School Policies
Attendance
Good attendance is a major factor in a child’s success at school. Please call the school and let us know if your child will be absent. In the event of a prolonged illness, teachers will provide assignments for pupils to prevent them from falling behind in their work.
Punctuality
In order to promote good work habits and to minimize interruptions to instruction, we ask that you organize your children's schedules so that they arrive at school on time. School instruction begins promptly at 8:45 a.m.
Students Leaving School Grounds
In order to ensure their safety, our students are required to stay for lunch. If you would like to take your child out at lunch, please sign them out at the office.
Notes & Telephone Calls
It is not always easy to guarantee that personal messages will be delivered, particularly during the confusion of dismissal time. Therefore please inform the school of changes in routine via notes and limit messages to children by telephone to emergencies only. Children will not be allowed to use the telephone to make alternate arrangements to their routines except in emergencies.
Delivery of Lunches and Books to School
We request that all items which parents deliver to the school for their children be left on the counter at the office. Your child will be paged to the office to pick up the items. This method will save interrupting your child’s studies.
Communication
Pupil Safety
At Signal Hill Elementary School an emphasis is placed upon pupil safety. School and bus rules are designed to prevent injury to oneself and others. Reminders of safe practices are frequent and occur in classrooms and at assemblies. Our Supervision Aides are vigilant to ensure that your children are safe on the school grounds during recess breaks. Teachers are on supervision duty from 8:25am to 8:45am and from 3:02pm to 3:22pm (when busses leave). When parents become aware of unsafe conditions, they are encouraged to immediately notify the principal who will work to correct the problem.
Sick or Injured Children
Should a child become ill or be injured at school, we do have on staff a qualified first aid attendant. A number of other staff members have also had first aid training to help ensure fast assistance if need be. Parents or emergency contacts will be notified immediately in case of accident. Students who are ill will be isolated in our medical room until parents can arrange for them to be picked up.
Administration of Medication (School Board Policy)
Emergency Procedures
As per School Board Policy, Signal Hill Elementary School has developed a plan should any emergency occur.
Fire / Earthquake: Children are regularly drilled in the procedures to follow during an emergency including the orderly evacuation of the school building.
Parents: Please do not try to phone the school. We may be trying to reach you or emergency response services. Stay tuned to Mountain FM for instructions throughout the emergency. Teachers will be responsible for your child until your child is picked up from the school. When it is safe to travel, come to the school to collect your child. Your child will only be released to the appropriate parent or emergency contact person.
Parent Volunteers
Parent Volunteers provide an important role in supporting education at Signal Hill Elementary School.
- instructional support for students, consistent with this letter of understanding in the classroom, library, computer lab and other instruction areas of the school as requested by teachers and approved by the administrative officer.
- help with special events such as Halloween parties, Christmas parties, Christmas concerts, Birthday parties, pumpkin carving, etc.
- assist with sports days and field trips
- fund raise for classroom or school
- scribing children’s stories in primary grades
Parents who will be driving children to curricular or extra-curricular activities must have a copy of insurance and a driver abstract which they can obtain from the Motor Vehicle Branch. The school will keep the records on file
Volunteers who are in the school on a regular basis and working with children are required to submit to a criminal record check. Please pick up a form at the office.
Extended Absences
A small but significant number of our students are absent from school for extended periods. Holiday travel and parent business responsibilities are the most common reasons given for extended absence from school. Classroom teachers are not expected to prepare work for children who miss school for family vacations. However, we would be happy to provide you with some suggested activities you can incorporate into your holiday to extend your child’s learning. For example, he/she can record travel experiences in a daily journal. You should read this journal with the writer at the end of every day. Suggestions for improvements in spelling and grammar are appropriate. Letters and postcards to classmates give your child a purpose for practicing written expression. Daily reading is always recommended but it is especially important if the child is on an extended absence. A math workbook of the type available through teaching supply stores, book stores and many drug stores is useful. Take every opportunity to involve your child in real life situations to practice counting, operations and problem solving. Collect and arrange displays of maps, postcards and brochures about the places you visit. Finally, take the time to talk with your child about what you see and experience.
Curriculum
The curriculum followed at Signal Hill Elementary School is that which is prescribed by the Ministry of Education. Teachers are guided by the learning outcomes found in the Integrated Resource Package for each curricular subject. While the learning outcomes in each subject must be met by all students, teachers can elect to teach these outcomes in a variety of ways.
- Diversity is a strength
- Inclusion is a right
- Personalization is the way forward
Reporting Student Progress
Please see here for information on student reporting as directed by the Ministry of Education and Childcare.
Parent Teacher Conferences
Parent Teacher Conferences are held to discuss the progress of children. While Parent Teacher Conferences are scheduled after the issuing of the first report card, teachers are available for conferences at anytime throughout the school year. Conferences are encouraged, and can be arranged by contacting your child’s teacher.
Student Led Conferences
A departure from the traditional Parent Teacher Conference is the Student Led Conference. Student Led Conferences differ from Parent Teacher Conferences in that the student attends, and assumes a major responsibility for conducting the conference. Children will greet parents, discuss the agenda for their conference, and show or demonstrate examples of learning in several curricular areas.
Non – Instructional Days
The Ministry of Education allows schools up to five days that are specified as non-instructional days and one day for curriculum implementation. On these days, teachers are involved in various activities such as professional development conferences and planning workshops. The dates for non-instructional days are included in the School Calendar.
Homework Policy
- developing organizational and study skills
- accommodating varying learning styles
- promoting effective time management
Homework should not be used to extend the school day, provide busy work, or to punish a student for misbehavior.
Time Guidelines- Maximum
Primary Grades- 15 minutes per evening
Intermediate Grades- 30 minutes per evening
- work not completed in class
- review of work undertaken in class such as spelling lists, number facts, preparation for tests
- completion of projects and novel studies
- home reading programs