For grades 1-5, supervision is provided on the large playground beginning at 8:05 AM each school day. Our library clerk, Mrs. Pearson, supervises a morning reading club in the library beginning at 7:30 AM. Students attending the reading club are expected to remain in the library until supervision begins on the playground at 8:05 AM. The school breakfast program begins at 7:45 AM. Students attending the breakfast program are expected to remain in the cafetorium until supervision begins on the playground at 8:05 AM. For the safety and proper supervision of your child, please see that he/she does not arrive at school before supervision begins. Supervision for AM Kindergarten students will begin at 7:50 AM in the kindergarten classrooms.

Recreation and Day Care Programs

The City Parks and Recreation Department provides an after school library and playground program from 2:30 to 5:30 PM. This is a non-custodial program. Parents and students should discuss daily whether students are to stay after school for this program and for how long. Each Wednesday of the school year will be a shortened school day for students. School personnel will provide supervision for students in grades 1-5 on the big playground until the Parks and Recreation program begins at 2:30 PM. For Information about the recreation program, call (310) 318-0610. Childcare for preschool and school age students in available through a State-licensed, District-operated day center at Adams Middle School. The Adams Children Center is open from 6:30 AM to 6:00 PM. Enrollment in the Center is independent of enrollment at Washington School. For more information about the Washington Children's Center please call (310) 379-9511

10 Minute Rule

We often have a number of students waiting after school for their parents to pick them up. As a safety precaution (so that students are not left unsupervised in front of the school), students will be directed to the playground or school library if their parents have not picked them up within ten minutes of the end of the school day. We ask that parents discuss this procedure with their children to ensure their understanding.

Absences:

The school year for students consists of 180 days. The curriculum at each grade level is very extensive and requires that students attend regularly. Written assignments (that can be given as make-up for absences) account for only a small part of the learning that takes place during the school day. Most learning involves classroom discussions, question and answer periods, and group problem solving. these activities require the student to be in class.

Parents may either call the school office or send a note when the child returns to school. The note must include:

• Student's name
• Date(s) of absence
• Specific reason for absence
• Parent's signature

Several absences may result in lower final grades for students. Students are considered truant when they have been absent without valid excuse for more than three days. Students may also be considered truant for excess tardiness.

Tardiness:

State law requires regular and punctual attendance because tardiness disrupts classroom routine and begins the day in a negative way for the student. It also results in students missing valuable instruction. Excused tardies are those that relate to Doctor's appointments, emergencies, etc. For medical appointments a doctor's note is preferred.

Our policy regarding excessive tardies is as follows:

• Upon the second unexcused tardy, the student will serve detention at lunch recess on that same day.
• Upon the third tardy in an attendance period (approximately 4 weeks), parents will receive written notification.
• If the student continues to have an attendance problem, a referral to the School Attendance Review Board may result. The Education code states that three tardies each of a duration of 30 minutes or more is considered a truancy. Truancy can result in a failing grade (Education Code 48260.5).

Since many young students are driven to school, responsibility for good attendance rests heavily on the parents of students. The following information is provided to support good school attendance:

• Supervision for students in grades 1-5 begins at 8:05 AM on the large playground. The fifteen minutes of supervision before school allows parents to bring students before the 8:20 AM crush.
• Parents of older students may consider bringing their students to the playground from Felton Street after the supervision begins at 8:05 AM.