to have uninterrupted instruction and services, staff members are not available for conferencing during the school day without an appointment. If a problem or concern arises, parents are requested to contact the teacher before notifying the main office. A follow-up conference can be arranged with the Principal, as needed.

Students will bring home a Friday Folder every Friday, except during a short week or before a holiday. The Friday Folder contains information about your child's academic progress, behavior and important classroom information. Also, the Friday Folder has general school information and public announcements. Parents are asked to read the contents of the folder and sign it. Students must return the folder on the following school day. Students will miss recess time if the folder is not returned.

The office staff will deliver a message to a student in the case of an emergency. Messages will not be delivered after 3:15 p.m. If you have something delivered to a student during school hours, except homework or lunch, the item will be kept in the office until after school.

Students may not use school telephones during school hours or be called to the phone for a conversation. Cell phones and pagers are not allowed for elementary school students.

DISCIPLINE

The Palmer OWL Discipline system is used consistently throughout the school. Each classroom follows the same set of rules. The basis of this discipline system is for students to make good choices about their behavior.Expectations for students are the following:

    * 1. Follow Directions
    * 2. Keep hands, feet, and all objects to yourself
    * 3. Use appropriate, honest language
    * 4. Move through all areas of the building quietly
    * 5. Eat food only in the lunchroom and designated areas
    * 6. Respect school property and the property of others
    * 7. Maintain behavior that allows teachers to teach and all students to learn.
    * 8. Show respect for yourself and others
    * 9. Turn in all assignments complete and on time.



The consequences associated with the OWL Discipline System are listed below. 1. Refocus Form- A student will receive a warning, called a Refocus Form, the first time a behavior expectation is not followed. This form requires students to think about what happened and to decide how to self-correct the behavior. Primary students may be assisted in filling out forms. 2. 1st and 2nd OWL Form- After the second Refocus Form, a designated adult will talk with the student about the behavior and the student will receive an OWL form to take home to be signed by the parents. The student misses one day of lunch recess. 3. 3rd through 6th OWL Forms- The student will miss a week of recess. 4. 7th OWL Form- The student will be suspended from school until the parents, student and principal can meet. During the meeting, a behavior contract will be developed for the student. The contract will determine further disciplinary actions. The number of days of a suspension is increased with each suspension.

Automatic suspension and/or loss of lunch recess, rather than use of the OWL System, will be used in the following cases: 1) Promoting or participating in violence, 2) Using or bringing tobacco, drugs or alcohol to school, 3) Bringing a weapon, anything that appears to be a weapon or can be used as a weapon, to school, 4) Continual defiance, 5) Continual disruption of the learning environment, 6) Harassment, 7) As part of a behavior contract.

HOMEWORK

In accordance with Denver Public Schools policy, students will have homework Monday through Thursday. Occasionally, homework may be assigned on the weekend. Please express an interest in his/her studies by reviewing materials and assignments brought home.

In the event of an absence, it is expected that all homework and class work will be completed in a timely manner. Twenty-four hour notice is required for requesting missing assignments due to absence.

IMMUNIZATIONS

Colorado state law requires all students to be fully immunized when entering school. Students will not be allowed to attend school without current immunizations. Parents/Guardians must provide records showing dates of all required immunizations.

LOST AND DAMAGED BOOKS OR MATERIALS

When textbooks, library books, and other school-owned materials are loaned, it is expected that they will be returned in excellent condition. If books and materials are lost or damaged, the student is expected to pay for a replacement. Field trip privileges, report cards and/or Continuation certificates may be withheld until lost or damaged books and materials are reimbursed.

LOST AND FOUND

If your student has lost something, please check at the Lost and Found in the hall by the lunchroom. Smaller and more valuable objects, such as glasses and jewelry, will be kept in the office. Lost lunch bags are often found in other classroom lunch buckets. Please mark outerwear, lunch containers, and backpacks with student names. Unclaimed Lost and Found items are periodically sent to charitable organizations.

MEDICAL INFORMATION

If a child becomes ill or injured at school, he/she will receive temporary care and first aid, and the parent will be notified. Please be sure accurate emergency phone numbers are on file! If a parent or designated adult cannot be notified, emergency services or Social Services will be contacted. School personnel cannot make a diagnosis of a medical or psychological condition.

MEDICATION

School District Policy and state law establishes that medication may be dispensed at school only with physician and parent/guardian authorizations. Parents must provide the medication in a separate prescription bottle that stays at school. The bottle must have a prescription label clearly stating the student's name, doctor's name, name of the medication, dosage and time(s) to be taken. Medication requiring three or four doses per day usually necessitate giving only one dose at school.

ALL medication must be turned in to the office and not carried by students. Please do not send pills or capsules in plastic bags or over-the-counter medications such as aspirin or cough drops. Medications will be locked in the school office and dispensed by designated office staff. The student is responsible for going to the office/clinic to obtain his/her medication.

PARKING

Please do not park in bus loading areas, handicap parking areas, or in the staff parking lot. Also, remember that U-turns are dangerous and prohibited by law.

PARTIES IN CLASSROOM

Each classroom will have two parties per school year. The parties take place on the day before winter break and on Valentine's Day. A fee is collected to cover the cost for refreshments and activities for the parties. In addition, teachers arrange incentive parties throughout the school year.

Birthdays may be celebrated in classrooms during the last 15 minutes of the school day and must be arranged with the teacher in advance. When a birthday celebration is arranged, parents must provide individually wrapped or single serving refreshments (no cakes), paper plates, napkins and plastic ware. Also, parents must be available for set up and clean up.

All refreshments must be store purchased and in a sealed container according to DPS policy. Only water or juice boxes may be served.

PHONE NUMBERS AND EMERGENCY INFORMATION

Notify the school office when your home phone, business phone, or address changes. It is imperative that we to able to reach a parent or responsible adult in the case of an emergency. When a parent or responsible adult cannot be contacted, the school may call the Denver Police and/or Social Services.

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

The Pledge of Allegiance is recited daily in classrooms. Students are not required to say the pledge but parents must sign a waiver for their child not to participate.

SCHOOL BUSES

Students who ride the school bus are expected to know their bus numbers. Parents also need to know the bus numbers in case they want to check on their child's bus. For information regarding late buses or other questions, call the transportation parent hotline number.

SCHOOL HOURS

    * Full-day students- 8:55-3:45
    * Half-day ECE- 1:00-3:45
    * Half-day K- 8:55 -11:40



Students are not to arrive before 8:30 a.m. There is NO supervision for students or a place for them to wait until 8:30 a.m. Students must be picked up promptly after the 3:45 dismissal bell. They may not stay to play on the playground, unless a parent or guardian supervises them.

STORM SCHEDULE

Denver Public Schools will make a decision in the early morning about closing schools or using the Storm Schedule. Listen to the local television and radio stations for announcements concerning late start or school closure due to weather. When DPS elementary schools are put on the storm schedule, bus pick up times are delayed by about one half hour. School will start at the regular time for students who do not ride busses. When listening to school closure information, keep in mind that there are schools in other districts also named Palmer.

STUDENT DROP OFF AND PICK UP

Please sign in at the main office when you visit Palmer School for any reason. You will be issued a visitor’s badge to wear while in the school building.

If you bring your child to school in the morning, wait in the courtyard until the teacher picks up the class. Please do not come into the school to hang up a backpack or go to the classroom. If you need assistance or want to speak to a staff member, the main office personnel will help you. The teacher will begin class at 9:00. At that time, parents and visitors are asked to leave the building or go to the main office for a visitor’s badge. If you pick up your child after school, please wait in the front hall by the main office, in the courtyard until the class is released. Do not go to the classroom without a visitor’s badge. When picking up students from after-school clubs, parents may wait by the auditorium for their children.

TOBACCO FREE DISTRICT

Denver Public Schools is a tobacco/ drug/ alcohol free district. None of these products are allowed on school property.

TOYS AND PERSONAL BELONGINGS

Toys, athletic equipment, gadgets, electronic devices, makeup and purses are not allowed at school without teacher permission. If permitted, items need to be clearly marked with the student's name. When an inappropriate item is brought to school, it will be taken to the main office and the parent may retrieve it. Please be aware that we will not assume responsibility for lost, damaged, or stolen.

VISITORS BADGE

All visitors to the building, including parents, community members, vendors and DPS employees, are required to go to the main office to sign in and get a visitor’s badge. The badge will be worn while in the building or on school grounds.Palmer welcomes parents and visitors to visit the building and classrooms! All visitors must stop in the office to sign in and pick up a visitor's pass.