BOLINAS

The Bolinas and Stinson Beach School Community believes that each child is a unique individual with an enormous capacity to learn. The Community shall work together to help each child to:

Build self-esteem, independence, responsible behavior, and respect for others

Develop a concern for the environment and an awareness of the global community, and

We welcome you to the 2006-07 school year. Our handbook is intended to provide you with important information regarding the operation of our school district. In addition to the “how to” portions, we have included some important district policies adopted by the Board of Trustees that address the needs of our students in some very specific areas. We also encourage you to review the handout “Annual Notice to Parents” regarding parents rights, school responsibility and expectations of students.

This year we will continue to work on improving our instructional programs and have chosen to focus on mathematics and continue working on language arts. Our teaching staff will continue training in the use of curriculum mapping and differentiated instruction to improve student achievement. We are also continuing to explore our use of technology to improve student learning and better manage the business of the district.

We are excited about the launch of our new food services program this year. A change in the menu and a shift to greater utilization of organic foods puts us at the forefront of a greater emphasis on health and nutrition for school-aged children. Although the District will not be offering Spanish this year, a comprehensive effort is underway to develop a sustainable program for implementation in 2007-08.

Our school continues to develop as a learning community. As we face the challenges of declining enrollment, it remains important that we provide the best possible educational experiences for all of our students, while examining new and better ways to deliver the program. Our goal remains to provide a safe and stimulating learning environment, full of exciting opportunities to help each child grow to their fullest potential.

We extend a special welcome to all of our new students and their families. We are very happy to have you as a part of our school community. We also welcome our newest employee, Anny Owen, who will be the new K-8 Music teacher this year.

We are all looking forward to working with you this year. On behalf of the staff and the Board, welcome back!

Board of Trustees

Bolinas-Sti nson Union School District

The Bolinas-Stinson Union School District is a kindergarten through 8^th grade, with a projected enrollment of 103 students. Our two beautiful campuses were built and dedicated in 1981 after years of planning by community members and architects. Every attempt was made to build a school that was both functional and aesthetic.

Located on Highway One, a kilometer north of the community of Stinson Beach, this campus consists of three classrooms set back against the hillside with a view of the Bolinas Lagoon. The Stinson Beach campus houses the primary grades (K, 1, 2.) Each classroom opens out to a courtyard which provides a warm community feeling for the children and staff. One of the classrooms has a cheery fireplace and a window seat looking out to the lagoon. A modern playground sits out in the field. The natural beauty of the location is enhanced by the children.

As there may be no one available to answer the phone at the Stinson Beach campus during class time, please leave a message and the staff will return your call as soon as possible

Since the early part of the century the Bolinas campus has been located in Gospel Flats. The traditional look and feel of the school has been maintained in the new buildings. A replica of an old ranch house is now the district office. A replica of the original school building, built to modern earthquake standards, houses the school library, the Technology lab, and a Learning Center. The rest of the classrooms (grades 3 through 8) dot the 2.6 acre campus along with a playing field, basketball and volleyball courts, and a large playground structure. Students are summoned to class by an old-fashioned bell in the belfry of the library. Children in these grades are taught to live in the modern world surrounded by reminders of the past.

Visitors are always welcome. All visitors are required by state law to sign-in and out in the school office. Please call ahead if you want to visit your child's classroom or make an appointment with your child's teacher.

The Bolinas-Stinson School provides support services for children with special needs. These services include Special Education, Speech and Language, additional academic support (Title I), Vision and Hearing Screening, and Counseling. If you have questions or concerns regarding your child’s learning, please contact your child’s teacher or the principal.

Music is offered to all students in grades K-8. The program utilizes the content standards for music in the Visual and Performing Arts framework as a guide. Students learn the language of music, develop music appreciation, and are provided opportunities for individual and group skills development and performance.

Our nationally recognized visual art program exposes students to a wide variety of tools, materials and media in order to foster imagination, self-confidence and skill development. The program is housed in a specifically designed building with four "classrooms," each devoted to a particular medium.

Professional artists staff the clay, wood, art, and jewelry/metal shops. The schedule rotates monthly so all students work in each area. The program is community inspired and community supported.

The P.E. program stresses motor skills development, cooperation, and sportsmanship leading to successful group recreational activities as well as personal wellness. Through active participation in a variety of group and individual skill areas, the students develop and maintain a state of physical fitness, health, and well-being. In addition, each year the students participate in Track & Field Day, a day-long track and field competition. Upper graders who do well in this competition participate in the annual County Track Meet.

Our Technology Lab is located on the Bolinas campus. The Lab contains up-to-date computers and is staffed by a Technology Coordinator. The educational technology program promotes the integration of technology into curriculum and instruction for all students of the district. Classes covering basic computer and application function, as well as computer graphic/design, are currently being taught. Utilizing the district’s video equipment and the computer lab, staff members have increased their use of video as an instructional tool, editing and producing short videos for school and classroom use. Classrooms are also equipped with up-to-date computers. Each student has access to the district Learning Network and to the Internet through the Marin County Office of Education server.

The school library provides an atmosphere for both learning and enjoyment for students and staff. The Librarian makes presentations to classes to introduce them to the library and its systems, including library skills and knowledge. Students may check out books for reference and pleasure. In evaluating the needs of our students, the librarian selects books, periodicals, and equipment that are part of the library services, maintaining a balance of materials to reflect their curricular as well as recreational reading needs.

Our school participates in the National School Lunch and/or School Breakfast program. We have a fully equipped kitchen staffed by two Cooks. Menus are compiled and printed monthly and are also available on the school web site. Weekly menus are included with each edition of the Backpack Mail. Food and Nutrition goals include ensuring that healthy and nutritious snacks and lunches are available to help every student be prepared to learn to their fullest potential. Organic food is served when possible in cooperation with local organic farms and all foods containing transfats have been eliminated. Meal tickets can be purchased in the school office. For further details on prices and eligibility for free and reduced price meals please refer to the Letter To Households About The National School Lunch Program enclosed with this handbook.

The Bolinas-Stinson Union School District offers regular bus service for all students between home and school. Bus schedules are included with this handbook. If students are taking a different bus or are getting off at a stop other than their regular bus stop they will need to have a signed note from their parent to give to the bus driver. Kindergarten parents should refer to the special Bus Rules and Changes for Kindergarten enclosed. Parents and students are expected to follow policies and procedures regarding transportation of students. Please refer to the School Bus Safety Rules enclosed with this handbook

STUDENT INFORMATION

It is crucial to have accurate emergency information on file for each student in case of disaster, accident or sudden illness at school. This information must be kept up to date. The school office should be notified of any change of telephone numbers, address, e-mail address or doctor/dentist.

Occasionally parents need to take their child out of school during school hours for doctors appointments etc. Parents should first sign in at the school office and inform the office staff they are taking their child off campus. Then they need to inform the classroom teacher that the student is leaving. Accompanied by the student they then must sign the student out at the school office before leaving the campus. If someone other than the parent is picking up the student parents must give the designated person a signed note authorizing them to pick up the student.

School personnel may assist the pupil in taking prescribed medication if the school district receives a completed "Authorization to Administer Medication" form enclosed in this handbook. The physician should complete all information, especially dose, frequency, and possible side effects of medication. Parents and physicians must sign this form. In addition, any medication brought to school should be in its original prescription container, or a school container supplied by the pharmacy, with the child's name, frequency, and dosage on the label. (Ed. code 49423)

A signed note or phone call by the parent or guardian explaining a student's absence from school must be received by the Bolinas campus office in a timely manner. Absences that are considered excused include personal illness or injury, quarantine, medical, dental, optometric, or chiropractic appointments, religious holiday or ceremony, court appearance, and/or immediate family member funeral (one day in California and three days out of state). All other absences are considered unexcused.

In case of anticipated or prolonged absence, the parent should notify the school.

It is extremely important that students arrive to school on time. Although the occasional tardy is understood, students who chronically arrive late jeopardize their own learning and that of other students. If students are late arriving to school they must first obtain a late slip from the office. Students should enter class in a quiet manner without disrupting the learning of other students.

Parents of students who are persistently late will be contacted by the school in order to develop a plan to help the student arrive on time.

Students are expected to dress appropriately. Freedom of expression is encouraged but students must accept responsibility for their dress at school. Generally, clothing must be clean and in good repair, student cannot display an advertisement or symbol which might be interpreted as an endorsement of the use of tobacco, drugs, or alcohol, cannot display profanity or profane acts, and cannot be a distraction to the learning of others. Undergarments cannot be seen and stomachs must be covered. Students must wear shoes at all times and may not wear swimsuits unless they are part of an authorized school activity.

The school is not legally responsible for children on campus before 8:00 a.m. or after 3:20 p.m. at Bolinas, at Stinson Beach campus before 8:45 a.m. or after 2:30 p.m.

EMERGENCY PROCEDURES

The School Disaster Council is comprised of representatives of the school, the community, and their respective fire departments. The Council meets regularly to review and update the emergency plan, assess the school emergency preparedness, and to help plan and implement regular disaster drills. Parents who wish to become members of the Disaster Council should contact the school.

Students practice evacuation and safety procedures for a variety of emergency situations on a monthly basis. Plans are underway to conduct our annual school wide “disaster drill” that involves school, parents and community participation.

In case school needs to be closed due to an emergency situation, every effort will be made to contact parents via the emergency telephone tree. School closure and reopening information will also be reported on the following radio stations:

You may call the school district office during the hours of 8:00am to 3:30pm, Monday through Friday. Should you need to contact us outside those hours our telephone system is equipped with an after hours messaging system. Please refer to the Staff Listing in this handbook for extension numbers of individual staff members.

Our weekly newsletter The Friday Backpack Mail is distributed to the students to take home each Friday during the school year. The newsletter includes activities and items of interest to our school community, the lunch menu for the following week, calendar of events, School Board Agendas and much more. Please be sure to ask your child to bring this newsletter home as this is how many of the school activities and events are communicated to Parents. The newsletter is also available on the school web site.

Our web site is a good way to access information about our school and school district. It is updated weekly and includes current information and events. We are in the process of redesigning our website this year. The current web address is http://bolinas.marin.k12.ca.us

There is a community bulletin board on both campuses. Information pertinent to the operation of the school district is posted on these boards.

The School Site Council (SSC) is a group of parents, teachers, classified staff, and school principal who meet every month in the Bolinas campus library. Members serve for two years. Officers are elected annually, vacancies are filled as needed.

One of the primary functions of the SSC is to develop the School Level Plan, which addresses educational goals and their implementation. During the 2006-07 school year, the School Site Council will be working on recommendations for implementation of a foreign language program in the district.

Meetings are generally held on the first Tuesday of each month at 3:15 p.m. in the Bolinas School Library. All are welcome to attend. These meetings are a good place to start to bring your concerns, expertise and good humor to share with other parents and staff. Please join us. A roster of council members is available in the school office.

The Budget Committee is composed of seven members with one representative from the Board, administration, Business Department, classified staff, certificated staff, the School Foundation, the School Site Council, and parents. The committee meets a minimum of four times a year: October, December, March, and April. Additional meetings may be called as necessary. A roster of committee members is available in the school office.

The Bolinas-Stinson Beach School Foundation (BSBSF) was formed to give charitable assistance to the Bolinas-Stinson School. The Foundation solicits tax-deductible donations from the community and participates in fundraising through a variety of programs. Active participation in fundraising endeavors ensures that exciting programs can continue. There are a variety of ways to help guarantee the continuation of support. Please contact us at P.O. Box 43, Bolinas, CA 94924 or call 868-2378 for more information.

The Technology Committee is composed of Board, staff, parent representatives and community members. The committee meets on the third Tuesday of each month during the school year. They review technology purchases and needs of the district and oversees implementation of the technology plan.

The Facilities Committee is composed of Board, staff, and parent representatives. Its purpose is to evaluate facilities and grounds and recommend any modifications or additions to present school structures and grounds. The committee meets on an as-needed basis. A roster of committee members is available in the school office.

The Board of Trustees of the Bolinas-Stinson Union School District recognizes the importance of having volunteers, especially parents/guardians of its students in the classroom. Individuals interested in volunteering in the classroom or school should contact classroom teachers. Volunteers are required to sign-in at the school office before going into the classroom and sign out when their volunteer time is completed.

BOLINAS-STINSON UNION SCHOOL DISTRICT

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

2006-07 REGULAR MEETING DATES

August 22, 2006
September 12, 2006
October 10, 2006
November 14, 2006
December 12, 2006
January 9, 2007
February 13, 2007
March 13, 2007
April 17, 2007
May 8, 2007
June 12, 2007
June 26, 2007

All regular meetings are held at 7:00 p.m. at the Bolinas campus and occasionally at the Stinson Beach campus unless otherwise noted on the posted agenda.

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STUDENT-PARENT HANDBOOK

Board of Trustees

Superintendent/Principal

Bolinas-Sti nson Union School District

STUDENT INFORMATION

EMERGENCY PROCEDURES