STUDENT SAFETY

Drop-Off /Pick-Up Procedures

•  Students may be dropped off as early as 8:00 am, not earlier as we do not have supervision prior to 8:00 
• Students that are being dropped-off at school need to be dropped off in the parking horseshoe.  Drop-off in other areas such as Robinson creates a safety issue for our students.  In addition, Tustin Police will issue tickets for stopping to drop-off on Robinson or Keller.
•  All cars using the drop off lane need to pull all the way forward before allowing their children to exit the car.  Also, to keep traffic flowing, backpacks need to be with the children in the passenger areas and not in the trunk of the vehicle.
•  Students need to be picked-up within 15 minutes of the end of the school day. 
• Cars may not be left vacant in the fire lane in front of the office during the instructional day for any length of time.  Please exercise extreme caution when driving on Robinson and Keller near the school and near the crosswalks. 
• Only 4th and 5th graders are permitted to ride bicycles to school and bike helmets must be worn at all times. Bicycles are to be locked in the bike racks and must be walked on school grounds. 
• Scooters, skates, and skateboards are not permitted to be ridden on school grounds.
   

 If a student needs to leave school early for any reason, a parent/guardian, with a photo ID, must come to the office and sign the student out.  The office will call the room to notify the teacher.  Do not go to your child’s classroom to get them. 

Early Student Release: Please try not to schedule doctor and dentist appointments during school hours. We realize that this is not always possible. If you must pick up your child during school hours, please do so during these times:

8:45-11:50 AM

1:15 - 2:15 PM

Students will not be released during their lunch.

Please plan ahead and if you must leave early do it before or after lunch.

1st-3rd lunch: 11:55-12:40

4th-5th lunch:12:25-1:10

CELL PHONES/SMART DEVICES: To ensure student safety and exposure to unmonitored internet contact directly, or through friends, cell/smartphone use is not allowed on school campus by students (including field trips).  Cell phones and smartphones that must be stored in the owner’s backpack and powered “off” during the entire school day. Students are not permitted to keep their cell/smartphone in their pockets or desks, or otherwise “on their person” while at school. Smart devices such as watches are not to be used during school in any capacity that mimics a cell or smartphone.

Use of a watch or activity tracker is permissible. If students violate the cell phone policy or are found to have a smart device in their possession that is not stored and in the ’off’ position, it will be confiscated and held until a parent or guardian can pick it up.

Tustin Ranch is not responsible for items that have gone missing during school. While we are sympathetic to items that are missing please remember that it is our endeavor to focus as much time possible on refining our programs and instruction to maximize student achievement, and time taken to look for these items hinders these efforts.  A licensed physician and surgeon may direct a student to use an electronic signaling device if carrying such a device is essential for the health of the student. Use of the device by the student is limited specifically to the health of that student.

If a student needs to call their parents they may call from the school office or classroom. 

If a parent needs to give their child a message they may call the front office at (714)730-7580. We will be sure the student receives the message. 

If it becomes necessary for a student to take any form of medication at school, a signed form from a doctor must be brought to the office (this includes over the counter medication).  The school office has the form that must be completed by the doctor.  Medicine must be in the original container labeled with the name of the child, name of the medicine, dosage requirements and the doctor’s name. Students cannot bring aspirin, ibuprofen or any other medication to school on their own.  All medication, no matter how harmless it may appear to be, must be kept in the office during school hours. 

• Thank you in advance for helping us maintain a safe and orderly environment at Tustin Ranch.  This year, we will continue to implement the following office/school procedures: 
• The office is open from 7:30 – 4:30 daily.
• All volunteers need to check in at the office and wear a volunteer badge.
• Parents will not be allowed to deliver forgotten items to the classroom as it disrupts instructional time.  Lunches may be placed in the school office. It is the student’s responsibility to check the lunch cart for lunches and snacks. School materials that are dropped in the front office will be placed in the teacher’s mailbox and picked up at the teacher’s discretion.  Under no circumstances will forgotten iPads be accepted by the front office staff. 
• To keep a quiet and orderly atmosphere, cell phone conversations are not permitted within the school building.  If you’d like to speak on a cell phone, we ask that you step outside. 
• Students may use the school telephone only for emergencies and extraordinary circumstances.

ITEMS FROM HOME : Teachers occasionally ask students to bring items from home to share with their classmates during their special week or sharing time during kindergarten.  Please do not bring pets or animals to school at any time.  Dangerous items such as weapons or other sharp objects are prohibited.  Toys, cameras, electronic games, collectible cards  may not be brought from home to school. 

VISITING SCHOOL: Parents are welcome to visit the school and individual classrooms.  All visitors must sign in and out through the school office and receive a Visitor’s Pass.  For classroom visits, you must call your child’s teacher 72 hours in advance to be sure that it is a good time for your visit.

VOLUNTEERS Tustin Ranch Elementary School welcomes parent volunteers.  There are many ways to become an active member of the Tustin Ranch Elementary community.  Parents are encouraged to join and participate in the Parent Teacher Association (PTA), the School Site Council (SSC) and the English Learners Advisory Committee (ELAC).  Please work with your child’s teacher to learn of ways you can volunteer in the classroom.  Also, please listen to your Sunday night phone message and visit our website for information regarding our community events

 Attendance Procedures

Please click here for the District Attendance policies.

REPORTING AN ABSENCE

There are several acceptable ways for you to notify the front office of the reason of your child’s absence. These ways include:

1. Email tustinranchattendance@tustin.k12.ca.us 
2. Call the school at (714) 730-7580, press Option 1 for the attendance line.
3. Send a note. It is preferred that you send your absence verification to the front office.
4. Absences can also be reported on the website, under the Report and Absence form in Parents and Community tab.

The teachers are very busy starting the school day, and they may forget to forward your note. In the event your child is absent and we don’t receive a reason for your child’s absence, an automated phone message will be sent home reminding you to verify your child’s absence.

TARDINESS:  TK-3rd grade starts school at 8:10 AM. That means students are at their classroom at 8:10 AM. If you are having a hard time getting into the parking lot by 8:00 AM please try leaving your home a few minutes earlier.  4th and 5th grade students start their school day at 8:20 AM. This means students are at their classrooms at 8:20 AM ready to learn.

HOMEWORK : Homework is an important part of the educational process for two reasons:  1) children need to practice the skills they learn at school often and continuously; and 2) children need to learn the discipline of accomplishing assigned work and be responsible for its completion.  The amount of homework assigned each night varies between the grade levels.  Parents are encouraged to support their children in the daily completion of their homework. 

REPORT CARDS : Report cards are issued three times a year; December, March and June.  Parent teacher conferences are held in October and in March. A parent-teacher conference may be scheduled at any time during the school year.  Please contact your child’s teacher to schedule an appointment. 

SCHOOL DISCIPLINE POLICY: It is important that students and staff maintain a safe and healthy school environment and classroom climate that promotes learning.  This discipline plan outlines school policies and rules regulating student behavior, and it promotes the importance of student rights and responsibilities.  Our major goal is to help students become accountable and to teach them to conduct themselves in such a way so as to show at all times that they understand and accept school policies and rules regulating student behavior. Although each teacher sets up his or her own class rules, the entire staff is committed to providing an education, which is free of disruptive behaviors.  The students at Tustin Ranch are required to make good choices and be responsible individuals.  If a child makes a poor choice the consequence will depend on his or her actions.  It is important that all children follow the school and classroom rules and be respectful of all staff members on site.

Student Rights:

1. To learn in a positive safe environment. 
2. To be recognized as a unique individual. 
3. To be respected and treated equally. 
4. To be heard and trusted.

Student Responsibilities: 

1. Show respect for yourself and others.
2. Show respect for public and private property. 
3. Come to school on time with the needed materials.
4.  Take pride in and complete all school work.
5. Come to school daily, unless you are sick.
6. Obey the rules of safety and courtesy:
7. Follow teacher/adult supervisors’ directions at all times. 
8. Keep hands and feet to yourself. 
9. Gum, skateboards, electronic devices, balls and toys are not permitted.
10. Walk bikes on campus. 
11. Walk in the hallways and on the blacktop. 
12. Observe the standards of behavior during lunch and on the playground.
13. Remain in designated areas of school grounds; leaving the campus without parent or school permission is not permitted.

Unacceptable Behavior:

1.  Fighting
2. Threats and/or bullying behavior 
3. Inappropriate language or gestures
4. Stealing or gambling
5. Property damage
6. Possessing, selling or otherwise furnishing any firearm, knife, explosive or other dangerous object.
7. Violating the dress code. 
8. Cheating 
9. No littering.
10. Making bomb threats/false fire alarms.
11. Use/possession of drugs, alcohol or tobacco.

Suspension: The education code states:  “Continual, willful disobedience, open and persistent defiance of the authority of the teacher, habitual profanity or vulgarity, habitual truancy, smoking of cigarettes on school premises, possession or sale of controlled substances or forgery constitutes good cause for suspension or expulsion from school.

Tustin Ranch Dress Code