Student Handbook

Teepee Creek School

Student and Parent

Handbook

2021 - 2022

Principal's Message

Welcome back to Teepee Creek School!

Welcome to Teepee Creek School

It is with great excitement that I look at the 2021-22 school year! There are so many wonderful learning experiences that will happen here, but the one that I look forward to the most is getting to know your children. The energy and enthusiasm that they fill the school with is what I love most about school!
Thank you all for entrusting your children to our school. We all look forward to building a brighter future for your children together.

Darren Robertson
Principal

Teepee Creek School Staff List

Instructional Staff

Andrea Ungurian Junior Kindergarten/Kindergarten

Danielle Devoe Grade 1/2

Lisa Vanstone Grade 4 Math

Cassie Funk Grade 3/4

Jennifer Bishop Grade 5/6

Darren Clarkson Grade 7/8

Support Staff

Margit Gerber EA and Library

Andrea Ungurian JK/ECS

Theresa Mcleod EA

Kim Green EA

Office Administration

Jennifer Hewko

Custodians

Tanya Braun

Lori Hoag

Bus Drivers

Pam Binks

Debbie White

Karen Strid

Michelle Heinz

Principal

Darren Robertson

Teepee Creek School Hours of Operation

Instructional Staff 8:15 am – 3:45 pm

Support Staff 8:15 am – 3:20 pm

Office Administration 8:15 am – 3:45 pm

Principal 8:00 am – 4:00 pm

Teepee Creek School is closed on pre-determined Fridays due to our Compressed School Week (CSW)

The first Monday of each month is a staff meeting – students are dismissed at 3:00 pm

Mustang Pride Initiatives

Aboriginal Culture

FNMI Instruction with Certified Staff
Classroom Programming – curricular

Breakfast Program

The Breakfast Program will continue to be available each day. Students will be able to move to the new kitchen and have a healthy breakfast choice.

*All monetary donations to this program greatly appreciated

Community Volunteering

Students and staff will be encouraged to participate in activities to help others. We will be looking for opportunities so please keep in touch with the school should ideas arise.

Christmas Concert

During the last week before Christmas break begins, Teepee Creek School hosts a Christmas Concert for the community. Each class from JK to Grade 8 participates in this event and there is a new show each year. During this event, there is a Silent Auction to raise funds for year-end trips. Everyone welcome!

Fieldtrips

Various out-of-classroom experiences may be planned for the students throughout the year as a supplement to the school program. Parents will be notified in advance of all field trips. A completed permission slip is required from each child for any field trip. "Blanket" forms may be used for repeat trips such as sports teams. This consent form is your authorization for your child's participation and MUST be signed by a legal guardian. Students not returning permission forms will be accommodated in other classes. All field trips are under the supervision of at least one certified staff member. If parents would like to volunteer, please contact the supervising staff member on the permission form. A Criminal Record Check will be required.

Halloween

Halloween parties will be done in the individual classrooms at the end of the day closest to or on Halloween. Students are welcome to dress for the day. We encourage fun costumes as we have many little people in our school who can be easily scared. Fake blood and weapons should stay at home until the trick or treat evening please. If sending treats, please contact the homeroom teacher directly.

Hot Dogs/Pizza

Hotdogs & Pizza will be available alternating every Friday - $2.00 each/ Hotdogs

Physical Education

Evidence increasingly points to the value of physical activity in promoting overall achievement. All students are encouraged to take part. Physical education is a mandatory part of the education program, and as such, only in very specific instances will students be excused from participation. All requests for students to be excused from participation in physical education or from some specific activity must be given by the parent/guardian to the teacher.

Sports and Activities

We will do our best to provide students with opportunity to participate in a variety of extra-curricular sporting and creative activities throughout the year. These activities have yet to be determined but students will be notified about them as soon as they are decided upon! If you are interested in coaching, helping out or you have a talent you'd like to share, please contact the school and let us know!

Teepee Creek School Information

Attendance

Good attendance at school is important for every child, however we do understand that there are times when children cannot attend school. If your child will be away, please contact the office so they are accounted for.

Bus Policy

Students riding the bus are expected to give the bus driver the same due respect, consideration and cooperation they give their teachers. The driver is in charge and students are expected to follow the rules of the bus. Students can be suspended from the school bus if they are not behaving appropriately. If there is a change in student transportation for day, written permission for students to take an alternate bus is required the day prior to the change. Bus drivers should be notified if a student will not be travelling on their bus on a certain day or period of time.

Cold Weather Policy

In the interests of student safety, parents/guardians are to ensure that all students riding on school buses during the winter months be appropriately dressed, including proper footwear, headwear and gloves. In the case of inclement weather, our school follows divisional policy regarding school closure. This means that normally, even though buses may not run because of weather conditions, the school remains open. Please listen to the radio or check the school division website for information regarding bussing during cold weather days. When buses do not run, parents have the option of transporting their children to and from school.

Please Note:

If buses do not operate in the morning it is the parents' responsibility to drop off their children in the morning AND pick up their children in the afternoon.

Dress Code

Students are expected to dress in good taste and in a manner that is appropriate for a learning environment. Students who wear clothing that is inappropriate or in poor taste will be expected to change. All clothing shall be neat and tidy, cover all undergarments, midriffs, and thighs – parents and students often ask what is long enough to cover the thigh. If the student can put their hands at their sides and touch skin, we would ask that something longer be worn. Clothing shall only have positive slogans and/or pictures.

If it is felt that a student's clothing is inappropriate he/she will be so informed by a staff member and contact with the parent/guardian will be made if necessary.

We would also urge that during the winter season, parents ensure that their children are dressed adequately to withstand the rigors of winter weather. Should their bus break down or become stranded, it is essential that students be appropriately dressed. Recess will occur until -25 without a wind chill.

ALL students and staff are required to have indoor shoes that do not leave black marks.

Drop Off/Pick Up

Students who are dropped off in the morning after the school busses have arrived are required to walk behind the last bus in the bus lane. Parents who are picking their children up at the end of the day are asked to park in the south part of the lot so children can get safely to your vehicle and parents can leave without waiting for the busses. Please DO NOT park your vehicle randomly in the parking lot.

Parents are also required to sign their children out if they are leaving before the end of the school day – sign-out sheets are located in the office. Unless we have been made aware through a phone call, note or email, students will go home as regularly scheduled. We cannot let children go with others without permission.

Fire Drills and Lockdowns

There will be numerous practices for students and staff during the course of the school year. The first fire drill or lockdown practice will be announced – the following ones will not be. All students will be required to participate. Please note that weather will be taken in to consideration when practices are scheduled. It is important that students be prepared at all times – shoes are important. 10

Homework

In accordance with the Quality Learning Model all homework will follow these guidelines:

Any homework given should be purposeful and should be connected directly with the curriculum/what you are doing in class
There should be no new concepts given as homework and nothing that would be beyond the independent level of the students
For absent students, homework may be required by the teacher or requested by the parent HOWEVER adequate time needs to be given to prepare homework if requested and the expectation will be that it returns complete

Illness

Normally students who are too ill to go outside for recess are often too ill to be at school. This is especially true in the case of severe colds where continual attendance at school can delay recovery and provide a source of infection for other students. Teepee Creek School cannot provide an ill student with a comfortable place to rest during the day. Parents or the emergency contact person will be contacted and asked to take the child home as soon as possible.

Please Note:

If a student is involved in a situation where on-site first aide is not adequate, arrangements will be made to have the student transported to the hospital – parents/guardians will be notified immediately once the student has been taken care of and secured.

Inclusive Education

The purpose of this program is to assist students who appear to be experiencing difficulty with one or more areas of their educational program. Classroom teachers, upon parental/guardian approval, will recommend students with difficulties receive additional support. Specified staff will be working with these students individually and/or in small groups. Through continuous evaluation, the student's progress will be closely monitored and his/her programs modified as required. The length of stay in the program varies with each student. Other program modifications may be designed and implemented by the regular classroom teacher within the classroom. Alberta Health Services assists with Occupational Therapy, Speech, and Mental Health concerns and our school will have an assigned Learning Coach from PWPSD.

Library

The library provides students with a variety of reading materials for pleasure and academic studies. If a student does not return a book they have signed out on the date it is due, the student will be given a verbal reminder to return the book. Once it is overdue by two weeks, a reminder notice may be sent home informing the parent/guardian of the overdue book. Should the book be damaged or lost, it will be expected that the cost of the book be covered by the parent/guardian. Students will be able to access the library at all times.

Lockers

Students and parents/guardians should be aware that school lockers are the property of the school and may be opened by administration at any time. Lockers are not 100% secure and valuables are best left at home. Teepee Creek School will not be responsible for missing items – we will do our best to assist in their return. Only Grade 7/8 students will have locks and those will be provided by the school.

Medication

Please refer to the PWSD Policy

Newsletter

A monthly newsletter will be sent home/emailed out on the Wednesday of each month following the regular staff meeting. The newsletter will include a calendar for the current month as well as the following month. Please contact the school office should you have something you would like to include in the letter. This information will be required on or before the Thursday prior to the newsletter going home.

Nutrition Policy

Teepee Creek School acknowledges that a balanced lifestyle and healthy diet are a significant part of a student's success. It has become increasingly evident that a child's learning potential is impacted by his or her health. As it is important for a student to be at his or her best to learn, our school will encourage an environment of active living and healthy eating for both students and staff.

Guidelines

the only beverage consumed during instructional time will be water – please do not send juice or flavours to add to water – pop (including iced tea) and energy drinks are not acceptable
if staff use snacks as rewards for students if will be done in moderation
healthy lifestyle and food choices will be encouraged throughout classroom time as appropriate
students are encouraged to bring healthy snacks for snack times during school hours
active living will be encouraged through school programs such as gym classes and special programs like The Terry Fox Run and Jump Rope for Heart

Personal Property

School personnel cannot accept responsibility for the personal property of students. Please identify all outerwear, footwear, and school supplies with your child's full name. Students are strongly discouraged from bringing personal property which is provided by the school as part of the regular program such as softballs, soccer balls, footballs, etc. Technology is an area that requires thought and care. If a student wishes to use their own device, it their responsibility to keep it safe and secure.

School Council

All parents are encouraged to take part in School Council activities. The function of this body is to help provide effective communication between parents and staff to ensure the best education for all our children. This is the forum for you to provide input regarding the direction our school should be taking.

School Supplies

Parents are responsible for the bulk of the school supplies including lunch kits, backpacks and proper indoor footwear. Please see the website for details.

Staff Meetings

As outlines by PWSD, staff meetings are held on the first Monday of each month. Students are dismissed on these days at 3:00 pm.

Student Record Updates

In order to maintain an efficient level of communication, please keep the school office informed of any changes to student information such as emergency contacts, phone or cell numbers, work numbers of parents/guardians, addresses and pertinent medical information as soon as they occur. Please do this by telephone to the office or in writing.

Toxic Materials

Students at Teepee Creek School DO NOT USE the following items at school:

Liquid Paper – tape allowed at discretion of the Junior High teacher only
Rubber Cement Glue
Computer/Whiteboard cleaner
AXE, body spray, heavy perfumes, etc.
Nail polish and/or remover
Hairspray – unless required by a teacher and then under their supervision
Lighters, jackknives or anything deemed inappropriate by staff

Administration will dispose of these items appropriately and contact home if necessary.

Use of Technology

21st Century Learners require digital literacy skills. To assist students in developing these skills, Teepee Creek School believes in allowing students to bring and use their digital devices in an appropriate manner within our school. Students will be expected to engage in ethical digital citizenship behavior when using their devices while at school, on the bus or during any school-sponsored activities. Students will be responsible for the care of their devices and for the content on their devices. If students engage in inappropriate use of technology while at school, the discipline policy will apply.

Video/DVD Viewing

There are times when a DVD will be shown to enhance curriculum. If it is "G" rated, notification will not be sent home. Anything rated above "G" will be supported by the Principal first and notification will be sent home by the classroom teacher. If you choose to opt your child out of the video/DVD, arrangements will be made for your child to work elsewhere during the viewing time. Any work required as part of the viewing will be completed by all students.

Visitors and Volunteers

For safety and security, please be aware that all visitors are required to check in at the office.If you would like to volunteer in the school, please call your child's teacher to arrange a time that would be most beneficial to all.

For fieldtrips, a Criminal Record Check is now required by PWSD. Please see administration for details.