School Handbook

Please refer to the District’s guidelines outlined in Board Policy and Administrative Regulation 6163.2 Animals at School.

Student assessment is a vital part of the educational process. Teachers and specialists use a variety of methods, both formal and informal, to regularly assess student progress on an ongoing basis. Assessment include:

• i-Ready Inform (Grades K-6): An adaptive tool designed to measure overall student growth in both Reading and Mathematics 
• Reading Difficulties Risk Screener (Grades K-2): A state-required foundational literacy screener
• California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) (Grades 3-6): California state accountability measures for English language arts and mathematics
• California Health Kids Survey (CHKS) (Grades 5-6): A state-required anonymous check-in on student well-being and school climate
• Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) Universal Screener (Grades K-6): A tool used to check in on student well-being with individualized data
• Curriculum-Embedded Assessment: Formal and informal classroom assessments embedded within district-adopted curriculum

Our school community (staff, students, and families) are committed to making our school a safe and caring environment for each and every student. In alignment with Board Policy, Solana Beach School District works to ensure each and every individual experiences a sense of belonging, respect, dignity, and safety. The prevention of bullying is a top priority, and if it occurs we must respond to it.

Bullying is the repetitive (act that is not one time, but instead it keeps on repeating over frequent intervals), intentional hurting of one person or group by another person or group, where the relationship involves an imbalance of power. Bullying can be physical, verbal, or psychological. It can happen face-to-face or online. When talking about bullying, it is very important for students, teachers, and parents to understand what bullying is not. Many times, a single act or behavior is hurtful, but it may not be considered bullying.

Bullying that occurs through the Internet or other forms of technology is known as cyberbullying. Cyberbullying is the use of electronic communication media (cell phones, text messages, gaming chats, Google applications, social media, etc.) to bully another student in the ways described above. Bullying and cyberbullying may interfere with a student’s educational opportunities and may substantially disrupt the orderly operations of the school. Parents and guardians can be partners in cyberbullying prevention by supervising and monitoring the use of their students’ digital devices and technologies. Board Policy 5131.2 Bullying

Students in SBSD will do the following things to prevent bullying and feel safe at school:

• Treat everyone with respect and kindness

• Be an upstander (someone who sees what happens and intervenes, interrupts, or speaks up to stop the bullying)
• Do not be a bystander (someone who sees bullying happening and does nothing to stop it)
• Try to include everyone in play, especially those who are often left out
• Immediately report repeated unsafe and/or repeated unkind behaviors to a school adult

Teachers, staff, and administration in SBSD will do the following things to prevent bullying and help children feel safe at school:

• Supervise students in all assigned areas of the school and playground
• Watch for signs of bullying behavior and intervene as appropriate when it happens

• Utilize classroom meetings to develop a culture of respect and dignity for each person
• Respond quickly and sensitively to reported allegations of bullying
• Examine all reported bullying allegations 
• Assign corrective action, consequences, and facilitate restorative practices for instances of bullying based on the school’s Effective Schoolwide Environment Plan, including retaliation against students who report bullying 
• Provide timely communication (typically within 24-72 hours of the reported allegations) with parents/guardians and families of involved students

The Board of Education believes that reasonable use of surveillance cameras will help the District support its goals for campus security. Cameras are not placed in areas where students, staff, or community members have a reasonable expectation of privacy. The District’s audio capability on the surveillance equipment is disabled, so sounds are not recorded. Board Policy and Administrative Regulations 3515 Campus Security.

Please refer to the District’s Dress and Grooming Board Policy and Administrative Regulations 5132 for more information.

An Effective Schoolwide Environment Plan (ESEP) is the framework utilized at every SBSD school site to teach and reinforce positive behavior expectations and guide staff on the process to address unexpected behaviors. This framework will support educators, adapt practices to meet student needs, and use data to ensure student success. It will continue to enhance a positive school climate. 

Common Language

Defining Schoolwide Positive Behavior Expectations

Positive behavior expectations are defined for all students and reinforced throughout the school day. These matrices define behavior expectations across school settings: classroom, restrooms, hallways, assemblies, playground, etc.  

Teaching, Re-teaching and Reinforcing Positive Behavior Expectations

Students will learn positive behavior expectations by explicit instruction, video modeling, visuals (posters) that are posted throughout the school, and Social-Emotional-Learning curriculum. Each school site has reinforcement systems in place to promote and reinforce expected behaviors. For example, praise, tickets, incentives, and awards are utilized to continuously keep students motivated, and reinforce those expected behaviors year round. Teaching, re-teaching and reinforcing positive behavior expectations are done continuously and consistently throughout the school year. 

Unexpected Behavior, Consequences, Corrective Actions, Restorative Practices and Communication

When a student engages in any level of unexpected behaviors, first a consequence will be developed and implemented. A consequence is defined as: what privileges we lose when exhibiting unexpected behaviors. Next, a replacement behavior or skill will be identified for the student to learn through corrective actions. Corrective actions are defined as: what we are going to do to retrain/reteach/practice the desired behavior.  Restorative Practices will also be identified and implemented. Restorative Practices are defined as action steps to repair/restore the relationship(s) that have been impacted because of the unexpected behavior(s). Communication is another important component of the ESEP. Depending on the level of severity, communication methods, frequency and members involved will be identified.

Emergency procedures are in place to ensure the safety of the students during emergency situations.

During an emergency, communication will be provided via Parent Square. If a student's parent(s)/guardian(s) cannot be contacted and/or are unable to pick up their child, the school will maintain responsibility for the student until an authorized individual can pick up the student. At no time will a student be excused except to the care of a parent/guardian or other adult who is designated on the emergency card.

In the event of an emergency, school personnel need to prioritize caring for students, and telephone lines need to be kept open for communications with emergency personnel. 

Students and staff regularly participate in safety drills throughout the school year to help ensure preparation in the event of an actual emergency.

Family conferences are held two times each academic year in October and March. During those designated weeks, all the schools in the district are on a minimum day schedule.

Please visit the Solana Beach School District’s Health Services page for all immunization requirements and other health service-related topics. If your student becomes ill or injured during the school day, parents/guardians will first be notified. If we are unable to reach the parent, we will call the individuals listed on the emergency card. Be sure to keep your student's emergency card up to date, which is on file in the school office and in Aeries (our district data management system).

School personnel may not administer medication without a doctor's prescription. This prescription must be issued to the student. The medication must be in the proper bottle displaying the prescription information. This includes aspirin, decongestants, cough drops, or any over-the-counter medication. Please call the Health Tech at the school site for more information.

Purpose and Philosophy

The purpose of homework in the Solana Beach School District is to foster communication and partnership between school and home, reinforcing concepts taught in class while developing student agency and responsibility.

Homework in elementary school focuses on building positive study habits and a love for learning. We aim to:

• Strengthen academic skills through meaningful practice
• Foster leisure reading as a cornerstone of lifelong literacy
• Support overall student wellness, as homework should not interfere with sleep, physical activity, or family time.

Definition of Homework

Homework is a purposeful, independent activity designed to reinforce previously learned material. The goal is for students to complete assignments with minimal parental assistance.

Categories of Homework:

• Practice: Reinforcing skills already taught (sight words, math computational fluency, vocabulary).
• Preparation: Building knowledge for upcoming lessons or activities (reading an article before a class discussion, studying for a test).
• Extension and Creativity: Applying skills to new or creative contexts (long-term projects or inquiries).
• Leisure Reading: Independent reading for pleasure is an impactful form of homework for elementary students and is encouraged nightly.

Unfinished classwork or work missed due to absences is considered catch-up work and is distinct from the regular homework definition.

Time Guidelines (The "10-Minute Rule")

Consistent with current research on the benefits of homework, we follow the 10-minute rule: Students should receive approximately 10 minutes of homework per grade level, per night, up to four nights a week.

If a child is struggling or taking significantly longer than the guidelines allow, parents are encouraged to stop the assignment and contact the teacher. 

Roles and Responsibilities

The Student’s Role

• Record assignments and clarify instructions with the teacher before leaving school.
• Complete work to the best of their ability.
• Let the teacher know if an assignment was too difficult to complete independently.

The Family’s Role

• Provide a consistent time and space for work.
• Provide guidance, not answers.
• Observe the child for signs of stress or frustration.
• Communicate with the teacher if the homework load is impacting the child’s sleep or family life.

The Teacher’s Role

• Assign work that is relevant, high-quality, and can be accomplished with reasonable success.
• Adjust assignments based on students' maturity, ability level, and specific needs.
• Acknowledge and provide feedback on completed work so it remains a meaningful learning tool.
• Share specific classroom expectations at Back-to-School Night.

Tips for Families

• Be a role model. Let your child see you reading or using math in daily life (e.g., cooking or budgeting).
• Have a designated spot for the backpack and completed homework to be placed each night to reduce morning stress.
• If a child is tired, a 10-minute physical brain break can improve focus.
• Prioritize sleep. Research consistently shows that a good night’s sleep has a greater impact on academic performance than the completion of a homework assignment.

More information is available in Board Policy 6154 Homework and Makeup Work.

The Solana Beach School District (SBSD) participates in the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program. At SBSD, all students will receive nutritious meals free of charge every school day. The meal programs we participate in are supported by federal and state reimbursements that are based on household income and eligibility. Although meals are free, families are encouraged to submit a meal application. The information collected on the meal application ensures our schools receive adequate funding and can offer your family additional benefits such as discounted fees. Your cooperation is greatly appreciated. You or your children do not have to be U.S. citizens to qualify for free meals. More information about SBSD’s School Lunch Program is available on the SBSD Child Nutrition Services page.

Schools in the Solana Beach School District support Safe Routes to Schools for both pedestrians and riders. Promoting bike and other wheeled safety for students is essential as they commute to and from school on school days. For the safety of all students, bicycles, scooters, skateboards, and other wheeled vehicles should be walked—not ridden—while using crosswalks or crossing streets on the way to and from school. Students are expected to follow all traffic and pedestrian safety rules, including obeying crossing guards and all posted traffic signals.

We appreciate our parents/guardians for their ongoing support and partnership in modeling safe riding practices. Students not following guidelines are subject to discipline consequences outlined in the school’s Effective Schoolwide Environment Plans (ESEP), which may include a verbal reminder/warning and/or a phone call home to notify parents. 

• Safety - Students must walk their bicycles upon entering campus, and at all times while on campus, including parking lots and pathways, unless permission from a school official has been granted otherwise. No bikes, scooters, skateboards, eBikes, or other wheeled vehicles may be ridden on campus.
• Helmets - Students under 18 years of age riding a wheeled vehicle must wear a properly fitted and fastened bicycle helmet that meets the standards described in CVC 21212a, 21235. This law also covers minors who are using or riding on non-motorized scooters, skateboards, inline, or roller skates. 
• Storage- Bicycles and other wheeled vehicles should be parked in their designated area(s) on campus. Bicycles and other wheeled vehicles should never block ingress or egress or be placed in any location that would compromise safety and access.
• Charging - SBSD does not currently provide charging capability for personal electric vehicles (e.g., eBikes, electric scooters). 
• Security - It is the responsibility of the student to lock and secure their wheeled equipment. The District is not responsible for damage or theft of wheeled equipment on campus or en route to and from school and school-sponsored events.
• eBikes
  • All wheeled vehicle policies above apply to eBikes.
  • Class 1 and Class 2 eBikes - Students under 16 years of age are permitted to bring Class 1 and Class 2 eBikes onto campus. 
  • Class 3 eBike - Students must be 16 years of age to operate a Class 3 eBike. 
• Motorized Scooters - Motorized scooters require the rider to be 16 years of age and possess a valid driver’s license or learner’s permit (CVC § 21235 (d)).  

More Safety Guidance is available in Board Policy and Administrative Regulation 5142 Safety.
 

Please refer to the District’s guidelines outlined in Board Policy 5131.8 Mobile Communication Devices.

California Education Code 51210(g) requires that students in grades 1 through 6 receive 200 minutes of physical education every 10 school days, excluding lunch and recess.

Special Education Services: For more information regarding special education services, please see the Solana Beach School District Special Education Services website for additional information.

ELD (English Language Development): Students identified as English learners receive targeted instruction in English Language Development (ELD) aligned with California’s English Language Development Standards. Please see the Solana Beach School District English Language Development website for additional information.

Progress reports are issued once each trimester to inform parents of their student’s performance.

The teacher and/or parent may refer a student to the Student Success Team. This team of teachers, support staff specialists, and parents meets to discuss the student's strengths and concerns, and then makes several recommendations to the teacher and parents regarding classroom/home modifications and interventions.

In accordance with Board Policy and Administrative Regulation, the Board prohibits smoking and/or the use of tobacco products at any time in district-owned or leased buildings, on district property, and in district vehicles. (Health and Safety Code 104420, 104559.) This prohibition shall also apply to all individuals attending or representing the school district at school-sponsored activities held off district property.  Board Policy and Administrative Regulation 3513.3

All visitors must sign in and out through the school office through the Visitor and Volunteer System Kiosk (Raptor Technologies) and wear a visitor's badge at all times.

Our school values its Parent Volunteers immensely. Volunteer assistance enriches the educational program, increases student supervision, contributes to school safety, and strengthens the school's relationships with the community.

Parents/guardians and other community members are encouraged to share their time, knowledge, and abilities with students. It is very important for all volunteers to respect confidentiality, be on time, and inform the teacher if they cannot volunteer as scheduled.

The Visitor and Volunteer system, provided by Raptor Technologies, provides background checks for all visitors and volunteers through Megan's Law. The system is in use at all school sites and in the District Office. Prior to volunteering, please register in the Raptor Volunteer Management system.  Please contact your teacher to schedule day/times to volunteer or the PTO/PTA for volunteer opportunities. The Raptor process must be completed annually.