We strongly encourage parents and students to review the following information. These are the most common questions that are asked during the course of the school year.

Please note these are common general questions and are not meant to be all inclusive of the many guidelines and policies for our school and district. View the School District 59 Family Reference Guide for complete information.

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Getting to and home from school

What are the school hours?

Please click here to see current school hours.

Where do I Enter the building?

All visitors will be expected to enter through the main front doors on Kennedy Boulevard. (Door No. 1)

Upon entering, please ring the bell and the office staff will buzz you into the school. Please proceed directly into the office, sign in, and receive a visitor’s badge.

Parents who need to drop off a forgotten item or a lunch are asked to leave it in the office. These items will be delivered to the classrooms twice daily.

Office hours are 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. If a student or parent needs to enter the building before or after office hours for school clubs, the club director would be responsible for entry and/or dismissal, as there will be no one in the office to buzz you into the school.

What do I need to know about absence, attendance and tardiness?

The absence line is 847-472-3881.

Please call the school office any time your child will be absent. For your convenience, a voice mail system is available 24 hours a day at the above number. It is our policy to try to reach you if we have not heard from you. This policy helps protect our children: please cooperate and call in all absences.

If your child is ill with a common contagious disease, please notify the nurse immediately. This allows us to notify other parents that the children were exposed.

If at all possible, please try to schedule vacations in the summer or during school holidays. If missing several days of school is unavoidable, please contact the office/teacher as soon as possible to keep the school adequately informed. Please be aware that teachers cannot prepare homework assignments in advance for students who are absent due to trips.

Please click here to see handbook information about attendance.

Where do I drop off my child and/or park?

As we start the new school year I want to call everyone’s attention to the drop-off and pick-up procedures that are in place for the safety of all students. These procedures will help the school year get off to a good start.

Students who walk or get a ride to and from school will enter through the front main doors. The front circle is the designated drop off area for cars. There is no parking in the front circle drive. In order to help traffic move smoothly, please be sure that your child is ready to exit the car and that he or she exits on the passenger side. If you need to accompany your child for any reason, you must park in the parking lot, enter through the main doors, and go to the office to sign in. Mrs. Pinns and Mr. Lake will again help facilitate the entry of students through the front main doors. Students will be let in at the first bell at 8:40 a.m. so they need not arrive much sooner than that time. The final bell rings at 9:00 a.m. so please plan to drop off by 9:00 a.m. so that your child will not be tardy.

The rear doors are used only for the entry and dismissal of bus students. We have bus supervisors in place to assist with the entry/dismissal of students to and from the buses.

Kindergarten students have their own procedures for entry and dismissal and the kindergarten teachers will share that information. If you need clarification, please call or stop in the office. Thank you for your cooperation with these procedures, it ensures safety and security for all.

What if my child bikes or walks to school?

Bicycle riders should observe highway safety rules.  Children who abuse bicycle safety rules will lose the privilege of riding their bicycles to school.

For your child’s safety, please review the following information with your child:

1. Obey ALL traffic signs and signals, and safety rules.
2. Ride only ONE on a bicycle.
3. Bicycles must be parked in only the designated areas.
4. When a student reaches the school grounds, he must walk the bicycle slowly and proceed to the area provided for parking.
5. When the bicycle is not in use and left in the parking area, it must be locked.
6. Students are expected to wear helmets.

Where can my child keep a backpack?

Backpacks are not to be used in classrooms. Students may use them only for transporting belongings to and from school and must be stored except for this purpose.

What do I do if my child needs an early dismissal?

If it should be necessary for a student to be dismissed from school early, a request must be written by the parent stating the time and reason for the early dismissal. All requests must be presented to the office when students enter the building in the morning. The office will issue an early dismissal pass for the student to present to teachers. Parents must come to the office to sign their children out of school before picking them up for departure.

WHAT is the policy on LEAVING SCHOOL GROUNDS?

No child may leave the school grounds during the day unless escorted by his/her parent or guardian. If you need to pick up your child early, please send a note to the teacher that morning, and pick up the child as well as sign him/her out at the office at the appropriate time. Please note that your child will be marked absent for either a half or full day if he or she is gone longer than 25 – 40 minutes.

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Important School Policies

WHAT IS THE SCHOOL POLICY ON BULLYING?

The purpose of this policy is to promote consistency of approach and to create a climate in which all types of bullying are regarded as unacceptable. We wish to create a learning community in which relationships are based on mutual respect. All members of our school community have the right to enjoy their learning and leisure time free from any form of bullying or harassment. District 59 will not tolerate unkind actions or remarks, even if they lack malicious intent. We expect students, staff, and parents to support this policy by reporting all incidents of bullying. All allegations of bullying are investigated and documented by building administrators or their designee.

Bullying

Bullying is defined as physical, psychological or verbal attack(s) against an individual or group of individuals by a person or group of persons, causing, or potentially causing

• Physical harm
• Psychological harm
• Lasting emotional distress
• An imbalance of power
• Exclusion of the victim(s) from participation in, and/or enjoyment of any program or activity offered or sponsored by the school district

Bullying may be an isolated incident but is more often a series of incidents occurring over a period of time. Bullying takes various forms, including, but not limited to, harassment, threats, intimidation, spreading rumors, stalking, physical violence, sexual harassment, sexual violence, theft, humiliation, causing social or psychological isolation, extortion, destruction of property, or retaliation for alleging an act of bullying. It can occur in person, in writing, and online.

Bullying can be addressed in many ways, including but not limited to, restorative justice, mediation, behavior agreements, punitive measures, supports, and interventions.

Social Conflict

Social conflict differs from bullying. Social conflict is a disagreement between two people or two groups that can possibly involve accusations, name calling, and loud, emotionally-driven arguing. Social conflict differs from bullying because

• There is not an imbalance of power
• The conflict is likely not repeated
• There is not lasting distress, physical harm, or psychological harm
• Social conflict is expected to occur because we do not always agree with others, and we see situations from different perspectives.

Social conflict can be addressed in many ways, including but not limited to, restorative chats, mediation, behavior agreements, and/or other forms of conflict resolution.

Cyber-bullying

“Cyber-bullying” is considered a form of bullying and is defined as the use of e-mail, instant messaging, chat rooms, pagers, cell phones, or other forms of information technology to bully, harass, embarrass, threaten, or intimidate someone. Students who engage in such activity on school grounds or who engage in such activity off campus and create a material disruption of school operations shall be subject to penalties for bullying and harassment as well as possible criminal penalties. Students’ home and personal Internet use can have an impact on the school and on other students. If a student’s personal Internet expression – such as a threatening message to another student or a violent website – creates a likelihood of material disruption of the school’s operations, that student may face school discipline and criminal penalties.

Please view the district’s entire policy about bullying and student behavior by clicking here.

What do I need to know about the school dress code?

Parents and students are asked to make careful choices about clothing, footwear and outerwear. When choosing clothing each day, keep in mind the appropriateness of clothing in terms of: warmth, modesty, safety and practicality for the school setting. We ask you to carefully follow the guideline below in order to maintain both safety and a focus on learning.

• Children need to have shoes that are appropriate for playing outside on the playground or field. Flip-flops, high-heeled sandals/boots/shoes are not safe for outdoor play. If a child wears any shoe that is considered unsafe, he or she will need to change into gym shoes before going outside for recess.
• Children need to have appropriate gym shoes available on gym days. These need to me non-marking soled gym shoes.
• The following items are prohibited at all times at Salt Creek: bare midriffs, spaghetti straps or halter tops, and short miniskirts. (Skirts should be no shorter than arms length when arms are resting at the sides.)

Dressing for Outdoor Recess

• Weather permitting; the students go outside for recess daily. On days when it is raining or when the wind chill temperature drops below 10 degrees, students will remain in their classrooms for recess. All other days require that the students be “dressed for the weather”.
• Students are asked to wear jackets at recess when the temperature is 45 degrees or below. In addition, if students wish to play on the playground equipment or in the field when it is snowy, they must wear boots and snow pants. Students not dressed appropriately will need to remain on the blacktop.

DOES MY CHILD NEED TO WEAR ANY IDENTIFICATION?

Students are expected to wear and have their school ID visible at all times. IDs should always be intact with all information visible. ID badges are necessary to board buses, purchase lunches with lunch accounts, use LRC computers, check out library books, and attend extra curricular activities.

Students must show their ID badges to any staff member if requested.

Students not possessing their ID badge must notify their homeroom teacher and receive a temporary ID. The temporary ID will be needed for lunch and to ride the bus. If a temporary ID is requested in the cafeteria during a lunch period, the student will serve a lunch detention after obtaining his or her food. If lost, new IDs are available in the office.

What is the policy on cell phones for students?

Cell phone use is not permitted in the school. Cell phones are allowed in school under the condition that the phone will be kept in the locker and turned OFF.

Phone use can occur before or after school hours outside the school building. If a phone is found with the student during the school day, or the student operates the phone during the school day, the phone will be confiscated and placed in the school safe until the end of the day. Repeated offenses will result in having a parent come to school to retrieve their student’s phone.

Loss of a cell phone usually occurs because the phone has not been securely locked in the student’s locker, as required. The school cannot be responsible for items lost due to student negligence.

Parents are asked to help us enforce this policy and are also asked to refrain from calling or texting their child during the school day while classes are in session.

If a student really needs to make a call during the school day, a teacher can give permission to use the classroom phone. Students can also use the office phone in some instances. Students may also use their own cell phone outside of the school after school is dismissed.

WHAT IS THE POLICY IN REGARDS TO FIELD TRIPS?

Educational field study trips are planned by the teacher for specific instructional goals. Since this experience is an extension of the classroom learning experience, children should not be kept home when a trip is scheduled. All field trips are partially financed through school and PTO funds.

What is the school policy on cubbies?

Each student is issued a hall cubby. It is important to remember:

• Cubbies remain the property of the school and can be inspected at any time by teachers or administrators
• Students may only go to their cubby before school, before and after their lunch/recess period, and after school
• Cubbies are used only for storing books, clothing, and items necessary for school- money and other valuables should never be left in cubbies
• Cubbies are to be kept clean and orderly, and students will be held responsible for any damage to cubbies
• No decorations are allowed on the outside of the cubby

What if I need to bring my child an item that was forgotten?

To keep classroom interruptions to a minimum, paging of students is done only during 5th, 6th, and 7th passing periods. If students forget something at home and are expecting it to be delivered to school, it is the student’s responsibility to check in the office to see if it has arrived. Anything left in the office at the end of the day will be put in lost and found.

Students who must leave school due to an appointment should bring a note to the office or have a parent call. Students will not be dismissed from class until a parent or guardian has arrived to pick up the student.

What if my child will need to take medications at school?

For medication to be administered during the school day, a written order from the physician, detailing medication, dosage, and time intervals to be given must be on file. The required form to be used for both the parent and physician is available at the school office and is called the Medication Authorization Form, available on this page.

Non-prescription drugs also require a written order from the physician. Documented permission from the parent or guardian must also be on file in the school health office to permit the child to receive medication during school hours.

With the exception of asthma medication to be self-administered by the student, all medications must be delivered personally by the parent to a school representative in a container, properly labeled by a pharmacy or a physician.

The district reserves the right to reject any request for the administration of medication in the school. Students in possession of prescription or non-prescription medications in violation of this policy may be subject to disciplinary action.

Important information about asthma medication:

A student may possess and self-administer asthma medication on school grounds, at school activities, while under the supervision of school personnel, or before and after normal school activities, when:

• • • The medication has been prescribed by a physician, a physician’s assistant or an advanced practice registered nurse possessing the proper authority to prescribe medication
    • The student’s parent(s) or guardian(s) have provided the school nurse with written authorization for the self-administration of medication and a written statement from the student’s physician, physician assistant or advance practice registered nurse that states the following:
  • 1. 1. The name and purpose of the medication
       2. The prescribed dosage
       3. The time or times at which or special circumstances under which the medication is to be administered
    • The student or guardian(s) have signed and submitted the district’s “Hold Harmless and Indemnity Agreement for the Self-Administration of Asthma Medication” form, available on this page.

My child has a life threatening allergy or medical condition. What do I need to know?

Please click here for  additional information.

How does the school utilize security cameras?

As part of the District’s ongoing efforts to provide a safe and nurturing environment for our students and staff, the District has placed security cameras in public areas, both inside and outside the school. The following outlines the purpose of the security cameras:

• • • Providing a deterrent for inappropriate behavior by students
    • Provide information to assist the investigation into student misconduct
    • Provide information for managing, preventing, and disciplining inappropriate student behavior
    • Provide information to assist in the prevention of student violence, bullying, and vandalism

WHEN CAN I EXPECT REPORT CARDS?

As these dates are subject to change depending on school closings for inclement weather, please refer to the school calendar for the most up to date information on end of grading periods and report card distribution.

Parents and students have the ability to access student grades anytime through Skyward Family Access. The link to access Skyward is available on the school homepage. Students and parents can sign in using the username and password given to them at the beginning of the school year.

WHAT ARE THE PROCEDURES FOR TRANSFERRING OUT OF DISTRICT?

When a child is to be transferred from Salt Creek Elementary School to another school district, please notify the school office at least one week in advance. A transfer form and copy of school physical will be sent to the receiving school. Full school records and medical examination reports will be forwarded to the new school upon receipt of a request from that school.

WHAT ARTICLES ARE PROHIBITED FROM SCHOOL?

There are a number of behaviors students should avoid at all costs. The following items should never be brought to school, under any circumstances: weapons, drugs, drug paraphernalia, alcohol, and lighters, plus any items that look like any of these items. If your child is found to be in possession of any of these items at school, then there is a strong chance that you and your child will have to appear before the Board at an expulsion hearing facing expulsion (permanent or semi-permanent removal) from District 59 schools. Please be extremely diligent about what your child brings to school, whether in his/her pockets, in a backpack, or in a musical instrument case. We strive to provide all of our students with safe and secure learning environments. You can help accomplish this goal by closely monitoring what your student brings to school each and every day. A more compete explanation of student disciplinary offenses appears in the Family Reference Guide (handbook) you received during registration. You can also access similar information at our website, www.ccsd59.org.

WHAT ARE THE EMERGENCY DRILLS AND PROCEDURES THAT SALT CREEK HAS IN PLACE?

Tornado Policy
Tornado drills are conducted each year. When the school receives a message that a tornado warning has been issued by the Elk Grove Civil Defense, the following plan will be implemented:

1. If the tornado warning extends past 3:30 p.m., children will be retained in school until they are picked up by their parents or until an all clear is scheduled.
2. Parents picking up their children must come through the main entrance and go directly to the office so that they many sign for their children.
3. After a parent receives the child, we ask that they leave immediately.

Fire Drills
For the safety of our children, fire drills are conducted three times a year.

Earthquake and Lock Down Drills
These drills are conducted a least once each year.

Bus Evacuation Drills
At least once a year the students practice exiting a school bus in case of emergency. As all the children ride a bus during the year (daily transportation or field trips), everyone participates in the drills.

Who IS ELIGIBLE TO RIDE THE BUS?

Free bus service is available to:

• Kindergarten children who live more than one mile from school
• Children in first through eighth grades who live more than one and a half miles from school
• Children who live where street and highway hazards render walking unsafe.

Door to door transportation is only available in a special vehicle in cases of temporary or long-term physical disability.

WHAT ARE THE RULES FOR RIDING THE BUS?

If a student should receive a misconduct report for the first time, the student will need to have a conference with the principal to go over the expected rules on the bus. If a child receives a second misconduct report, the child will stay for an after school detention in the office. If a student receives a third misconduct report, the student will have a permanent seat assigned in the front of the bus for the remainder of the school year. If a child receives a fourth misconduct report, the child will lose his/her privilege to ride the bus to and from school for a period of time determined by the principal.

• Pupils must board the bus in an orderly manner and go to their seats immediately and sit down.
• Pupils will remain seated at all times when the bus is moving.
• Pupils will keep arms, hands, and other parts of the body inside the bus – never through the windows.
• Pupils must not throw waste paper or other rubbish on the floor of the bus or out of the window. Pupils must help keep the bus clean, sanitary, and orderly at all times.
• Pupils must keep books, packages, coats, and all other objects out of the aisles.
• Classroom conduct must be observed in the bus. Ordinary conversation is permitted; never shout or make loud noises that may distract the driver and endanger all of the pupils on the bus.
• Pupils must recognize that playing or fighting on the bus may distract the driver.
• Pupils must report at once to the driver any damage to the bus.
• Pupils must refrain from unnecessary conversation with the driver.
• Pupils must be on time at the designated bus stops; the bus cannot wait beyond its regular time schedule for those who are tardy.
• Pupils must not stand in the traffic lanes while waiting for the bus.
• When pupils must cross the road to be picked up, the driver after looking for approaching cars beckons them to cross. Pupils must await the proper signal from the driver and cross promptly.

The above rules also apply to school sponsored field trips.

What IS THE BREAKFAST AND LUNCH PROGRAM AT SALT CREEK?

A hot lunch is available every day. The lunches are prepared by Organic Life, a food management company, and brought in heated cabinets to the school. A monthly menu is sent home the week before the start of each month. Children wishing to bring their own lunch may do so and just milk can be purchased. Please be sure to read the information the company will send home the first day or two of school. It will explain the way to purchase lunch and cost, etc. Children may also choose to purchase a cold breakfast upon entry into school in the morning.

What IS PBIS?

The Salt Creek staff believes that schools can only be successful when they help children to grow academically, socially, and emotionally. In order for this to happen it is important that we establish a safe environment that allows students to grow. It is our goal to create an atmosphere for learning by setting clear expectations and directly teaching students about our expectations.

Our plan is based on Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS). We have a PBIS team which meets monthly to look at our behavior data, and when necessary, adjust our system so that it best meets the needs of our students. The system is a work in progress and will continue to be altered as the need arises. In fact, after collecting some feedback about our PBIS program we have decided to make some changes that we will implement this upcoming school year. Please check back for additional information regarding those changes.

How do I get information concerning the identification of registered sex offenders?

Visit the Illinois Sex Offender Information website.