School Policies

Security

Calahan is a closed campus with all gates locked throughout the day.  Children may be dropped off or picked up at the Knapp Street, Geyser Street, or Calahan Street Kindergarten gates.  After 8:00 am, all access to the campus is through the office.  Visitors must sign in and be issued identification. 

Office

The office does not open until 7:30AM. No students may be dropped off in the office at that time.

Supervision for students starts at 7:45AM. 

Students may not sit in the Office after-school while waiting to be picked up. The Office is limited on space, busy and the staff cannot watch these students. 

 

Visitors & Volunteer Policy

To ensure a safe and smooth experience for all, we require our volunteers to follow certain procedures. Here's what you need to know:

1. Sign-in and Badge Pickup: All volunteers must sign in at the main office and pick up a volunteer badge before starting their volunteer shift.
2. Clearance Required: You must be cleared by the district office before volunteering. This is a one-time process that ensures your safety and the safety of our students.
3. Sign Up to Volunteer: To become a volunteer, please sign up by following the link VOLUNTEER PAGE This will help us keep track of our volunteers and ensure we have enough coverage.

 

Tardiness

In the interests of safety for the children, all access to the campus after 8:00 will be through the school office.  Tardiness has a negative effect on the education of the late student and on the entire class that is interrupted by late arrival. Chronic tardiness will require a parent conference with the principal.

 

Attendance

If your child is absent, please call the office and let us know why your child is out. 

If your child is tardy, please check in with the office and get a tardy slip.

If you pick up your child early from school, your child will be marked as an early out and will not be considered for perfect attendance. 

If your child is absent or tardy, you will receive an automatic phone call. You will receive this phone call even if you have called us to let us know why your child is out.

 

For more information regarding attendance please visit OUR ATTENDANCE POLICY for attendance policy.

 

 

Medical Conditions

The school should be notified of any medical condition affecting the health of a student.  NO medications, prescription or over-the-counter, may be administered at school without written prescription from a doctor.  Medications must be delivered to the office.  They may not be taken to the classroom.

 

As we strive to provide a healthy and safe environment for all our students, we have established the following guidelines regarding medication and health procedures in school:

Medication at School

If your child needs to take medication during school hours, please note the following:

1. You must provide a doctor's note and written permission from the parent/guardian before medication is taken. Forms are available in the school office.
2. All medications must be in their original containers with the students name and left at school.
3. Only adults may carry medications to school.

This includes medications such as:

* Aspirin
* Tylenol
* Inhalers for Asthma
* Cough drops
* Ointments
* Antacids (Tums, Rolaids)

**Returning to School After Illness or Injury**

If your child needs to return to school with a bandage, stitches, splints, cast, crutches, leg brace, or wheelchair, please ensure they have:

1. A doctor's note stating:
        * Date student may return
        * Restrictions (if any)
        * Date restrictions are released

2. 
   Comply with any safety procedures required by the school administration and Health Services personnel.
   
   Additionally, students with these conditions may need to sit on the Health Bench during playtime.
   
   **Return to School After Serious Illness or Injury**
   
   For serious or prolonged illnesses (5 or more school days), injuries, surgery, hospitalization, conjunctivitis (pink eye), or strep throat, your child will need a doctor's note before returning to school.
   
   What to Do if Your Child Gets Sick at School
   
   In case of an emergency, it's crucial that we have up-to-date emergency information on file, including the names and phone numbers of people who can drive your child when you're unavailable.
   
   If your child becomes ill or injured at school, they will need to be picked up promptly (within the hour).
   
   If your child is sent home with a fever, vomiting, diarrhea, or is complaining of a fever, sore throat, bad cough, pink eye, stomach ache, etc., please keep them at home with plenty of bed rest.
   
   

  

Personal Electronic Devices Policy

LAUSD prohibits the use of any electronic signaling devices, including cell phones and ipads/tablets, by students on campus during school hours.  Students are permitted to possess cell phones or electronic signaling devices on campus provided that any such device shall remain “off” and stored in a backpack where it is not visible during school hours.  Students are not permitted to use cell phones on campus between 7:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. 

Additionally, there should be no filming or posting of videos on social media identifying students or taken on campus. Calahan Street Elementary is not responsible for loss, damage, use, or theft of electronic devices.

 

Homework Policy

Calahan believes that the acquisition of knowledge and the development of self-discipline are highly personal endeavors.  Homework is essential in the educational process.  It is assigned and monitored by the classroom teacher.  Included in homework are written assignments, notebooks, review, projects, reading, outlining, summarizing, and study.  Some assignments are designed as family activities.  Homework is not necessarily written work.  Students are encouraged to read books at their appropriate level each night.  Calahan follows the Los Angeles Unified School District policy concerning the time children should be expected to spend on homework.  Approximate times are as follows and do not include daily reading practice:

Kindergarten                                                10 minutes per day

Grades one and two                                   20 minutes per day

Grade three                                                  30 minutes per day

Grade four                                                    40 minutes per day

Grade five                                                     50 minutes per day

Students are responsible for planning a schedule for nightly and long-term assignments.  If a student misses class, she/he is responsible for getting missed assignments from a classmate or the teacher.  The role of the parent is one of encouragement and support.  Students should do their own assignments with minimum support.

 

If extra help in an academic area becomes necessary, students are encouraged to seek advice from their teachers.  Free homework help is also available through the Los Angeles Public Library at lapl.org.  Teachers at Calahan are an unusually dedicated group and are regularly available to their students. 

 

Dress Code

Students should arrive at school clean and neatly groomed.  Clothing should be sturdy, comfortable, and objectively reasonable. 

• Socks and low-heeled shoes that fully cover the feet are required.
• Open-toed shoes such as flip flops and sandals are not appropriate.  Platform soles or heels should not exceed one inch in height.  Wheeled or backless shoes are never permitted.
• Halter tops, tank tops, backless, strapless tops or bare midriffs are not permitted.
• Short shorts, very short skirts, and bicycle pants are not allowed.
• Hats may not be worn in the buildings. Baseball caps are never to be worn backwards.
• Clothing and other items worn may not have pictures or writing pertaining to drugs, gangs, or alcohol.  They may not feature vulgar or profane language.
• Baggy, oversized clothing should not be worn. “Baggy” pants are those that will not stay up without a belt.
• Students should not wear large, dangling or hoop earrings, as they are unsafe.    
• Hair must be groomed so it is not viewed as a distraction in class.
• Makeup may not be worn.

 

Leave Early Recess/Lunch

We kindly ask that if you need to pick up your child early from school during recess or lunch, please communicate with your child’s teacher ahead of time. This will allow the teacher to advise the student to take their backpack with them and wait in the office at the appropriate time.

Please note that classrooms are locked during recess and lunch, therefore it is crucial to coordinate with your child and the teacher to ensure that they are able to leave with their backpack and homework.

 

The following is the recess and lunch schedule:

Recess
All Grades	10:00 – 10:20
Lunch
PAL TK/Kindergarten Grades 1, 2, 3 Grades 4 & 5	11:30- 12:15 11:40 – 12:30 12:00 – 12:40 11:50 – 12:30
Minimum Days
Brunch (All Grades)	10:00 – 10:30

 

Lost and Found/Personal Belongings

Each year many articles of clothing are lost and not claimed.  Parents should LABEL children’s clothing, especially jackets and other outer garments which may be easily removed and forgotten. A clothing rack with unclaimed articles is located near the office doors and is cleaned out monthly. Children should check the classroom and the Lost and Found rack before inquiring in the office.  Calahan assumes no responsibility for lost personal items.  Students are not to bring toys, unnecessary amounts of money, electronic items, or other valuables to school.  If special circumstances require a child to have a valuable item, it should be given to the teacher for safekeeping.

 

Forgotten Items

If your child forgot something at home (lunch money, homework, etc.) bring it to the office and we will have it delivered to the classroom.

Items will be delivered before recess. We do not disturb the classrooms during the first two hours of class.

 

  

Birthday Policy

Please communicate directly with your student’s teacher regarding birthday celebrations in the classroom. To maintain a safe and healthy environment for our students, we will only allow store-bought cupcakes or cookies to be brought in for these celebrations. We would like to inform you all that we will no longer allow pizza, drinks, or goody bags in the classrooms.

 

Lunch/Water Bottle Drop Off

At our school, parents are welcome to drop off lunch and water for their children in the front office. However, to promote healthy eating habits, we do not allow fast food and soda to be brought in. Additionally, glass bottles/ containers are not allowed due to safety concerns.

To ensure that your child receives their lunch on time, please communicate with them ahead of time to let them know to check the office during their recess/lunch time. It is important to note that the office will not interrupt instructional time to advise students of lunches left in the office.

If parents do not drop off the lunch in a timely manner, students will be advised to eat lunch from the cafeteria.