General Information
Enrollments School Year 2021-2022
Enrollment Packets in English
Enrollment Packets in Spanish
After School Programs
YOUTH SERVICES
The Youth Services program, for students from grades 2-5, will continue for this school year. The after school hours are from 2:04 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. For students' safety, students in ETK, TK, Kindergarten and 1st Grade are not eligible to participate in the YS playground. Activities will be supervised by the YS playground coach. Children are free to leave the premises at will, but may not return once they leave campus.
WOODCRAFT RANGERS
The Woodcraft Rangers program is also a free afterschool enrichment program for students in grades K-5. Students receive homework assistance. as well as, the opportunity to participate in sports, arts & crafts, and academic programs. The program hours are from 2:04 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. There are a limited number of spaces available and registration is on a first-come basis. To sign up, add your name to the waiting list, or for more information please contact Rosalie Carbajal in Room 13A afterschool.
ATTENDANCE
ABSENCES:
The District's goal is that students miss no more than 7 school days per school year. At Sharp, we monitor the attendance of students and celebrate the students with perfect attendance (no absences, tardies, or early leaves) on a monthly basis with a certificate and brag tags, each semester and yearly with medals and certificates of recognition. We also celebrate students with proficient attendance every 50 days of instruction. (They can miss one day for every 25 days). You will be receiving information about your child's attendance on a regular basis.
California law requires that all children attend school each day unless the child has a valid excuse for not being in school. Valid excuses for being absent are as follows: the student is sick, the student has a medical appointment, or there is a death in the family (1-day absence for in the state funeral services, and 3 days for out of state funeral services). When students need to go to the doctor or dentist, they are still required to attend school for part of the day. If your child is absent for any reason, please send a personal note or a doctor's note with your child explaining the reason for the absence when they return to school.
When your child is absent from school for more than 5 days, they must be readmitted by the school nurse before returning to class. If your child has a serious illness or a contagious infection, this must be reported to the school. Parents have up to 10 days from an absence to provide documentation for an absence.
Students are expected to arrive at school on time. The first bell rings at 7:40 a.m. and students start class at 7:45 a.m. Students who come to school late, after 8:15 a.m. are in danger of being Truant. If you come to pick up your child during school hours because of medical appointments or for personal reasons, it will be recorded in the system that your child left early for the day. This affects their attendance percentage as well. Please bring your child to school on time and in attendance each day.
TARDIES:
The school opens at 7:15 a.m. for students to start entering the campus. Students should be in line at the first bell which rings at 7:40 a.m. The instruction bell rings at 7:45 a.m. Students arriving after 7:40 a.m. bell will be considered tardy if not in class or with the teacher by 7:45 a.m. Once the gates have closed, the students must check in with the office to receive a tardy pass.
Students that arrive after 8:00 a.m. must be accompanied by an adult into the office to sign them in for the day. You will be expected to give a reason for the tardy. Tardies are only excused for the following reasons: illness (off student), medical appointment, or death in the family. Tardies over 30 minutes without a valid excuse are consistent truant.
BEHAVIOR EXPECTATIONS
We expect all Sharp students to follow the Sharp Behavior and Kindness Codes. Students who do not follow the behavior code will have consequences that range from a verbal warning to a parent/principal conference. Bullying of any form is not tolerated at Sharp. Contact your child's teacher immediately if your child feels they are being bullied in any way.
BICYCLES
Students can ride their bicycles to school and store them in the bicycle racks available behind room 42. However, students must wear helmets and have a lock to secure their bicycles. For safety reasons, no bicycles, skateboards, roller skates, or roller blades are permitted to be used on campus. Students must walk their bicycles and/or skateboards while inside the campus.
CLASSROOM CELEBRATIONS
Classroom celebrations involve culmination activities that are not only instructional sound but are entertaining and fun and provide a wonderful climate for positive social interactions among students and teachers. Specific criteria for holiday celebrations will be forthcoming before the holiday. Sharp Elementary follows the district's "healthy foods" policy. According to the district policy we can only serve food that is professionally prepared or store-bought and sealed. Please be aware that there are several students with food allergies and other medical concerns attending Sharp.
Student birthday parties are to be celebrated at home with family and friends. Unfortunately, birthday parties are not allowed at school. We do not allow balloons in school. If you would like to send goodies with your child for every student in the class, you are welcome to do so. Celebrations will occur in the last 10 minutes of the instructional time and must be pre-arranged with the classroom teacher. All items are to be sent in with the student at the start of the day, the office staff will not collect items for students or interrupt instruction.
CELL PHONES
It is the policy of LAUSD to prohibit the use of cellular phones by students on campus during school hours or school activities. Students are permitted to possess cell phones on campus provided the device remains "off" and is stored in the student's backpack. Students may use cell phones after school hours only. If a cell phone is observed by staff during school hours, it will be confiscated until redeemed by a parent or guardian. The district is not responsible for students' lost or stolen cell phones.
CLASSROOM ASSIGNMENTS
All classroom assignments are tentative. It is sometimes necessary to equalize the class size which causes room changes during the first weeks of school. If your child is moved to another room, it will be a change of room only and does not affect grade placement. You will be notified of any changes that take place after the first week of school. Classes are based on enrollment. If we have too many enrollments or not enough enrollments by Norm Day, in the month of September, we will have to make class changes. We thank you in advance for your cooperation and understanding in making these transitions smooth for your children and the teachers.
CLASSROOM VISITATIONS
Due to COVID- we presently are not allowing classroom visits for the saftey of all.
You are encouraged to visit your child's classroom and become acquainted with the school program. We ask you to follow these procedures:
1. Come to the office to sign in and obtain a "Visitor's Pass"
2. When you visit the room, take a seat in the back of the room.
3. Do not interrupt the lesson by trying to talk to the teacher.
4. Leave infants and toddlers at home.
5. If you wish to talk to the teacher after dismissal, stop by the office and leave a note for the teacher.
The teacher will contact you later. The teacher will contact you later.
6. Keep your visit to 20 or 30 minutes unless asked to stay longer.
7. Please return to the office to sign out.
CLOSED CAMPUS
Sharp is a closed campus therefore, during the school day, the only entrance to the school is through the office. All visitors, including parents, MUST stop in the office to obtain a visitor's pass before entering the campus.
COFFEE WITH THE PRINCIPAL
Every month the principal will be hosting a coffee with the principal meeting. This is an opportunity for patents and community members to meet with the principal. The principal will conduct parent training and will be sharing information from the district and/or Sharp, as well as, answer questions and address concerns. Please join the principal for a cup of coffee and take advantage of the learning opportunity.
COMMUNICATION
We make every effort to communicate with all stakeholders in a timely manner. Please stay informed about school activities, events, and important information about our school through this website or by reading the flyers, newsletters, and notices sent home. Look for the Blue Communication Folder. We will make every effort to send them home with important notices on Wednesdays.
COUNCILS
We encourage parents to become actively involved in our parent councils. Students believe school is important when it is modeled and reinforced by parents through their interest in school events, and activities. You can participate in the Local School Leadership Council (LSLC), English Learners Advisory Committee (ELAC), and the School Site Council (SSC). These councils meet once a month. Please check the school calendar on the homepage for dates.
The Board of Education requires that for the protection of a student's health and welfare, the parent or legal guardian must keep current emergency information on file at the student's school of attendance, including home address and telephone numbers of two relatives or designated persons who are authorized to care for the student in an emergency situation in case the parent or legal guardian cannot be reached. We need to have a minimum of three different working telephone numbers listed on the emergency card.
It is important that the emergency card is kept up-to-date. The information on this form is meant for our use should your child become ill or injured while at school. When the school is unable to contact anyone listed on the card, we will call emergency assistance. All students are required to have an emergency card signed by their parent(s) or guardian(s).
Once the emergency card has been returned to the school office, the information will be updated in the computer system.
If there are any changes throughout the school year, promptly stop by the office to make the necessary changes to keep your information updated.
Please Note: Any adult picking up a student MUST provide a picture IS in order for the office to release. The office staff will only release the student to an adult. Please do not send minors or individuals not on the emergency card to pick up your student because they will NOT be released. This includes major emergencies such as earthquakes, fires, and lockdowns.
FOOD PROGRAM
We presently are serving a hot lunch for all students daily. We are not serving breakfast in the classroom.
We are sending supper and breakfast for students to eat prior to coming to school.
Students int he afterschool programs will get a hot supper and will only take a breakfast home for the next day.
On Fridays, all students are given food for the complete weekend and Monday's breakfast.
We ask parents and community members to please make sure students do not leave the food bags in front of the school, drop them on the sidewalk or in the tunnel under the 5 freeway.
Please refer to the Parent-Student Handbook for information that summarizes the state laws, policies, and procedures from LAUSD regarding student health.
If your child requires medication during school hours, please be aware that students are not allowed to keep medications in the classroom. All medications, prescribed or over the counter, must be brought to the nurse's office accompanied by a note from the doctor with instructions for administering the medicine to your child. Please request this medical authorization form from our school nurse.
HOMEWORK
Homework is given to all students to reinforce what is being taught in the classroom. Homework will be assigned by each teacher Monday through Friday, and some weekends according to a suggested schedule:
ETK & Kindergarten: 15 - 20 minutes per day
Grades 1-2: 30 - 35 minutes per day
Grade 3: 35 - 45 minutes per day
Grades 4 - 5: 50 - 60 minutes per day
These times do not include daily reading time. Your child must read at home between 30-45 minutes depending on the grade level.
Please help your child develop a sense of responsibility for his/her homework by providing a quiet place to work. Check their work for neatness and effort and see that it is returned daily or as instructed by the classroom teacher.
INSTRUCTIONAL TIME
Instruction schedules are as follows:
ETK / PCC Classes: 7:45 a.m. - 2:05 p.m.
Grades TK - 5: 7:45 a.m. - 2:05 p.m.
PALS PK Classes: 8:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
LIBRARY BOOKS
Only students with a parent permission letter on file may check out books from the school library. Your child's teacher will send hoe this permission slip. Parents will be sent a reminder letter including the replacement cost for books when books have been missing .for more than a month
Lost and unclaimed clothing will be placed in the lost and found container located in Room 1. Students and their parents are encouraged to check the container daily. Small items found will be kept in the office. Please label your child's sweaters and jackets with their first and last name for easy identification.
We will do our best to get the items returned to your child. Several times every year, we donate literally hundreds of lost coats, sweaters, shirts, sweatshirts, lunch boxes, etc. to a local charity of items that are unclaimed. Please make sure you check the lost and found for misplaced items.
PARENT CENTER
We have a beautiful Parent Center located in Room 1. This center is set up to serve as a resource for parents who may need information on health care, counseling, parenting, etc. Our Parent Center Director, Maggie Lopez, coordinates parent volunteers who work to support our instructional program, either in the classroom or in the parent center.
Report cards will be issued three times a year. They go out in late fall, early spring, and at the end of the school year. Parent conferences are scheduled twice a year. Unsatisfactory Notices will be sent home six weeks before the end of each grading period for students who are making less than satisfactory progress. If at any time you would like yo meet with your child's teacher, please make an appointment directly with the teacher. You may leave a message in the main office and the teacher will contact you to schedule the appointment. Please keep in mind that school personnel is granted a window of 24-hours to reply yo messages and phone calls.
PERSONAL PROPERTY
LAUSD does not provide insurance coverage for loss of or damage to personal property of students. The school cannot assume responsibility for lost personal property. Students are not allowed to bring toys, excessive money, jewelry, games, weapons, candy, gum, or expensive personal property to the school. If students bring cell phones to school, it is at their own risk. All cell phones must remain in silent mode during instructional time and can only be used after school.
PETS
For the safety of the students and community, pets are NOT allowed on campus. Please do not bring dogs or any other animals on campus during school-wide events or at dismissal.
All students will be dismissed the same as on regular days.
SAFETY
The safety of all of our students is very important. Please help us to keep our students safe by reminding your child to stay on campus until you or your designated person has picked them up. Please do not let your children leave campus to buy food from the vendors, go to the home of a friend without your knowledge, or even walk home alone unless you have given them permission to do so, and have notified the school of such.
We have a closed campus which means that we will be locking all the school gates 20 minutes after dismissal every day. The parking lots are not open to the public and children are not allowed to walk through them. There is no access through the parking lots onto the campus.
Please remind your children to not talk to strangers or leave with anyone except you or your designated person. A good idea is to give your child a secret password so that if you send a new person to pick them up, they will know it is okay to leave with the caretakers.
SCHEDULES
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PALS
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8:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. (M-F)
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PSC & PCC
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7:45 a.m. - 12:05 p.m. (M-Th) 7:45 a.m. - 11:05 p.m. (F) |
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Grades ETK - Gr. 5
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7:45 a.m. - 2:05 p.m. (M, W, Th, & F)
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Early Dismissal Tuesday
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7:45 a.m. - 1:05 p.m.
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SCHOOL SECURITY
In an effort to maximize school security, we are asking all adults, including parents, to enter through the main office during school hours and to check in with the office staff. It is very important that we know who is on campus at all times.
Sharp Elementary is a smoke-free school. We appreciate your cooperation in not smoking (this includes e-cigarettes) while on school grounds.
TRAFFIC SAFETY
In order to keep traffic flowing, please observe traffic rules and norms for a school area.
Traffic Safety at School:
- Please drop off and pick up students in a prearranged area away from the driveways, gates, and congestion.
- Drop off and pick up children on the school side of the street only.
- Please do not ask your child to cross the street in the middle of the block to meet you.
- Avoid double parking and "U" turns adjunct to the school. It increases congestion, creates hazards, and it is illegal.
- Follow the direction of adults who are helping to make drop off and pick off areas safer for all children.
- We provide the valet program which allows you to drop off your child in a safe area, which is sectioned off by cones. in order to participate in this system, parents must drive through the coned off single lane are to drop off students. This program is available on Pierce Street from 7:15 a.m. to 7:45 a.m.
Staff Parking Lots:
Vehicle Code 2113 prohibits the use of the staff parking lot for loading and unloading students! Parents are not to use the parking lot to pick up or drop off students ANY time. Students are prohibited from using staff parking lots as an entrance or exit for safety reasons.
DRESS CODE
We believe that coming to school properly groomed helps students stay focus on their learning, build school pride, and create a sense of community and belonging. The school has adopted a uniform policy and ask that all students come to school in uniforms or wearing the school colors blue and white. School uniforms are white blouses or shirts with collars, navy blue jumpers, pants, shorts, or skirts. Uniforms are not mandatory but are strongly encouraged. Students are required to have personal cleanliness, neatness, and comfortable clothing.
The following items of clothing create a danger to student safety or a distraction to the instructional program so they ARE NOT ALLOWED:
- Shirts with inappropriate words, language, and/or images.
- Strapless shirts, mid-drift, spaghetti straps are not allowed.
- Open-toe shoes such as sandals, heels, and shoes with wheels.
- Acrylic nails or make-up.
Students are expected to participate daily in all classes including Physical Education. If students are not dressed appropriately for school, you will receive a phone call from the office and request replacement clothing and/or shoes.
General Information
