School Expectations, Rules, and Discipline
Pacific School is dedicated to creating a safe, supportive, and positive school culture. Students are expected to be safe, kind, and respectful at all times while on the Pacific Elementary School campus. The guidelines below are examples of ways students are asked to demonstrate these qualities. Staff members who observe students failing to show safety, kindness, or respect will require the students to change their behavior. Please read and review these rules with your child.
Things from Home: Students may not bring gum, soft drinks, candy, sport equipment, toys, or games to school. Pets or other animals are not allowed at school. (If brought to school for a specific academic activity, pets must be approved first and be accompanied at all times by a responsible adult. The adult should remove the pet from school when the activity is complete.) Money should only be brought to school with parents’ knowledge for a specific school-related purpose. Students should walk bikes in the playground and park them in the bike rack. Upon arrival, students should check skateboards into the office.
Electronic Devices: Students who bring cell phones, smart watches, or other electronic devices to school must keep them turned off and out of sight during school and After School Recreation hours. Students are never allowed to contact parents or anyone else through their personal device during school or recreation hours. Communication with parents must be handled through teachers or office staff. When electronic devices, including smart watches, are visible during school hours, they will be confiscated and returned at the end of the day.
Parents, if you receive a direct communication from your child during school hours, please tell them that they are violating school policy and they need to put their device away and talk to a staff member to use the office phone. This process allows staff to know what is going on with our students. Thank you so much for your help with this!
Dress Code: Students must follow the Board adopted policy for dress and grooming, which includes wearing appropriate closed-toed shoes for the kitchen, garden, and physical activities, and clothing that does not reveal underwear or bare midriffs, nor depict profane or violent symbols or words. Head coverings shall not obscure the face.
Classroom Expectations: Each classroom establishes classroom rules at the beginning of each school year. Students are expected to follow these rules. Typically, these rules include placing hats, coats, lunches, and backpacks in designated locations, obtaining permission to use the bathroom, treating classmates and staff with respect, etc.
Expectations within School Buildings: Students walk and use quiet voices inside. Students should use bathrooms appropriately. Students must obtain permission to use the phone, classroom or library computers, or to be inside during recess. Students must obtain permission AND have direct adult supervision to be in the kitchen, janitor’s room, supply closets, staff room, or to access the Internet.
Lunchroom Expectations: Lunchtime is considered part of the class curriculum where the students learn manners and nutrition. Students must enter lunchrooms quietly and maintain quiet voices throughout lunch. Students are expected to use proper table manners, including removing hats, which will be taught in the classrooms and during lunchtime. Students should ask for permission to leave their seats during lunchtime and are expected to clean their tables after they have been excused.
Outside Expectations: Students must play in areas where they are visible to supervising staff, including the climbing equipment, blacktop area, and playing field. Students should stay out of the planted areas. Students may not exclude anyone in their games. Students must play in a safe manner. In particular, they should not throw sand, rocks, wood chips, or toys other than balls. Adults – not students – will retrieve balls that go out of the schoolyard. Jump ropes may only be used for jumping. Students should not climb trees or fences. All staff, parents, and students are asked to help keep all gates closed during and after school hours. This is a safety concern because open gates allow pets and wildlife to enter and defecate on the schoolyard.
Discipline Policies: In order for children and staff to work together in an atmosphere of harmony and freedom, the following principles have been established:
Problem Solving: Children are expected to handle conflicts by means of verbal problem solving. The staff models this behavior daily and instructs children in problem solving and mediation techniques so that children can use their words to solve their conflicts. Children are encouraged to voice their concerns or complaints during class meetings and to work with staff through problem solving techniques or mediation appointments to achieve consensus.
Consequences for failure to respect the rights of others are agreed upon by all staff members and used consistently. Children are informed of the consequences for failure to maintain the school rules at the beginning of the year and are reminded throughout the school year of those rules and consequences. Staff members strive to create consequences that are positive and appropriate to each situation, such as time-out or the temporary loss of privileges. If inappropriate behavior continues, a parent/teacher conference is immediately called.
Suspension: Children are encouraged to make appropriate choices during each school day and are given many opportunities daily to learn behavior that leads to good citizenship. However, it should be noted, that as per California Education Code, the following actions can be causes for suspension:
Staff reserves the right to suspend any student for an infraction not listed, as per Education Code.
Things from Home: Students may not bring gum, soft drinks, candy, sport equipment, toys, or games to school. Pets or other animals are not allowed at school. (If brought to school for a specific academic activity, pets must be approved first and be accompanied at all times by a responsible adult. The adult should remove the pet from school when the activity is complete.) Money should only be brought to school with parents’ knowledge for a specific school-related purpose. Students should walk bikes in the playground and park them in the bike rack. Upon arrival, students should check skateboards into the office.
Electronic Devices: Students who bring cell phones, smart watches, or other electronic devices to school must keep them turned off and out of sight during school and After School Recreation hours. Students are never allowed to contact parents or anyone else through their personal device during school or recreation hours. Communication with parents must be handled through teachers or office staff. When electronic devices, including smart watches, are visible during school hours, they will be confiscated and returned at the end of the day.
Parents, if you receive a direct communication from your child during school hours, please tell them that they are violating school policy and they need to put their device away and talk to a staff member to use the office phone. This process allows staff to know what is going on with our students. Thank you so much for your help with this!
Dress Code: Students must follow the Board adopted policy for dress and grooming, which includes wearing appropriate closed-toed shoes for the kitchen, garden, and physical activities, and clothing that does not reveal underwear or bare midriffs, nor depict profane or violent symbols or words. Head coverings shall not obscure the face.
Classroom Expectations: Each classroom establishes classroom rules at the beginning of each school year. Students are expected to follow these rules. Typically, these rules include placing hats, coats, lunches, and backpacks in designated locations, obtaining permission to use the bathroom, treating classmates and staff with respect, etc.
Expectations within School Buildings: Students walk and use quiet voices inside. Students should use bathrooms appropriately. Students must obtain permission to use the phone, classroom or library computers, or to be inside during recess. Students must obtain permission AND have direct adult supervision to be in the kitchen, janitor’s room, supply closets, staff room, or to access the Internet.
Lunchroom Expectations: Lunchtime is considered part of the class curriculum where the students learn manners and nutrition. Students must enter lunchrooms quietly and maintain quiet voices throughout lunch. Students are expected to use proper table manners, including removing hats, which will be taught in the classrooms and during lunchtime. Students should ask for permission to leave their seats during lunchtime and are expected to clean their tables after they have been excused.
Outside Expectations: Students must play in areas where they are visible to supervising staff, including the climbing equipment, blacktop area, and playing field. Students should stay out of the planted areas. Students may not exclude anyone in their games. Students must play in a safe manner. In particular, they should not throw sand, rocks, wood chips, or toys other than balls. Adults – not students – will retrieve balls that go out of the schoolyard. Jump ropes may only be used for jumping. Students should not climb trees or fences. All staff, parents, and students are asked to help keep all gates closed during and after school hours. This is a safety concern because open gates allow pets and wildlife to enter and defecate on the schoolyard.
Discipline Policies: In order for children and staff to work together in an atmosphere of harmony and freedom, the following principles have been established:
- Staff members of Pacific School treat each child with love and respect. Staff members serve as models of fair, loving, and mannerly human behavior.
- The school rules (see next page) are clearly structured by staff members and explained to the children at the beginning of the year. The playground rules are firmly and consistently supervised by staff and provide a framework wherein the children enjoy freedom of movement and learn to exercise freedom of choice.
- Consequences for failing to observe the school/playground rules are appropriate and are explained to the children.
- The opportunity to develop social skills is an important part of the curriculum. Teachers of each age group work with their students daily, both formally and informally, to achieve social and emotional growth. Throughout the day, staff members, serving as role models, are alert to difficult social situations and guide the children, giving them the tools to solve their own problems.
- Happy, confident, interested, independent children develop self-discipline and can then regulate their own behavior harmoniously. Consequently, the staff of Pacific School provides a school environment wherein children can work actively and independently at tasks suited to their needs. Through success with concentrated, stimulating activities, the children develop self-esteem and self-direction. The opportunity to practice making choices in a prepared environment strengthens each child’s growth toward independence.
Problem Solving: Children are expected to handle conflicts by means of verbal problem solving. The staff models this behavior daily and instructs children in problem solving and mediation techniques so that children can use their words to solve their conflicts. Children are encouraged to voice their concerns or complaints during class meetings and to work with staff through problem solving techniques or mediation appointments to achieve consensus.
Consequences for failure to respect the rights of others are agreed upon by all staff members and used consistently. Children are informed of the consequences for failure to maintain the school rules at the beginning of the year and are reminded throughout the school year of those rules and consequences. Staff members strive to create consequences that are positive and appropriate to each situation, such as time-out or the temporary loss of privileges. If inappropriate behavior continues, a parent/teacher conference is immediately called.
Suspension: Children are encouraged to make appropriate choices during each school day and are given many opportunities daily to learn behavior that leads to good citizenship. However, it should be noted, that as per California Education Code, the following actions can be causes for suspension:
- Fighting
- Physical assault on peers or adults
- Verbal assault (name calling, bullying, profanity) toward peers or adults
- Defacing school property (vandalism, graffiti)
- Actions that might cause physical harm to another person
- Threatening physical injury
Staff reserves the right to suspend any student for an infraction not listed, as per Education Code.