Cherry Valley Elementary Handbook
Home of the Cheetahs!!
COMMUNITY HANDBOOK
26701 NE Cherry Valley Road
Duvall, WA
425-844-4750
MISSION STATEMENT
Learning Today, Leading Tomorrow
Vision: Students at Cherry Valley Elementary will learn and grow to their highest potential in a safe, cooperative and productive learning environment.
Click here for the PDF version
Welcome to Cherry Valley Elementary School!
Cherry Valley Elementary School extends a sincere welcome to all families. You and the entire Cherry Valley Staff share a mutual interest in your child’s educational experience. You are encouraged to share in this very special partnership by volunteering in the school, getting to know your child’s teacher, joining the Cherry Valley PTA, and becoming familiar with the school’s staff and programs.
Cherry Valley Elementary is a school that works to create a positive and challenging academic experience for your child. The mission of The Riverview School District to provide all students with an exemplary education. This year, Cherry Valley staff will continue to work toward our school goals.
Goal One
100% of students will make at least one year of growth in reading measured by the SBAC (annually) and MAP (each trimester). Students needing strategic and intensive support will have individual accelerated growth goals to reach grade-level common core standards by year-end. Advanced students will be provided differentiated and rigorous learning opportunities to ensure continued academic growth.
Goal Two
100% of students will make at least one year of growth in math measured by the SBAC (annually) and MAP (each trimester). Students needing strategic and intensive support will have individual accelerated growth goals to reach grade-level common core standards by year-end. Advanced students will be provided differentiated and rigorous learning opportunities to ensure continued academic growth.
One of the best ways to get to know what’s happening at Cherry Valley Elementary is to get involved: volunteer at the school, join the PTA and volunteer for important committee work. Become a partner at home by checking homework and reading daily with your child. We know that when families and school work hand-in-hand in the lives of our children, their opportunities and potential for success soars!
Taking a few minutes to read through this handbook will provide you important information to assist in ensuring a positive year for you and your child at Cherry Valley Elementary. This handbook contains information that pertains to the safety of all of our children and policies that help Cherry Valley run smoothly. If you have any questions about any information you find here, I encourage you to talk with your child’s teacher or call the Office and talk directly with me. Please call us: (425) 844-4750.
Please join us to make this school year positive and productive for all of our students in every classroom! You are a critical piece of our school community!
Looking forward to a FANTASTIC year!
Mary Morman
Principal
Cherry Valley Elementary
Daily Schedule
2023-2024
Student Arrival: 9:15-9:25 (K-5th to classrooms)
School Day Begins: 9:25 (K-5th)
Students tardy: 9:25 (parents must sign students in at the office)
Morning Recess:
10:25-10:40 K/1
10:40-11:00 4th/5th
Lunch & Recess:
Grade Recess Lunch
K/1 11:25-11:45 11:45-12:05
2nd/3rd 11:55-12:15 12:15-12:35
4th/5th 12:25-12:45 12:45-1:05
Afternoon Recess:
2:05-2:25 2nd/3rd
2:25-2:40 K/1st
Dismissal:
Regular school day 3:45
Early release Fridays 2:15
Half days 12:45
Address or Information Change
It is the Parent/Guardian’s responsibility to notify the front office at 425-844-4750 or via e-mail huntk@rsd407.org of any changes of address, work or home phone number or emergency contacts so they may be changed on school records. Any changes need to be noted immediately for safety reasons.
After School Plans/Messages to Students
Should your child wish to go home with a friend or anywhere else other than the normal after-school destination, written permission from a parent or guardian must be communicated to the school (teacher AND office) in the morning. The office staff will write Bus passes, Parent Pick-Up passes and Walking or School Activity passes for students when notified by the parent. School phones are not always available to make last minute play plans. If plans should change during the school day, please notify the main office before 2:00 pm. By either phone call or email to huntk@rsd407.org . Change of dismissals plans called in after 3:00 pm are not guaranteed to be delivered to the student unless it is an emergency.
Arrival/Dismissal
School begins at 9:25 a.m. Students may not enter the building before 9:15 a.m. unless they are involved in a before school program or are eating breakfast. Students eating breakfast may enter the cafeteria at 9:00 a.m. Prompt arrival at school is expected of all students. Students who arrive after 9:25 a.m. are considered tardy and must report to the Office with an accompanying guardian to sign them in at the office.
Unless students are involved in a supervised after-school activity, students must leave campus at the end of the school day (3:45 pm or 2:15 pm on Fridays.) In order to not interrupt instruction at the end of the day, parents are asked to wait outside the building up on the field at the gym end. to meet their children at dismissal. If you are using the designated pick up area, please remain in your car at all times, pull forward in order to keep the traffic flow moving, and following instructions of staff members. In order to help ease student pick up congestion, you may consider either arriving to school five minutes after dismissal when the parking lot is typically cleared out or parking your car on a side street and meeting your child by foot. Staff will remain outside with students for 10 minutes. In order to ensure student safety, any student picked up after 3:55 p.m. will need to be picked up in the main office and signed out by a parent /guardian. Frequent late pick ups may result in the need for a plan to be made between the principal and family in order to rectify the situation.
Students will be walked in grade level groups to the appropriate dismissal area after school. The bus loading area is located in front of the building, the car drop off/pick up is located on the east side of the building, and parents who are picking up children by foot can meet them in the front of the building.
Attendance
Attendance Line (425)844-4750. Call by the start of school to notify the Office of your child’s absence. You must also send an e-mail message to huntk@rsd407.org
Regular attendance is important to a student’s success in school, and students are expected to be in school unless excused. An absence from school will be excused for the following reasons:
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Illness or medical injury
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Family emergencies
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Observations of established religious holidays
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Pre-arranged medical and dental appointments
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Absences which are considered appropriate at the discretion of the Principal.
If your student is out sick/ill, thank you for keeping your student home. The office needs specific reasons for state accountability auditing and for your students' absence to be excused. Please use the following template when emailing huntk@rsd407.org as well as your students' teacher:
Student full name:
Parent full name:
Parent contact phone number:
Teacher name:
Grade:
Reason student is absent:
**Sick is not a "reason" the state will take into accountability. Please provide the symptom(s). Examples of symptoms are: cough, fever, runny nose, headache, sore throat, body aches, diarrhea, vomiting, constipation, positive COVID, etc.
Please feel to copy and paste this template into the body of your email when emailing huntk@rsd407.org and your students' teacher.
Pre-arranged absences: If your child is going to be absent due to family plans, please obtain a “Planned Absence Form” from the Office or Cherry Valley website under the Parent tab/forms. It must be approved by the principal at least 2 weeks prior to the absence. Per Riverview School District Attendance Procedures, A total of eight (8) school days may be approved by the principal per school year for family planned purposes.
Early Pick-up from School for appts: To ensure that a child is taken from school only by an authorized person, a note from home must be presented to his/her teacher, email or a phone call made to the office before the child is released. All notes then go to the office. When the parent/guardian arrives to pick up their child they will sign them out in the office and the office staff will call them down to the office. No one is to leave the school grounds without permission. Students are not allowed to leave the school grounds while waiting for their bus if it is late.
Bicycles & Scooters
Fourth and Fifth grade students may ride their bicycles and scooters to school. A bicycle helmet is required. Bicycles and scooters must be walked on and off the school grounds and riders must obey the school crossing guards at all times.
Buses
Bus service is provided for any student living within the school attendance area that is not within walking distance. If you have a question about a bus stop, please contact District Transportation at (425) 844-4540 or check out the Riverview School District website. Routes are linked there every August for the next year.
Calendar
Please refer to the district website calendar for the most up-to-date district information (www.rsd407.org). Additional information pertinent to Cherry Valley families can be found on the CV website calendar and will be sent or emailed home via Constant Contact, advertised in PTA and classroom newsletters, and displayed on the Cherry Valley message board. You can subscribe to Cherry Valley Constant Contact on the school web page. Additionally, you can find out about Cherry Valley events on the PTA Website at http://cve.my-pta.org/
Conferences
Parent-Teacher Conferences provide the opportunity to share valuable information about student progress in school. Parents may request a conference with the child’s teacher or the principal at any time during the school year. Formal conferences are held in the fall for all students. Spring conferences are held at teacher/parent discretion.
Curriculum Night
Cherry Valley Curriculum Night will take place in September. Curriculum Night is an opportunity for you to hear from your child’s teacher about classroom expectations, academic focus, and curriculum content for the course of the year. The time will also provide an opportunity for you learn about volunteer opportunities in your child’s classroom, as well as meet the principal. It is an informational night for parents. Translation will be provided. Curriculum Night is scheduled as follows:
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More information will follow from your child’s classroom teacher.
Discipline
Our school wide norms, “CV 3” for Success at School include:
1. Make Good Choices 2. Show Respect 3. Solve Problems
If a student is not able to meet the guidelines for success, we have a progressive system that involves communication to the family of student(s) involved and varying levels of consequences at school. The consequences rendered will be based on several factors including, but not limited to the severity of behavior, a particular student’s behavior record, and the age of the student(s) involved.
Dress Code
Please be thoughtful in helping your child select appropriate clothes and shoes to wear to school each day. Clothes selected to wear to school should be appropriate for the learning environment and weather forecast. While short shorts, short skirts and spaghetti strap tops may be appropriate for summer days, they are not appropriate for the school day. As a good measurement tool, dresses, skirts, and shorts should be as long as where a child’s fingers reach when arms are held to the side. “Tank tops” or sleeveless tops should be at least three fingers width wide.
Footwear should be chosen with safety in mind, considering that most students are running around outdoors during recess, climbing on playground equipment, and playing games. While “flip flops” and sandals are allowed, please be advised that as a safety precaution students may be told they may not participate in any type of running or movement oriented games with open toed shoes, sandals or “flip flops” (tether ball, soccer, kickball, 4-square, basketball). If your child really wants to wear flip flops or sandals to school and participate at recess, I suggest packing a pair of tennis shoes into the backpack to wear at recess - for safety’s sake!
Tennis shoes are required for every PE session. Every student will attend PE at least once a week.
Hats may be worn at recess and to and from school but may not be worn in the school building.
If a child is deemed to be dressed inappropriately, parents will be contacted and asked to bring more appropriate clothing to school for your child. Whenever possible, alternative clothing will be provided to the child (sweat shirt, pants, etc.) to wear for the duration of the day.
Emergency Information
It is EXTREMELY important that each child has an Emergency Information Form on file in the office. Forms are distributed the first week of school and due back in the office right away. These forms provide names and phone numbers of emergency contacts. If your child is sick or injured, or if there is an emergency at the school, the office first calls the parents/guardians listed at their home, work, cell and pager numbers. If we are unable to reach them, we leave messages whenever possible and proceed down the emergency contact list in the order given. We sometimes face the dilemma of not being able to contact anyone because phone numbers have changed or are no longer in use, or we simply don’t have other names to call. We would appreciate you listing several contacts (but only 3 print out on the Student Update form) and advising us when changes occur.
Emergency Preparedness
An extensive emergency plan has been prepared for our school. Students are instructed on emergency procedures and participate in monthly drills. In the event of an emergency, power may be lost and we may be unable to contact you. For that reason we ask you to provide us with instructions and permission regarding your child’s dismissal.
Exceptional Misconduct
Certain behaviors that are so serious in nature in terms of the disruptive effect upon the operation of the school may be deemed Exceptional Misconduct. Exceptional Misconduct may warrant immediate short-term suspension or expulsion. Exceptional Misconduct includes, but is not limited to:
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possession or sale of a controlled substance
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profane or vulgar language directed to and in the presence of a staff member
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arson
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all fighting and/or assault and battery
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harassment
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defacing, misuse or destruction of property
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defiance of school authority
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possession of dangerous weapons
Gender-Inclusive Schools
[Our school] believes in fostering an educational environment that is safe and free of discrimination for all students, regardless of gender expression, gender identity, or sex. We recognize the importance of an inclusive approach with regard to communication and the use of names and pronouns, confidential health and education information, restroom and locker room accessibility, sports and physical education, and school activities, in order to provide all students with an equal opportunity for learning and achievement. For more information, consult RSD Policy #3115.
Harassment, Intimidation, and Bullying
(Reference RSD Policy 6580 & P6580-1)
The Riverview School district is committed to a safe and civil educational environment for all students, employees, parents/legal guardians, volunteers and patrons that is free from harassment, intimidation, and bullying. In order to ensure respect and prevent hard, it is a violation of District Policy 6580 for a student to be harassed, intimidated, or bullied by others in the school community, at school sponsored events, or when such actions create a substantial disruption to the educational process.
If your child feels he/she has been harassed or bullied, the incident(s) should be reported immediately to a teacher, counselor, or principal. Children bullied on the bus may report information to the bus driver or transportation supervisor.
The complete text of District Policy 6580: Prohibition of Harassment, Intimidation and Bullying and District Policy 6590: Sexual Harassment can be obtained on the RSD website.
Health
Please keep your student home from school when they are sick.
In addition to cold and flu season, we also remain in the COVID-19 pandemic. Symptoms of all of these can look the same. Children especially can present with very mild COVID-19 symptoms. We cannot assume that cold symptoms are “just a cold.”
If your child experiences any of the following symptoms, please keep them home from school and reach out to your nurse for further guidance about their return to school. We will also reach out if your child has any of these symptoms while at school.
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Congestion or runny nose
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Vomiting or diarrhea, until symptom free for 24 hours
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Headache
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Fatigue
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Sore throat
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Students with a cough or sore throat, especially with a fever, should stay home from school until at least 24 hours after flu-like symptoms have resolved.
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Fever or chills. Fevers over 100.0 need to stay home for 24 hours. May return after normal temperature is maintained without fever reducing medication.
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Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
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Muscle or body aches
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New loss of taste or smell
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Pink eye, with or without drainage, until treated
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Body rash
The guidance we are required to follow comes from Washington State Department of Health. If suggested, we recommend getting your symptomatic child tested for COVID-19 as soon as possible. This may help your child get back to school sooner and it also helps us respond quickly if they DO test positive.
Please be sure to notify the office if your child will be absent. For additional health information, you may contact our District Nurse at 425-844-4794.
Lost and Found
Lost and Found is located in boxes in the hallway outside the gymnasium. Unclaimed items from the Lost and Found are donated to charity at the end of each semester.
Meals: Breakfast and Lunch
Nutritious hot lunches and breakfasts will be available for purchase every day for all students, or students may bring a lunch from home. Our computerized lunch accounting system enables students to pay in advance.
Breakfast/Lunch Money Deposits: Money can be added through e-Funds For Schools. Access for this is found on the Cherry Valley website in the bottom right side of the home page. Contact the CV office for your student or family ID #. Lunch money is also accepted in the Office. Please send in an envelope and label them with Student’s name, teacher, student ID #, and amount to be deposited. Please do not bring money through the lunch line.
You will be notified when your child’s lunch balance drops below the price of a school lunch. Please be sure to send money immediately as we are unable to extend credit. No Child will go hungry at school. Free/reduced Lunch Forms are available in the Office for those qualifying for financial assistance. Food Services 425-844-4560
Meal Prices
Type of Meal
Elementary lunch $3.25
Elementary breakfast $1.75
Adult lunch $4.84
Adult breakfast $3.28
Medications/Appointments
Whenever possible, parents and physicians are urged to design a schedule for administering medication before or after school hours. If this is not possible, parents must come to the Office to complete an Authorization to Administer Medication Form. This authorization is good for the current school year only. Unused medication must be collected from the school at the end of the prescribed period or end of the school year, whichever is sooner. Riverview School District policy states that all medications must come to the Office, not in the classroom or student’s backpack, in the original container labeled by the pharmacy or physician with the medication name, the dosage to be taken, frequency of administration, and name of physician.
All medications, prescriptions and over the counter (including topical creams, cough drops, Tylenol and other various over the counter drugs) must be authorized by a physician using the official district “Medication Authorization” form available in the office or on the Cherry Valley web site listed under Parents / Forms. Students are only authorized to apply topical creams when a doctor’s authorization is on file in our office. They must come to the office to do this.
Non Discrimination Statement
The Riverview School District does not discriminate in any programs or activities on the basis of sex, race, creed, religion, color, national origin, age, veteran or military status, sexual orientation, gender expression or identity, disability, or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal and provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups. The following employees are designated to handle inquiries regarding compliance and/or grievance procedures:
Civil Rights and Title IX/RCW 28A.640 Officer, Missy Harvold (425.844.4500 or harvoldm@rsd407.org) and Section 504/ADA Coordinator, Molly Lutz (425.844.4515 or lutzm@rsd407.org), located at 15510 – 1st Ave. NE, P.O. Box 519, Duvall, WA 98019.
Complaint Procedures (3110-1) See the full text, steps, and description at the district website: http://www.rsd407.org/schoolboard/policies/policies/3000/P3110-1.pdf
Anyone may file a complaint against the district alleging that the district has violated anti-discrimination laws. The primary purpose of a complaint procedure is to secure an equitable solution to a justifiable complaint.
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Informal Process for Resolution: Anyone with an allegation of discrimination may request an informal meeting with the compliance officer or designated employee to resolve their concerns.
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Formal Process for Resolution: There are specific steps for a formal complaint, time lines, written responses, and steps if there is disagreement with decisions call appeals.
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Level One: Complaint to District
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Level Two: Appeal to the Board of Directors
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Level Three: Complain to the Superintendent of Public Instruction
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Level Four: Administrative Hearing
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Mediation
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Preservation of Records
Outdoor Education
5th grade students at Cherry Valley will attend Outdoor Education (camp). Teachers and camp counselors escort students through this exciting and fun experience.
Parent Volunteers in the Classroom
We welcome parent volunteers at Cherry Valley and are fortunate to have many dedicated parents who support our school! Parent volunteers will be asked to support the areas of greatest need at our school. This may mean volunteering outside of your child’s classroom. During the first two weeks of the school year many teachers will not seek parent volunteers as they establish norms and build community with their new class for the year. All volunteers must complete and submit a volunteer application. Applications are found on the CV or District websites under the Parent tab. Completed forms can be returned to your child's school or taken directly to the District Office for processing. All applicants must provide a copy of valid photo identification when returning the application. All volunteers must pass the screening process and receive an approval email from the district BEFORE volunteering in our school.
Parking Lot - Where to park
Please park in the visitor parking lot located in the upper parking lot near the covered area or along the side street. If you need to park on a side street, please use the designated crosswalks and adhere to all safety rules.
Personal Electronic Devices
Many students today have cell phones. Student use of cellular phones is not allowed at Cherry Valley during the instructional day. If student carry a cell phone for safety purposes before or after school, the phone must be turned off and left in the student backpack at all times throughout the school day. If a student is found using a cell phone during the instructional day, a verbal warning will be given. On the second infraction the phone will be placed in the office for parent pick up. This policy also includes but is limited to watch phones, tablets, and/or iPods.
Pets
Students should not bring pets to school. This includes all classrooms activities. If a pet does follow a student to school, every effort will be made to contact the owner, if known.
Playground Supervision
School staff supervises the play areas during all recesses. These areas are NOT supervised before or after school and students are not to play while unsupervised. Students are to sit down in a line inside the hallways next to their classroom door before the morning bell rings.
Recess
At the beginning of the year, each student is taught the Cherry Valley recess expectations. Each student is responsible for safe and fair play while at recess, as well as expected to stay within the playground boundaries. Please help your child to dress appropriately for Washington recess weather….rain! Warm rain jackets and weather-sturdy shoes are recommended. Rainy day recess will only occur during the harshest of weather conditions. When rainy day recess does take place, students will be offered indoor and/or covered area alternatives to play in with adult supervision. All students are expected to go out to recess each day unless there is a doctor documented medical condition limiting activity or they are temporary inside working with a teacher or staff member.
Sexual Harassment
It is the policy of the Riverview School District that there be no discrimination against any student or staff on the basis of sex. The district is committed to a positive and productive education and working environment free from discrimination. Sexual harassment is a violation of the district’s rules of conduct.
The complete text of District Policy P-3125 and the process to follow for reporting a complaint, can be found in district buildings, handbooks, and on the district website.
Informal Complaint Process: Anyone may use informal procedure to report and resolve complaints of sexual harassment. Such informal reports may be made to any staff member and will direct the potential complainants to the appropriate staff member who can explain the informal and formal process.
Formal Complaint Process: Anyone may initiate a formal complaint of sexual harassment. The process includes protecting complainants and witnesses by implementing anti-retaliation provisions. Part of a formal investigation includes a complaint made in writing with specifics outlined and a resulting written response. Corrective measures may result.
If a complainant remains aggrieved, there is an appeal process. This process includes appealing to the school board and then, if still, aggrieved an appeal may be made to the Superintendent of Public Instruction. There are strict dates and deadlines associated with each step of the process; therefore, it is imperative to view the entire process in board policy and/or call the compliance officer.
Snacks at School
Students may bring healthy snacks to eat at a designated class snack time. Your child’s classroom teacher can give you more information about snack time, community snack donations, etc. as each classroom handles snack a little differently.
Student Placement
One of the important responsibilities of the staff each year is to assign students to classes for the next school year. The goal of student placement is that each student be placed in a positive learning environment. Many factors are considered when placing students. Academic strengths and needs, social and emotional characteristics, as well as parental input are thoughtfully considered. The Cherry Valley staff works as a team with the Principal to create student centered, well-balanced classes. As a result, class changes are extraordinarily rare and must be the result of an emergency situation. Should a parent feel that there is an extreme situation related to class placement, a request in writing should be made to the Principal and given to Colleen Mastro in the main office. Unless considered a safety concern, no change of placement requests are considered until the third week of the school year as beginning of the year enrollment shifts stabilize.
Student Progress Reports
The chief purpose of reporting student progress to parents it to provide the information necessary for a solid working relationship between school and the home in guidance of the student. Parents will be kept informed about the growth and progress of their children in all aspects of school curriculum, including observed student behaviors in the intellectual, emotional, physical and social development areas. Written progress reports will be sent during three reporting periods: November, March, and June.
Telephones/Messages
Cherry Valley is dedicated to ensuring that families are aware of what is happening at school. In the event of injury or other issue at school parents will be notified in a timely fashion by Cherry Valley Staff. If parents need to get a critical message to a student, this message may be given to the main office and it will be delivered in writing to the student. Classroom and Office phones are not available for regular student use.
Messages to students need to be telephoned to the office by 2:00 pm to allow adequate time for delivery. Please limit these, as every call to a classroom interrupts valuable teaching time.
Toys
All toys should be left at home unless it has been approved by the teacher for classroom purposes. This includes fidget spinners or other fidgets unless pre-approved by the classroom teacher.
Visitation at School
Parents are welcome to visit their child’s classroom. If you would like to visit or observe your child’s class, please contact the teacher and principal in advance to arrange a time. Volunteers need to complete the RSD Volunteer application and be approved before volunteering at the school. On-going observations of a classroom can cause disruption to the regular school day, therefore the principal reserves the right to limit the number of observations requested by a parent, as necessary.
We have many exciting school wide and classroom events and assemblies that we encourage families to attend! As a safety measure, ALL visitors on campus must sign in and out for each visit in the Cherry Valley Office. Visitors and Volunteers are provided with name tags in the office. This tells our staff that you have signed in.
If you are bringing an item to school for your child, please leave it in the Office and your child will be called to the Office to pick it up. If you are a PTA member who volunteers on a regular basis, you will be given a permanent badge to wear while on campus, but will still always need to sign in/out at the main office.
Weapons
State law (RCW 28A.600.420) and School District Policy 3200 prohibit the possession of firearms and weapons at school. The full text of the law and definitions of dangerous weapons, as provided in RCW 9.41.250 and RCW 9.41.280, is on file in the school office. Possession of firearms on school property will result in a one-year mandatory expulsion, subject to appeal, with notification to parents and law enforcement.