GENERAL INFORMATION
Arrival & Dismissal
On-site supervision begins at 8:00 am each day on the playground.The cafeteria opens at 7:45am. For those students walking to school, please instruct them to walk on the sidewalk only and to cross only at the designated crosswalks. Upon arriving, students are to go directly to the cafeteria or playground. At the end of the school day, students are expected to go home right after school. Supervision is not provided on the school playground after school.
Drop-off & Pick-up
White curbs/zones are designed for you to pull in and drop your child off. There is no parking along the white curb/zone – it is a drop off and pick up zone ONLY. Also, please help keep all our children safe by NEVER EVER double parking, even if you are late, and even if your child is going to scoot out of the car quickly. Please DO NOT DOUBLE PARK on any streets surrounding the school.
Dress Code
Students are encouraged to dress appropriately for their age and for the weather. Students should wear close-toed shoes (no flip flops or high heels, please), shirts that cover their bellies and pants that cover their buttocks. Students should remove their sweatshirt hood or caps when they are in class. Gang-related signals or colors are not permitted. Radios, tape players, electronic games, pagers, collectible cards, and other personal items are not permitted and must stay home.
Visiting Gault
Visitors Family and community members are welcomed and encouraged to participate in school activities. If you wish to visit or observe a classroom, please call the school office 24 hours in advance and let us know (429-3856). Also please remember to sign in at the office upon arrival. To check in at the office please bring your Drivers Licence. We welcome all visitors and are proud to give tours of our wonderful school!
Lost and Found
Lost and Found items are collected and stored in the Lost and Found bin located near the office. At regular intervals, unclaimed items will be donated to charity. We ask parents to please label all clothing and accessories and to suggest that students check the Lost and Found often.
ATTENDANCE
Attendance & Absences
Students are expected to arrive at school consistently and on time. If your child is absent, please call the office, 429-3856 x 1032, and let us know the reason. A message tape is on after hours for your convenience. In order to comply with state attendance laws, we need to know the specific reason for the absence (i.e. illness, out of town, family emergency, etc.).
School-Day Appointments
If your child needs to leave during school hours for an appointment, please stop in the office to sign your child out. Be sure to send a note if someone other than you will be picking up your child. We will not release a child to anyone without the parent/guardian’s permission. For safety reasons, only those people listed on the emergency card will be granted permission.
Moving?
If you anticipate a move to another school district, please inform the school office as soon as possible?so we may assist with making the transition to the new school as smooth as possible for your child.
SCHOOL MEALS
Breakfast & Lunch
Breakfast is served every morning in the Cafeteria from 7:45am until 8:25am. Menu varies daily and includes french toast, egg sandwiches, fresh made oatmeal, low sugar whole grain cereals, and a daily entree special with milk, juice and fresh fruit.
The Surf City Café (aka Santa Cruz City Schools Food Service) strives to provide healthy, tasty and appealing meals using local ingredients whenever possible and to give fun and friendly, informed customer service and nutritional education to all our students in a positive, equitable and safe environment. The district participates in the National School Breakfast and Lunch Programs. Families may participate in this program by completing the application annually.
Children are not to bring glass bottles, sodas or candy to school. We eat together outside in our lunch patio and on rainy days we eat inside the auditorium.
COMMUNICATION
Friday Folders
Each teacher sends home class newsletters on weekly or bimonthly basis. We are always open to input from parents/guardians and encourage you to write or call for a conference whenever you have concerns. Friday Folders contain important information from the office, please review all notices.
Conferences and Report Cards
Time is set aside in November for parent/guardian planning conferences. There is no school for students on those days. You will be contacted by letter late in October to confirm your scheduled time to meet with your child’s teacher.
DISCIPLINE
GAULT GOOD TO GREATS!
• Show Respect
• Make a Good Decision
• Solve a Problem
Our focus is on building an artful community through mutual respect, attentive listening, appreciation, and personal best. We model and practice the lifelong guidelines of trustworthiness, truthfulness, active listening, no put downs and personal best.
HEALTH SERVICES
Health Clerk
Our Health Clerk is on site 10:30am – 1:30pm daily. Our Health Clerk is available only for emergencies and consultation. Vision and hearing screenings are performed by the Health Clerk at different grade levels and upon referral. If your child requires first aid or becomes ill during school hours, we will make every attempt to contact you, using telephone numbers, listed on the emergency card.
Medicines
Students are not allowed to bring medicine (non-prescription or prescription) to school unless accompanied by a “Physicians Request to Dispense Medicine” form signed by the physician. These forms can be obtained from our school’s Health Clerk in the office. All medicines are to be dispensed from the office only. For their safety, students may not store medicines of any kind in their personal belongings. At your request, all medicines stored in the health office will either be returned to you or disposed of on the final day of school.
SAFETY / EMERGENCIES
Santa Cruz City Schools Safety Plans
Emergency cards must be completed online via Illuminate
It is very important that this card is completed accurately and returned promptly. It is necessary to have your current home number and more than two emergency phone numbers. If you move or change jobs, please call the school and let us know your new address and telephone numbers. Please fill in the spaces on the emergency card for friends or neighbors who can take responsibility for you child if we can not reach you. Additionally, please inform us about any special health concerns that may affect your child’s safety at school and please update us of any changes throughout the year.
Emergency Disaster Procedures and Preparedness
In case of a natural disaster (earthquake, flood, etc.) the following procedures will be used to help us unite you and your child quickly and safely:
- All parents/guardians are directed to come and pick up their children at school as soon as it is safe to do so. Please report to the office unless alerted otherwise.
- Children will not be sent home. We ask you to please pick up your child or to designate a friend (named on your emergency card) to do so.
- The staff will care for your child until you or your representative pick up your child at school.?
- If the disaster occurs during school hours, Gault parent/guardians are urged to walk to school if you live within a reasonable distance.
- The staff will keep a record of the name and address of the person who takes you child home so you can be properly directed to your child’s whereabouts.
- School closures will be broadcast on KSCO AM 1080 on your radio.
- Emergency drills are held once per month. Fire, Earthquake, Lock down (to ensure student safety in the unlikely event of an unwelcome visitor to our school) rotate monthly. All of these emergency procedures are intended to teach the children what to do in the event of such disasters as fires, earthquakes, etc.