School Handbook

Arrival Procedures & Supervision 

ADULT SUPERVISION IS PROVIDED BEFORE SCHOOL, BEGINNING AT 7:55AM.  STUDENTS SHOULD NOT ARRIVE TO SCHOOL PRIOR TO 7:55AM.  DISMISSAL TIME IS 2:50PM.  ALL STUDENTS REMAINING AT SCHOOL AFTER DISMISSAL MUST BE SUPERVISED BY PARENT OR AN ADULT.  THIS INCLUDES USE OF THE PLAYGROUND AND OUTSIDE FIELD AREAS.  AFTER 4PM, SCHOOL GROUNDS ARE OPEN FOR COMMUNITY USE.

Students arrive at school between 7:55- 8:10am.  All students must arrive at school via the front entry doors near the parking lot (when being dropped off) or the front entry doors near the playground (when arriving by bus).

Dismissal Procedures & Supervision 

Dismissal is a busy time!  Supervision is provided at the bus ramp for bus riders, in the front of the building for car pick up, in the school lobby for parent pick up, and in our surrounding neighborhood crosswalks for students who walk or ride bikes to school.  Additional information specific to each of these means of transportation is provided in the following section of the handbook.

For your child’s safety and to avoid congestion and confusion in the lobby as students and staff exit, please refrain from picking up your child outside of the double doors near the bus lane. Teachers will escort students to the designated areas. This procedure ensures that Chehalem Staff are releasing students only to authorized adults.

 

Attendance Expectations 

All students are expected to attend school. To get the most from their education, students should be in their classes on time, every day. Regular attendance is critical to successful work in school. Each day, teachers design connected learning experiences which build upon previous learning. Students who are in class and on time will benefit from class instruction and be enriched by participation and interaction with their classmates.

Please report your child absent from school by calling the 24-hour attendance line at (503) 356-2060.  Your message must include: your name, your child's name, teacher's name, date of absence, and reason.  If we do not receive a call when a student is absent, you will receive a recorded message about your child's absence from school. One vital purpose of these calls is to notify a parent who may not be aware of their child’s absence from school.  Attendance calls are made from the auto dialer system after 9:30 am each day, once attendance has been recorded. Absences will be reported as excused once the office receives an attendance line message, parent phone call, or a parent note about the student's absence.

Reasons for absences may include illness, family emergency, religious observances, or bereavement. We ask you to please refrain from scheduling appointments and other activities during school hours.

Absences and Oregon law 

Parents/students are considered to be in violation of Oregon State Law as follows:

ORS 339.065 (Unexcused Absences) Eight unexcused one-half day absences in any four-week period during which the school is in session shall be considered irregular attendance.

ORS 339.065 (Excused Absence) Not to exceed five days in a term of three months or not to exceed 10 days in any term of at least six months.

When a child has excessive absences (as defined by ORS 339.065), the school will notify parents of the legal and educational consequences of their child’s failure to attend school.

Late Arrival 

Students arriving late to school should report to the office so that they are not reported as absent. Tardies, as well as absences, are documented on each report card.

Leaving Early 

If you must take your child out of school prior to the end of the school day, please send a note to school with your child or email the teacher and office in advance, allowing time to prepare for an extra transition.  In the rare case of a last-minute transportation change, a phone call to the office requesting an early dismissal must be made before 2:00pm.  We cannot guarantee that we will be able to respond to requests made after 2:00pm or email/voicemail messages left for teachers during the school day. Thank you for your help in reducing classroom disruption by making and communicating transportation plans in advance.

Student Withdrawal from School 

It is important that a parent or guardian contact the school either by note, telephone or in person if planning to withdraw a child from Chehalem Elementary School. We request this notice at least two days in advance in order to prepare transfer papers and notify your child’s classroom teacher of his/her departure.

Changes in Contact Information 

It is imperative for the school to have accurate and current contact information for each student and their parents/guardians. Please make it a priority to notify the school office any time there is any change of contact information, including home phone, cell phone, work phone, home address, email contacts, emergency information and no contact orders.  Changes can also be made by logging into ParentVue.

Communication 

We are committed to open, ongoing communication between home and school.  Below, you will find an overview of some of the many ways we share important school information with our Chehalem families.  Our goal is to keep you informed and involved. 

Our communication systems include the following:

• Mustang Messages School Newsletter- sent at the end of the month

• Classroom newsletters, website postings, or digital communication apps

• ParentSquare

• School website

• District website

• Back-to-School Night

• Parent Teacher Conferences- Fall and Spring 

• Report cards- January and June 

Please make sure to check your child’s backpack regularly.  Most communication from the school or classroom will be sent home on Fridays.  On occasion, time-sensitive notes may be sent home on other days of the week.  Establishing a daily routine for cleaning out backpacks will help ensure that you remain informed about upcoming school events.  Staff will generally respond to emails and phone messages during the school week within 24 hours.  Weekend communication will be responded to by close of business the following workday.

District Calendar

The Beaverton School District Calendar is located on the Beaverton School District website.

Printable calendars are available in multiple languages, including English, Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Russian, Somali, and Vietnamese.

Medication 

NO MEDICATION, whether prescription or over-the-counter, will be given to any student without a Medication Record and Authorization Form completed by the parent. (This includes commonly used medications such as Tylenol, cough syrup and cough drops.) Prescription drugs also require written instructions from the child’s physician.

• Medication must be brought to school by a parent or guardian and must be in the original container.  
• Pharmacists will provide two containers for medication, one for home and one for school. The label on the container must state the student’s name, the dosage, time, prescription number, and the physician’s name.

ALL MEDICATION must be brought to school by an adult and must be kept in the office.

Student Illness or Injury 

When a student becomes too ill to be at school or has a significant injury, we make every effort to contact the parents, guardians, and/or a person designated as a student’s emergency contact. For this reason, it is essential that the school has the most current home and work phone numbers. In an emergency situation, school administration or staff will call 911 and emergency treatment will be pursued.  

School Nurse 

The school does not have a registered nurse on site. Our office staff will call the nurse for advice and emergencies, but are trained to handle basic first aid, as well as specific health protocols delegated by the district nurses.

Head Lice (Pediculosis)

A commonly misunderstood health problem is head lice.  Head lice are not a sign of poor hygiene.  All students, regardless of home conditions, frequency of bathing, or length of hair, are susceptible to head lice. The following outline describes the problem and procedures to be followed:

What to look for:

• Head lice are very small, gray-brown colored bugs.
• Their movement can be noted on an individual’s head, however, they do not jump or fly
• The eggs, called nits, are laid close to the scalp on shafts of hair and can easily be differentiated from dandruff or dirt as they stick to the hair shaft and will not pull of the shaft easily until treated.
• Nits are whitish and look like tiny grains of rice.
• They are usually found behind the ears and at the base of the neck near the hairline.

Beaverton School District has adopted policy (JHCCF) related to head lice at school.  A student with a suspected case of head lice may be referred to the designated trained staff for a screening.  The screening will be done in a confidential manner by trained personnel.

School personnel will notify the parent or guardian of a student found with head lice and provide information on appropriate treatment.  The student will be allowed to remain in school.

The suggested school measures for head lice control, as provided in Head Lice Guidance published by the Oregon Department of Education and the Oregon Health Authority, Public Health Division will be considered.

Immunizations 

State law requires students entering Oregon schools to have immunizations listed below:

• 5 doses-Diphtheria/Tetanus/Pertussis (DTaP)
• 4 doses- Polio
• 1 dose- Varicella (chickenpox)
• 2 doses- MMR or 2 doses Measles, 1 dose Mumps, 1 dose Rubella
• 3 doses- Hepatitis B
• 2 doses- Hepatitis A

Washington County enforces the exclusion of students whose immunizations are incomplete. Immunizations may be obtained from your physician or from Washington County Health and Human Services. If you have questions, contact your child’s health care provider, Oregon Department of Health Services, or Washington County Health Department.

Restricted Activity for Health Reasons 

If a student is well enough to come to school, he or she is expected to participate in all regular daily activities, including recess. If a student is healthy enough to come to school, but has an injury, condition or disability that will prevent full participation in daily activities, a doctor’s written directions stating the child's situation and also the degree of allowable activity inside and outside the building will be honored.

Homework

Students who learn to study at home on a daily basis, early in life, develop effective organizational and work habits, which can help throughout a lifetime.

Reading during school and also outside of school is the most critical important thing that will absolutely make a difference in your child's academic success. Reading is the most critical skill to your child's future success. Reading growth is 100% related to the volume of reading the kids do outside of school.

Homework will be assigned following a consistent schedule, determined by individual teachers or grade levels.  Assignments will generally fall into one or more of the following categories:

• Practice -- helps students master specific skills taught in class.

• Preparation -- prepares students to gain maximum benefit from future lessons.

• Extension -- helps students transfer a skill or concept to another situation.

• Creative -- challenges students to integrate skills and concepts taught at school by producing a response or product which allows students to express themselves creatively or explore topics of their own interest.
   

Parent Support of Learning at Home 

Parent commitment to the homework process is very important. Parent-teacher conferences, emails, and/or phone calls are recommended for individual questions or concerns regarding your child's homework.  Please contact your child's teacher directly before contacting the school office.

Meals & Nutrition Services 

CHEHALEM IS A COMMUNITY ELIGIBILITY PROGRAM SCHOOL WHERE ALL STUDENT MEALS ARE FREE OF CHARGE. 

Breakfasts and lunches are available for all students each day through the school cafeteria. Breakfast and lunch menus for the current month are posted on the Nutrition Services Website.

Food Allergies: Please contact Chehalem’s office with information. 

 

Each student will receive a progress report twice during the school year, in February and June. At the end of each semester your child's teachers will complete a report detailing information about academic achievement, social growth, and development of work habits. The Beaverton School District’s School Board, teachers and administrators are committed to the core ideas of a standards-based learning system through:

• Clear learning targets, based on academic standards, in all content areas at each grade level
• All classroom instruction and assessments aligned to grade level learning targets
• Providing multiple opportunities for students to demonstrate growth and learning
• Increased use of formative assessment practices; providing feedback focused on student growth and supporting improved instruction
• Consistent scoring guides (rubrics) to determine a student’s level of learning and indicate what a student must do to improve
• Regular reporting of progress on each learning target
• Reporting academics and behaviors separately
• Placing the highest value on teacher judgment and expertise

Beaverton School District Report Cards summarizes student performance information in three areas:

1. Behavior Progress: How frequently a student displays academic behaviors; Scale: Consistently(C), Generally(G), Rarely/Sometimes/Improvement Needed(R)
2. Academic Performance: How a student is currently performing in each content area, aligned to end-of year, grade-level specific academic standards/expectations; Scale: Highly Proficient (4), Proficient (3), Nearing Proficiency (2), Developing (1)
3. Learning Progress: How a student’s rate of learning is progressing over time; Scale: Significant Progress (+), Steady Progress (=), Minimal Progress (-)
    

Conferences 

Parents are also invited to attend parent/teacher conferences during Fall and Spring discuss the development, social, and academic progress of each student. Interpreters will be provided for parents who request this service. Conferences will be scheduled using an online scheduling system.  Additional information will be sent to families in early Fall.

Between grading periods and conferences, teachers will communicate with parents regarding student progress and/or concerns and successes as appropriate. Parents are encouraged to initiate communication with teacher as questions or concerns arise.

School and Classroom Visitors

To ensure the safety and well-being of all students, we must know who is in the building at all times. All visitors and volunteers must check in at the school office and obtain a temporary or volunteer ID badge to be worn whenever you are in school.  All school volunteers are required to complete a BSD background check and receive District approval to volunteer in classrooms.  Visitors must sign in in the office and remain in designated areas of the building.  For guidance on required background checks, please reference the Volunteering & Mandatory Background Checks section of this handbook, under the heading of Parent & Community Partnerships.

Fire, Earthquake, and Other Emergency Drills

Chehalem Elementary School will conduct a monthly fire evacuation drill. Prior to the first drill in September, students will be instructed on procedures. In addition, all schools within the Beaverton School District conduct other emergency drills, such as earthquake drills, lock out drills, and lock down drills to ensure safety in many situations.  Drills will be unannounced to simulate real-life situations.

Secure is announced when a potentially threatening situation is happening off school grounds in the neighborhood. The school wants to prevent the danger from entering the school by locking exterior doors and monitoring traffic flow.

Lockdown is a response to an incident inside the school building that presents itself as a threat to students and staff. To reduce exposure to the threat, movement within the building is minimized, and all interior and exterior doors are locked.

Emergency Closures, Delayed Opening, or Early Release

Beaverton schools, including Chehalem, may close due to inclement weather, power outages, or for other reasons. Visit the District website for inclement weather decisions, guidelines, updates, bus snow routes and general procedures.

When the District finds it necessary to close or delay school due to weather conditions or unforeseeable disasters, local radio and news stations will be notified by 6:00 AM.  School closure information for Beaverton School District may also be sent via SchoolMessenger. If you do not hear the news report anything about Beaverton School District, schools will be open.

Our school is prepared to handle emergencies with the safety and well-being of all children as our primary concern. In order for that goal to be reached, parents are responsible for furnishing the school with accurate and up-to-date contacts (names and phone numbers) of people who could pick up their child in the event that the parent or guardian cannot be reached.

 

Classroom teachers may allow students to bring snacks to school to eat either before or after lunch. We strongly encourage families to select snacks following the guidelines of the Beaverton School District Healthy and Wellness Policy. Some classrooms may ask that you do not bring foods that contain peanuts or nut products due to the high number of students with allergies. We want all of our students to be safe!

Classroom Parties 

Each classroom will have three parties throughout the school year.  It is up to the classroom teacher or grade level to determine when these celebrations will occur.  Parents will be notified of upcoming celebrations and/or opportunities to volunteer.

Birthday Parties and Invitations 

While student birthdays may be acknowledged as part of content learning, birthday parties will not be celebrated in classrooms.  A variety of factors (limited instructional time, equity, food allergies, and adherence to Beaverton School District Wellness Policy) make at-home celebrations a better option for the students and families. Please do not purchase treats for classroom distribution.  Birthday party invitations are acceptable as long as all students within the classroom are invited and invitations can be distributed without compromising instructional time.

Gifts to Staff 

School Board policy recommends that letters of appreciation to employees are more appropriate than gifts. Public employees are not to accept gifts over $50 in value per family over the course of an academic year, according to state law.

Teaching Appropriate Behavior 

Positive Behavioral Intervention and Supports(PBIS) is a school-wide system in which staff members consistently teach and reinforce appropriate student behavior in order to create a positive environment where all students can learn and succeed. This system helps students understand what is expected of them.

Encouraging Appropriate Behavior 

A variety of structures are in place to help all staff encourage and praise children for appropriate social and behavioral actions. Appropriate behavior will be encouraged and reinforced in all school settings with specific praise and written Mighty Mustangs for safe, respectful, and responsible actions.  Star of the Week awards recognize students for their positive contributions to our Chehalem learning community.  Character Traits of the Month and Spirit Days will be announced in September!

Discouraging Inappropriate Behavior 

Inappropriate behavior offers an opportunity to teach appropriate behavior skills and to motivate children to behave in a mature and responsible manner.  When appropriate behaviors are not chosen, staff members focus on re-teaching the expected behavior. The goal is to help all students behave in a manner that is safe, respectful and responsible.

Restorative Practices 

When challenges do arise, students engage in a process to solve social problems. This process includes discussion of a sequence of questions with the purpose of reflecting on the behavior, outcome (intended or unintended), understanding the perspectives of others, and repairing the harm that was done.

To respond to challenging behavior:

• What happened?
• What were you thinking at the time?
• What have you thought about since?
• Who has been affected by what you have done?  In what way(s)?
• What do you think you need to do to make things right?

To help those harmed by other’s actions:

• What did you think when you realized what had happened?
• What impact has this incident had on you and others?
• What has been the hardest thing for you?
• What do you think needs to happen to make things right?

When necessary, consequences will match the problem and offer opportunity for the student to be a positive contributor to our school by repairing the harm that was caused.

School Counselor 

We recognize that there are a number of protective factors that help children to be successful in both their educational pursuits and in their social development. While at school, children will interact with staff members and volunteers who encourage and foster the development of these factors and related skills.

Protective Factors

• Building Self Esteem
• Recognizing appropriate behavior: Safe, Responsible, and Respectful
• Developing healthy attitudes
• Creating a nurturing environment/anti-bullying strategies
• Teaching anger management skills
• Teaching stress management skills
• Engaging in physical and recreational activity
• Promoting conflict resolution
• Making responsible decisions

Our school counselor serves a pivotal role in fostering positive social skills. The counselor facilitates classroom lessons, meets with children in small groups to work more intensively on skills, and assists one-on-one when necessary. If ongoing support would be helpful, parent permission is obtained prior to participation in continuing small groups or individual sessions. School counselors do not provide traditional therapeutic sessions but may provide consultation to families who request further support and/or referrals to outside services.

Please refer to the Beaverton School District Student & Family Handbook regarding student dress and grooming. Families should help children choose clothing appropriate for the weather.  It is important that students wear coats, jackets, socks, and appropriate shoes when the weather is cold.  Drugs, alcohol, or weapons references are not allowed on clothing. Appropriate shoes must be worn for physical education classes.  Hats and/or hoods are not permitted within the building, but may be worn outside of the building during recess or other non-instructional times. 

Lost & Found 

If your child has recently lost clothing or a personal item, please check the Lost & Found, a black rolling rack located in the lobby. Smaller Lost & Found items, such as watches and glasses, will be kept in the office. Unclaimed clothes in the lost and found are recycled to Clothes for Kids.

Clothes for Kids is operated by volunteers from the School District's parent groups and Beaverton community to provide free clothing for students in grades K-12 from families with limited income. Appointments are available through ParentSquare. 

Students at Chehalem Elementary School have access to electronic technology both in classrooms and in the library area. This is a privilege that carries with it important responsibilities. Students have access to this technology as part of their school experience, and the only appropriate use for any of the electronic equipment is school-related work.

Cell Phone Use 

We realize that, at times, cell phones are necessary for safety reasons. If this is the case for your family, the cell phone must be turned off and remain in the child's backpack while on school property. The school is NOT responsible for loss or damage of cell phones.

While we instruct students on digital citizenship, we would strongly encourage family conversations and supervision related to the appropriate use of technology and social media. 

Any item that may create a health/safety hazard or may get in the way of a student's learning should not be brought to school.  This may include items such as gum, toys/games, roller shoes, skateboards, electronic devices, playground equipment, unnecessary money or personal property, pets, etc.  If you have a question about an item not specified on this list, please contact the school office or classroom teacher before sending the item to school.

Unauthorized items brought to school will be held in the office until a parent picks the item up in the office.

A student should NEVER bring the following dangerous items to school:

• Alcohol, drugs, or drug paraphernalia and tobacco or tobacco products.
• Matches, lighters, bullets or other dangerous objects.
• Fireworks, firecrackers, exploding items, or prank items
• Weapons or replicas of weapons (including, but not limited to firearms, knives, metal knuckles, razors, explosives or noxious, irritating, poisonous gases or poisons).

Incidents of students possessing the above items will be reported to parents and may be reported to the police as specified in the Student and Family Handbook. Appropriate disciplinary and/or legal action will be taken, which may include expulsion.

Tobacco and Alcohol-Free Environment 

Chehalem Elementary School, in accordance with Beaverton School District policies, is a tobacco-free indoor and outdoor environment. This means that the use of tobacco and alcohol is prohibited on school property 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Parents and community members are strongly encouraged to volunteer at Chehalem Elementary School.  Volunteers greatly enrich the educational experiences of all students in the school. Volunteers are involved in variety of activities depending on their skills, talents, and interests. A volunteer may work regularly scheduled hours each week, once a month, or one or two times a year at special events.

Anyone wishing to volunteer at Chehalem MUST complete a Beaverton School District background check in order to ensure the safety of our students. This background check is required even for volunteers helping out with activities such as chaperoning a field trip, helping out with a class party, etc.

Be sure to plan ahead as background checks may take up to several weeks to complete.  You may begin volunteering as soon as the background check process is completed and you have been added to our list of approved volunteers. You will receive a confirmation email once you’ve submitted your background check online application and another email after your background check has been approved. Once approved, please visit the Chehalem Elementary office to receive your official volunteer badge. 

Become a Volunteer

Chehalem Parent Teacher Organization (PTO)

The Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) is an active organization at Chehalem Elementary School. Meetings are held monthly (dates are included in the school's newsletter and on the calendar linked to the school website). This group serves the school community by organizing volunteers for special events, operating a workday for special projects, fundraising to support the school and a myriad of other activities. Our Chehalem PTO would welcome your time and expertise.  Please don't hesitate to reach out to a Chehalem PTO Board Member directly if you are interested in becoming more involved.