Downey Elementary
School Handbook

"Working together for creative, responsible, and
productive children."

Dear Parents/Guardians and Students,
At Downey Elementary School we believe in order for
our students to be successful, parents and school
staff must work together. When we are united in our
efforts in the best interests of children, we can be a
very positive influence for students, families, and
the community at large. The principal and staff at
Downey Elementary are committed to establish and
maintain positive working relationships between the
school and the home.

We also understand that when students walk through
the doors of our school, you as a parent/guardian, are
entrusting us with the most precious of all resources;
your own children. We take our responsibilities very
seriously in this regard. If you have any problems or
concerns about your child's education, please contact
the school early on so together we can work out the
best solution.

Thank you for placing your trust and confidence in
our school and staff. Our challenge is to foster
successful academic and social development in each and
every child. We pledge the very best effort toward
that end.

Daily Schedule
8:00 Doors open
8:15 Walking students arrive
(Please, no earlier than 8:15)
8:30 School begins
11:30 - 12:30 Lunch and recess
(Time differs within this time span per grade level)
3:00 School dismissed
3:05 1st bus departs
4:00 2nd bus departs
4:05 3rd bus departs
Monday
1:30 School dismissed
1:35 1st and 2nd buses depart
2:00 3rd bus departs
2:05 4th bus departs




Mission Statement
Our mission is to teach all students the basic skills
they will need to succeed in their further education,
to enjoy learning, to be confident, to be responsible
productive citizens, and to develop basic values of
integrity, tolerance, and respect for others.

Attendance
Regular attendance is vital to a student's good
performance in school. Please call the school by 9:00
a.m. on a day your child is absent. Teachers need
prior notice to prepare homework assignments for
absent students. Lessons may be picked up after school
at 3:00 p.m.

According to board policy (501.1) parents are to meet
with the school attendance committee if a student has
missed 9 days of school during a semester or 18 days
of school during the school year. Retention may be
considered if the student's absences have had a
detrimental effect on his/her academic performance.

The school district provides a homebound teacher for
students who (under a doctor's recommendation) cannot
attend school for an extended period of time (10 days
or more). Parents may contact the school secretary for
eligibility requirements.

Testing
The school office maintains a record of all results
of testing required by the state which includes the
ISAT, IRI, Direct Writing and Direct Math Assessments.
Results are available upon written parental request.

Reporting Pupil Progress
Progress reports (report cards) are sent home every
nine weeks. Student reports include information about
your child's progress in academics, conduct, and
effort. Students are evaluated in relationship to
their ability. The progress reports should not be
considered a total reporting of your child's
achievement. We encourage you to contact the school at
any time for information about the academic growth of
your child.
Student grades are also available on Power Grade.
Passwords are available for access.
Grades are based on classroom grading formulas and may
include test scores, daily work, extra credit
assignments, homework assignments, and display of
effort.
90-100 -------- A
80-89 ---------- B
70-79 ---------- C
60-69 ---------- D
59 or Below - F
Physical Education (PE) and Fine Arts are Pass/Fail.

Homework
School is a child's work. Since students work 5.5
hours during the school day, our philosophy is to give
a limited amount of homework. Exceptions are special
projects and work that is not completed at school.
Homework encourages a good work ethic, personal
responsibility, and growth in academic achievement.

Promotion of Students
Student retention or promotion decisions are made by
the principal in consultation with the teacher and
parent. Academic, social, emotional, physical
characteristics, and the attendance record of the
student is taken into account in reaching decisions to
promote or retain.

Textbooks
Textbooks are provided free of charge for all
students. Students MUST accept responsibility for
their care and safekeeping. Compensation for lost or
damaged books is expected.

Psychological and Social Services
Psychological services and testing are available to
students through the Marsh Valley School District #21
office upon referral and parental consent.

Special Programs
Downey Elementary School receives funding through the
Title I Program. This program provides an instructor
to assist identified Title I students achieve targeted
gains in specific academic areas.
Downey Elementary School receives funding through
IDEA 1997 and has established a resource program to
assist learning disabled students in reaching academic
and behavior goals as mutually agreed upon by parents,
teacher, and appropriate service providers. Parents
may refer their child to be considered for this
program by submitting a referral to the school office.

Media Center
The Downey Elementary School Media Center is
centrally located in the school making it easily
accessible for all classrooms. The Media Center has
multimedia computers with Internet connections to
assist students in doing research projects. The Media
Center provides electronic encyclopedias along with
reading, writing, science, and math programs for
student use. Each classroom is equipped with a video
monitor, a VCR, and several multimedia computers also
with Internet access.

Computer Lab
Downey Elementary has a computer lab with Internet
access where students work on assignments and
projects. Every student working in the lab MUST abide
by the technology contract signed by the
parent/guardian and the student to assure appropriate
use of school computers and the Internet.


Presidential Academic Excellence Award
This award is presented to sixth grade students who
have demonstrated academic excellence during their
fourth and fifth grade years, and the first semester
of sixth grade. To receive this award, students must
maintain a 3.5 GPA for this period of time and score
in the 85th percentile on either the reading or math
sections of the ISAT test. This is a district-wide
awards program and certificates are presented at an
awards presentation program during the month of May.

Student Discipline
General Building Rules
Students will:
1. Use appropriate language.
2. Keep hands, feet, objects, and rude remarks to
themselves.
3. Walk quietly in the building.
4. Follow the directions of the school staff.
Playground Rules
Students will:
1. Play in designated areas.
2. Use only approved balls and equipment on the
playground.
3. Use ALL playground equipment safely.
4. Avoid tackling or any other form or rough play.

Lunchroom Rules
Students will:
1. Enter the lunchroom quietly.
2. Use quiet voices.
3. Sit while eating.
4. Use good table manners.
5. Clean up their table area when finished eating.

Bus Rules
Students will:
1. Obey the driver.
2. Talk in quiet voices.
3. Keep hands, feet, head etc. in the bus.
4. Will NOT throw or hand any item out of the bus
windows.
5. Stay in the seat while the bus is moving.
6. Walk in front of the bus when it is necessary to
cross the street when getting on or off of the bus.
7. Keep hands, feet, objects, and rude remarks to
themselves.
8. Remain on the school sidewalk until the bus comes
to a complete stop and permission is granted to board
the bus.

Level I Rules and Violation Procedures
All students are expected to be courteous and
respectful to others, to play fair, take turns, and to
follow the rules. When students fail to comply, they
will be verbally corrected. In the event he or she
continues to be non-compliant, they will be referred
to the classroom teacher for discipline. In the case
of a playground violation, the child will be removed
from play for a time out period and his/her teacher
will be notified via documentation on the recess
incident report. Discipline may include loss of the
next recess, time out in class, time out in another
classroom, or loss of recess privileges for a
specified time period.

Level II Rules and Violation Procedures
Students are expected to be honest and show respect
towards each other and all adults in the school at all
times. Failure to do so will result in Level II Rule
violations. Examples of Level II violations include
the following: Lying, cheating, being disrespectful to
adults or other students in school, use of profanity
or obscene language, bullying, teasing, shoving, name
calling, fighting, etc.
Discipline procedures for Level II Rule violations
are as follows:
1. The classroom teacher will investigate the facts
concerning the incident and confer with the building
principal.
2. The building principal may inform the parents and
convene a conference with them to formulate a plan to
eliminate the inappropriate behavior.
3. The building principal may assign consequences such
as suspension, loss of a privilege, or work detail.

Level III Rules and Violation Procedures
The following types of student conduct, while under
the supervision of the school, on or off of the school
grounds, will constitute a Level III violation:
1. Willful disobedience or failing to comply with
direct and reasonable directions of a staff member.
2. Extortion by means of force or threat to obtain
money or property from another student.
3. Intimidation of any person with threat of bodily
harm.
4. Disruption of school related activities by
depriving others of the use of school buildings,
school grounds, or parts thereof through violence,
force, noise, threat, passive resistance, or other
conduct, which interferes with educational activities.
5. Causing or attempting to cause damage to school
property or private property.
6. Stealing or attempting to steal.
7. Intentionally causing, attempting to cause, or
behaving in such a way as to cause physical injury to
any student or school employee.
8. Truancy
9. Possession, handling, or exhibiting any object,
which may be considered a weapon or dangerous
plaything.
10. Any action that would threaten the health, safety,
and well being of students, teachers, employees, or
parents.
11. Possessing, using, or being under the influence of
any drug, illegal substance, alcohol, tobacco, or any
intoxicant of any kind.
12. Possessing or distributing pornographic materials.

Level III discipline procedures will proceed as
follows:
1. The classroom teacher will investigate the facts
concerning the incident and notify the building
principal.
2. The principal will interview the student concerning
the incident.
3. The principal will contact the parents (and any
government agencies if necessary) by telephone or
letter and assign any combination of the following
consequences.
a. work detail
b. loss of recess
c. loss of privileges
d. reimbursement
e. detention
f. suspension out of school
g. suspension in school
h. refer to superintendent for expulsion
i. referral to Bannock County Sheriff
j. referral to Juvenile Justice

Inclement Weather
Any school schedule changes due to snow, ice,
flooding, etc., will be announced by the
superintendent's office. When severe weather is
threatening, watch Channel 6 television for
information on school closures, delayed openings, or
early dismissal.
The school staff has organized a communication
(calling) tree and will attempt to notify
parents/guardians by telephone.

Telephone Messages
The school telephone is answered between 8:00 a.m.
and 4:00 p.m. Messages to teachers or students will be
placed in the teacher's mailbox. Only in an emergency
will a teacher or student be called to the phone
during class time.
Students will be allowed to use the telephone during
the day with written permission of the classroom
teacher.

School Visitation
For the protection of the students and the integrity
of the instructional program, all visitors are to sign
in at the school office. Please, do NOT go directly to
your child's classroom. Visitors will be issued an
identification tag (ID badge) to wear while in the
school.
Anyone who may need to deliver an article to a child
is requested to leave it at the office so it may be
delivered at an appropriate time without disrupting
the class.
Parents are encouraged to visit school frequently and
actively participate in the education of their child.
We request that parents avoid conferring with teachers
during such visits, but rather schedule a conference
at a mutually acceptable time.
Children who are NOT enrolled at Downey Elementary
School will NOT be allowed to attend school with a
friend or relative who is enrolled.

Sickness/Medications
Occasionally students become ill. When this situation
interferes with learning or is infectious to other
students, parents should keep their child at home.
If a child requires a prescription medication during
school hours, the medication MUST be turned in to the
office with a permission form signed by the parent and
the attending physician. (Forms are available at the
school office.) No medication will be dispensed
without written permission.
Prescription medications MUST be brought to school in
the original container showing the pharmacy name and
the prescription number. School staff can NOT dispense
any over-the-counter medications.
Only approved staff members will be allowed to
administer prescription medication. A second staff
member will witness the administering of the required
medication.

School Dress and Grooming
Students shall dress in a manner that shows respect
for the educational environment and is befitting the
day's activities. Student's clothing and jewelry must
not present a health or safety hazard, a distraction
to the learning process, or interfere with or disrupt
the school's educational mission.
Disruption is defined as reactions by other
individuals to the clothing, hairstyle, or adornment,
which cause the teacher/administrator to lose
attention of the students, to modify or cease
instructional activities, or to deal with student
confrontations or complaints.
The following definitions apply:
1. Personal items such as clothing, paraphernalia,
jewelry, backpacks, fanny packs, gym bags, water
bottles, etc., shall be free of writing, pictures, or
other insignias, which are crude, vulgar, profane,
violent, or sexually suggestive.
2. Items which bear advertising, promotions and
likenesses of tobacco, alcohol, or drugs, or which are
contrary to the educational mission of the school
shall not be allowed.
3. Hair, which is so conspicuous, extreme, or odd in
color or style that it draws undo attention, disrupts,
or tends to disrupt or interfere with the learning
atmosphere at the school, shall not be allowed.
4. All students shall wear clean clothing. Clothing,
jewelry, accessories and piercings which are so
conspicuous, extreme, or odd that they draw undue
attention, disrupt, or tend to disrupt, interfere with
or pose a health or safety issue to the learning
atmosphere at the school shall not be allowed.
5. Students shall not wear clothes that are mutilated,
cut off, or immodest, e.g. short shorts, mini-skirts,
bare midriffs, halter-tops, spaghetti straps, tank
shirts, pajamas, or similar clothing.
6. Clothing shall cover the midriff, underwear, backs,
shoulders, and cleavage at all times. Skirts, dresses
and shorts must be at least mid-thigh length or longer
when the student is seated.
7. Hats or headgear of any kind are not allowed within
the classroom except as part of an approved activity,
or for religious or medical purposes.
8. Gang related clothing, colors, and paraphernalia
shall not be allowed at school or school activities.
School officials will determine what constitutes
"gang" clothing, colors, and paraphernalia after
consultation with law enforcement agencies as needed.
9. Shoes shall be worn at all times to ensure personal
safety and hygiene.

Weapons Brought to School
Marsh Valley School District #21 policy has a "zero
tolerance" statement for weapons brought to school by
students. Students are NOT allowed to bring any type
of knife, gun, etc. to school.

Personal Possessions
Students are not to bring personal items to school
such as toys, electronic devices, etc. The school will
NOT accept responsibility for breakage or loss. Roller
blades and skateboards are NOT allowed at school.
Clothing such as coats, sweaters, sweat shirts, etc.,
should be plainly marked with your child's name.
Students who choose to ride bicycles to school are
NOT to ride them on school grounds. Bicycles are to be
kept in the school bike rack during school hours.

Student Fees
Students are required to pay an annual fee of $10.00
for student assemblies. This fee is due at the
beginning of school and is payable at the school
office.

School Lunch program
Downey Elementary School offers both a breakfast and
a hot lunch program for students. Parents may arrange
to eat school lunch with their children by calling the
school before 9:00 a.m. Free and reduced meal programs
are available to all eligible students. Applications
can be obtained at the school office. For information
regarding current meal costs parents/guardians should
contact the school secretary.
A free breakfast is provided for ALL students each
morning in the lunchroom.

School Records
A copy of the student's immunization record and birth
certificate must be placed in each student's
cumulative record. Parents/Guardians may view the file
upon written request.