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    School Policies and Procedures

    All About Adams

    Absences:
    If your child will be absent or late, please call the front office attendance line at 206-252-1302 before 8:35 AM and leave a message. You can also email Sharla Wipplinger at shwipplinger@seattleschools.org. If your child needs to be released early for an appointment or other reason, please send a note in the morning and contact the office before picking up your child. Please do not go directly to your child's classroom. You will be asked to sign him/her out at the front desk, and an office staff member will call the classroom to release your child. Please see our Attendance Policies page for more details.

    After-School Activities Program:
    We have a number of PTA organized after school programs offered quarterly; some are open to kindergartners. Past programs have included art, chess and math clubs, drama, Lego club, Mad Science, netball, and Spanish. Most activities meet once per week for approximately one hour. Fall sessions usually begin in October (lasting approx. 8 weeks), with sign-up announced in our school newsletter in mid-September. Scholarships for after-school programs may be available through the PTA. Please visit the After School Programs page or contact the After School Programs coordinator at afterschoolprog@adamselementary.org

    Arrival/drop-off:
    Playground supervision begins at 8:35 AM each day for morning drop-off; please do not leave children unaccompanied before this time. The playground gate is located at the corner of NW 62nd St. & 26th Ave NW. Breakfast is available beginning at 8:35 and costs $2.00.

    Classes begin at 8:55 a.m.  Students are considered late if they arrive after 8:55 and should check-in at the office first to make sure they are not marked absent.

    The large number of students and parents on school grounds during arrival and drop off can potentially pose a safety issue. Please be sure to keep hallways clear so that students can pass through the hallways unobstructed.

    Arts Infusion:
    Adams Elementary is strongly committed to ensuring that our students receive the benefits of an arts infused education which benefits many learning styles.  Art is incorporated into the curriculum to teach across many subject areas. More information about our arts infused program can be accessed on the Arts Infusion section of our website.

    Bathrooms:
    Each kindergarten classroom contains a co-ed bathroom. Student bathrooms are located on each floor of the school and students in portable classrooms use the bathrooms nearest to the playground door.

    Student bathrooms are for student use only.  Adult bathrooms are located throughout the building and are clearly marked.

    Biking to School:
    Bike racks are available near the front entrance of the school on 28th NW, and near the side entrance on NW 62nd St.

    Clothing:
    Families of kindergarten students will be asked to send a change of clothing in their child’s backpack, at least for the beginning of the school year. If your child should have a bathroom accident, they will have a clean set of clothes to change into. The nurse’s office will also have changes of clothing available if needed; please wash and return these to the office.

    We recommend that your student's name is clearly written on all clothing.  This helps us reunite lost articles with the owner.  Our lost and found is located in the hallway inside the main entrance.

    Communication:
    Your teacher will indicate how best to reach him/her (i.e. email, telephone, notes from home, scheduled meetings) regarding questions related to the classroom. The school office and/or principal can be contacted about any additional school questions (206-252-1300).

    Most school communication takes place electronically through email and via our website. Subscribe to the weekly school e-newsletter. All families will receive printed copies of the newsletter for the first month of school. Then, only families who do not have email will receive printed copies. Printed notices and materials are occasionally sent home to children via "kid mail" in their homework folders. Check their backpacks and folders daily!

    School messenger will be used to send email broadcasts to families about time-sensitive information that cannot wait to be published in our weekly newsletter.  To receive these broadcasts, you must have a working email address in our database.  Contact the school office if you are unsure if your email address is current.

    Dismissal/pick-up:
    Classes end each day at 3:25 pm. Students taking the bus or attending after-school child care programs are dismissed first.

    • All students who attend KidsCo. will meet the KidsCo. staff in the cafeteria, and will then be escorted to KidsCo. by a staff member.
    • Students who attend the Ballard Boys and Girls Club or Ballard Community Center programs will meet a staff member from those programs in the school library who will escort them to the vans for transport to their respective programs.

    Parents or guardians picking up younger students are asked to kindly wait quietly in the hallway until dismissal so that instruction can continue uninterrupted until 3:25. Early release each Wednesday is at 2:10.  Students will not be released from the classroom until the teacher sees that their parent or guardian has arrived.

    Because of the congestion in the hallways after school, we recommend that parents of older students meet their children outside in front of the school, or in back on the playground. Please Note: the playground is not supervised by school staff after school.

    Dogs:
    With the exception of service dogs, for safety reasons, dogs are not permitted on school grounds - even when on a leash.  In an effort to minimize safety risks, please do not leave dogs unattended and tied up around the perimeter of the school grounds.

    Drop-Off and Pick-Up:
    There is a morning drive-through drop-off in the driveway in front of the main entrance on 28th Ave. NW.  To make room for other cars, please pull as far forward as possible.  So that school traffic does not back up onto 28th, please keep goodbyes short so that traffic keeps moving.

    The driveway on 28th is closed to traffic during dismissal.  If you wish to come on to campus to meet your student, please park in designated parking spaces on 62nd St., or use neighborhood on street parking.

    Eagle’s Nest:
    The Eagle’s Nest is a PTA office and store located across from Kindergarten rooms 210 & 211 in room 213A. Here you can buy Adams T-shirts, Chinook Books and other fundraising items. You may also drop-off Ballard Market receipts, Box Tops & Labels for Education to help support Adams. Lastly, you can join the PTA and otherwise get your questions answered about PTA activities.

    Entering the building:
    Our yellow-framed front entrance faces west onto 28th Ave NW. Our visitor entrance (facing north onto NW 62nd St.) takes you directly to the office, and has a ramp for stroller accessibility. The two playground entrances (facing east) are closest to the kindergarten classrooms. Between 9:40 am and 3:30 pm all exterior doors are locked except the entrance on NW 62nd St. If you enter the building during school hours, please go to the office, sign in, and obtain a visitor's badge.

    Familiar adults:
    Besides his/her teacher, some key adults your child will get to know on a regular basis include our principal (Mr. Doug Sohn), assistant principal (Ms. Kelly Walter), office secretary (Ms. Angela Wilson), office assistant (Ms. Sharla Wipplinger), librarian (Mr. Chris Oswald), gym teacher (Mr. Rob Faucette), music teacher (Mr. Deryl Harter) and art teacher (Mr. Louis Allard).

    Gym, Music and Art:
    Students will have a daily ½ hour physical education, music, or art class. Gym class features a wide variety of both indoor and outdoor activities; please make sure students have appropriate shoes. Music class is also active, and includes physical movement and dance along with singing and music theory. Art can get messy, so please dress accordingly!

    Health Information:
    Any child allergies or other medical concerns should be communicated to the school staff. Medical and emergency contact forms will be sent out for completion at the beginning of the school year. It is very important to keep the school informed of any changes to this information.

    Washington state law requires public school families to provide proof of immunization status or to submit a form to document their exemption from State requirements.

    If your child should become ill at school, s/he will be sent to the office and you will be contacted. Our nurse is on site two days per week. Please do not send kids to school who are displaying signs of illness.

    Lost & Found:
    Please clearly label your child’s backpack, lunchbox, water bottle, and any coats or hats they may wear to school. Lost items are placed in the lost in found near the main entrance to be claimed. Periodically, unclaimed items will be donated to charity.

    Library:
    Classes are scheduled for regular visits to the library for information literacy lessons. Students have opportunities to borrow books from the library at that time. Your child’s day and time to visit the library will be communicated by his or her teacher. More information can be found on the Library page of the website.

    Lunch:
    Each classroom is assigned to a table in the lunchroom. Volunteer helpers to assist kitchen staff in serving lunch are also greatly appreciated. Contact lunchroom manager Molly Hemmingsen  or the PTA Volunteer Coordinator (ptavolunteer@adamselementary.org) for more information if you would like to volunteer.

    Your child can either bring or buy lunch each day, or buy milk to go with a bagged lunch. Students do not pay cash; instead, pre-paid lunch accounts can be set up the first week of school (or any time after the first day), accessed by a 4-digit personal code each child will learn. This can be confusing at first, but staff will be on hand to assist. You should receive more details about lunch buying procedures and the free & reduced lunch program before school starts.  Breakfast and lunch are free for those who qualify.

    Multiple Households:
    We want to make sure each student household is kept informed of school news and events. Parents and caregivers in secondary households are responsible for providing the school with appropriate contact information, and for making arrangements for receiving school news. Printed school news and notices are sent home with students regularly. Additional newsletters and notices will be available in the office; newsletters will be also posted on the Adams website, and may be emailed. Families can also sign up for the email version of the school newsletter here.

    Parking:
    Adams has two parking lots, located at the front and rear of the school, and ample street parking along NW 62nd St. (Note: NW 62nd is one-way going east between 28th and 26th NW.) Enter the front parking lot from 28th Ave. NW, and exit onto NW 62nd St. (this lot is closed during bus loading time from 3:10 to 3:35 pm). Enter the rear lot from NW 62nd St. just before 26th Ave NW.

    Please note that designated handicapped parking spaces are available near the entrance to 62nd street.  Please be sure to leave these spaces free for vehicles displaying designated handicapped parking passes.

    Please do not park in the loading zone on 62nd street - even if only momentarily.

    Progress Reporting:
    Written assessments of your child’s progress (report cards) will be distributed three times a year: December, March and on the last day of school in June. The parent teacher conferences are held during the week of Thanksgiving Break in November. NOTE: There is no school during conference week.

    Reading buddies:
    Kindergarten classrooms partner with an upper grade class to provide each child a reading buddy. Reading buddies visit classrooms regularly. In addition to reading together, they also help with special projects and celebrations throughout the year. They are a friendly face and familiar older connection for your child at school.

    Recess:
    All students have three recess periods each day. Recess times vary by grade level. Please see the daily schedule posted on the school website for information about the time of your child’s recess.

    Students should dress for Seattle’s weather, and plan to be outside each day at recess. Recess is held indoors in cases of extremely rainy or cold weather.

    Safety:
    Adams is committed to insuring the emotional and physical safety of our students. In accordance with State and School District guidelines, Adams Elementary School has a comprehensive safety plan, and we conduct regular drills to practice our response to a variety of natural or human-caused incidents.  Our safety team, comprised of school staff and parents, meets monthly to review and update procedures.

    Parents are encouraged to supply a "school comfort kit" for use in the event of an emergency.  Information about the content of these kits, as well as additional information about safety at Adams can be found on the safety page of our website.

    School supplies:
    Basic classroom supplies are provided by the school, and supplemental supplies are requested by each grade level.  Grade level supply lists are updated each year. . Lists of suggested supplies can be found on our website.

    Volunteering:
    Our school thrives on the participation and energy of our many volunteers. There are ample opportunities for volunteering at Adams throughout the year, either in the classroom, from home, or at special activities and events. We encourage you to participate as you are able; it is a great way to keep in touch with the school environment and meet other members of the community. All volunteers must complete and pass the volunteering screening requirements set up by the state and school district. For information about how to register as a volunteer, see the Volunteer Page on the website or contact the school office.