Student Handbooks

Student cell phone or electronic communication devices used at school will follow Board Policy 3245.

In order to facilitate learning for all students, YCS requires that student dress and appearance follow health and safety standards and not cause disruption to the learning environment. Students who do not follow these guidelines will be asked to change their clothing, cover up, and/or contact home if necessary.

Heads: K-5 students must remove all headwear while in the building. Headwear includes hats, hoods, headbands with animal ears, bandanas and head wraps. (Exceptions will be made for medical, religious and other approved reasons.)
Torso: Clothing must cover stomachs, backs, shoulders, chests and undergarments.
Legs: Shorts, skirts and dresses must be longer than mid-thigh. Undergarments must be covered.
Feet: Footwear must be worn at all times appropriate to the activity. Strapless shoes and high heels are discouraged for safety.

Guidelines

• Clothing that promotes drugs, alcohol, tobacco, violence, is sexually suggestive, or displays inappropriate pictures or writing is prohibited.
• Any clothing worn in a manner identified as gang related is prohibited.
• Jewelry that can pose safety hazards is prohibited.
• Exceptions to dress code standards may be made for PE or school activities.

What students wear does affect the way they think about, and behave toward, their tasks at school, their peers, and adults. Please consider this as you help your child make appropriate choices for school clothes.

Schools are meant to be safe and inclusive environments where all students are protected from Harassment, Intimidation, and Bullying (HIB), including in the classroom, on the school bus, in school sports, and during other school activities.

View the full definition of HIB, Sexual Harassment, Civil Rights and Gender Inclusive procedures.

Family Access is a web-based tool designed to give parents/guardians and students access to student information to support achievement. Students and parent/guardians each have their own access. 

Family Access/Qmlativ Login

Need help with your access or need to access tutorials?

• Attendance
• Grades/Academic Progress/Test Scores
• Class Schedules & Teacher Contacts
• Lunch Balances
• Conference Scheduling
• And much more!

Visit Family Access/Qmlativ Resources

One way to get involved with your child’s education and school family is to become involved in the Prairie PTO. Our PTO is dedicated to promoting the welfare of children and youth at home, at school, and in the community. PTO board and membership meetings are held quarterly. Our PTO does not require a membership fee.  Children are welcome to attend with their parents. PTO hosts many other fun family events/and activities throughout the year. New members are welcome at any time. Follow PTO's Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/yelmprairiepto/ or email them at yelmprairiepto@gmail.com for additional information.

Report cards and parent-teacher conferences are scheduled throughout the school year.  However, you should address student concerns as they arise.  When you have a concern, please call the office to schedule a meeting.

Volunteers are a vital part of our students' education. To volunteer in a school during the school year, an application must be completed online. All volunteers must receive clearance through the Washington Access to Criminal History (WATCH) before volunteering. Clearance is granted for one school year only.

Apply Online to Volunteer

Student volunteers (students enrolled at RMS, YMS, or YHS) are also welcome to be volunteers at Prairie.

• Student volunteers need to complete a Prairie Student Volunteer Application, which outlines the expectations and responsibilities of a Student Volunteer. 
• A student volunteer must be cleared and approved before volunteering. 

Visitors and Volunteers are not allowed on the playground during the school day. Contact our office for further details.

Watch D.O.G.S. (Dad of Great Students) is a family and community education initiative. There are two primary goals of the Watch DOGS program:

1. To provide positive male role models for the students, demonstrating by their presence that education is important.
2. To provide extra sets of eyes and ears to enhance school security and reduce bullying.  

Program Benefits:

• Students gain positive male role models.
• Schools gain an extra set of eyes and ears. The presence of a father or father figure will provide an additional deterrent to bullying, enhance a sense of security in the building, and will help to create an environment conducive to learning.
• Fathers get a glimpse of their students' everyday world and learn about the increasingly complex challenges and decisions today's youth are facing.  
• Fathers gain a greater awareness of the positive impact they can have on their student's life in three critical areas including academic performance, self-esteem, and social behavior.
• The WatchDOGS volunteers provide real and important help for the teachers and the students.

Contact our office or counselor if you are interested in being a part of Prairie Watch D.O.G.S. program.

Assemblies have been a long-standing tradition since our doors opened in 1984. During these assemblies, we sing songs, focus on core qualities and learn about respect, practice manners, classes share subjects they are currently studying, and recognize student achievements. It is an excellent teaching opportunity. It also brings a strong feeling of camaraderie and community to our students, staff and families within our school. Assemblies are held twice a month and dates will be included on the website calendar of events.

At Prairie Elementary, we enjoy honoring students on their birthdays. Student birthdays are announced  during the morning announcements and each student will receive a birthday ribbon and birthday pencil from the school. Our school takes great pride in making each child feel special on their birthday. If you would like to send something special, please follow these guidelines.

• Students are discouraged from handing out party invitations at school.  If invitations are sent to school, there must be enough for each student in the class or enough for each of a specific gender.  Please allow several days for the delivery of invitations.
• Please do not have flowers or Mylar balloons delivered to the school for your student. 
• Please check with the classroom teacher before bringing snacks to school for birthdays or other special days. Distribution of sugary treats is prohibited. If you would like to bring a birthday snack to share, healthy snacks that are commercially wrapped, such as pretzels, baked crackers, or granola bars will be accepted; however, we ask that you consider gifting the classroom a book, or small school supplies such as pencils, erasers, or stickers instead of any food item.
• **Important** Do not send cupcakes, doughnuts, or sugary treats for your child’s birthday.

We do not allow parent requests for class placement as we have found this hinders our ability to create classes that are fair and balanced. 

Based on educational research, the Prairie staff strongly believes that students should be placed in classrooms that have a balance of academic abilities, social skills, and gender. We are very fortunate at Prairie Elementary to have a staff of highly qualified teachers who are committed to meeting the learning needs of every student. We strive to create a learning environment where all students can reach their potential. In such an environment, we have found that almost all students will learn and experience success with any of our teachers. Few students actually need to be assigned one particular teacher versus another.

Here are the criteria we use each year for student placement:

• Academic needs and strengths
• Behavioral needs and strengths
• Social needs
• Learning style
• Gender balance
• Even balance of children of all achievement levels 

Change of Placement

Once the school year has started, if a parent wishes to request a change of placement and there is room in another classroom, the following procedure will be followed:

1. The parent will meet with the teacher and principal to express concerns.
2. Concerns and expected outcomes will be documented.
3. The teacher will have time to implement changes.
4. A follow-up meeting with the parents, teachers, and the principal will be held to discuss if concerns have been addressed.
5. The outcome of this meeting will determine if a change in placement is necessary.

We MUST have official custody documents on file to honor restrictions on access to students. Please be sure we are kept current on these matters. This includes parenting plans and restraining orders.

Sometimes during the school year, we face the possibility of inclement weather and school closure or schedule changes.  Typically, families will be notified of emergency schedule changes by an automated phone call, email and/or text. 

 Stay informed about Emergency Closures & Delays by

• Updating your Family Access email and home & cell numbers
• Opting In for Text Messaging (Text YES to 67587)
• Visiting the district website for detailed information and updates
• Following Yelm Community Schools on Facebook and Twitter
• Signing up for FLASH Alert to receive an email notice.
• Following other media outlets
• It is requested that parents/guardians do not call the media stations for closure information. 

At Prairie Elementary, we feel field trips are a very valuable educational experience. When a class is scheduled to go on a field trip, you will receive the necessary information and a permission form to sign.  Children will not be allowed to leave school without a signed parent permission form on hand before departure.

When possible students will eat at school either before or after the field trip. In rare cases when students have to eat on the field trip, students will need to bring a lunch or order a sack lunch. Students will make the request on their field trip permission slip for a sack lunch, even if they receive free/reduced meal benefits, as they will not be automatically included in the count. 

If you wish to accompany your child on a field trip as a chaperone, contact your student’s teacher to confirm you may attend and find out additional information. Some venues limit the number of chaperones allowed per school. Volunteers must complete an application online and pass a background check before being allowed to chaperone or volunteer for a field trip. Please allow a minimum of five business days for an application to be processed by the YCS business office. Siblings are not allowed to accompany Prairie students on field trips. Parents are required to drive their personal vehicles on field trips.

Found clothing items are placed on a rack outside the multi-purpose room. Smaller found items are stored in the office for safe keeping. If your child has lost something, have them check the Lost and Found rack or ask the office. All current Lost and Found items will be displayed in the halls during conference weeks. Articles not claimed are given to a local charitable organization at the end of each quarter. Articles lost on the bus are usually kept by the individual driver for a period of time and are then turned into the Lost and Found at the Transportation office.

We have many opportunities to communicate information with our families.  Our newsletter has timely information on upcoming events, activities, and news about what is happening at Prairie and around the Yelm community. The newsletter is posted to the school website. Newsletters will be electronically sent to your home.

Electronics can be a nice distraction for students during a long bus ride. If students bring electronic games, music players, smart watches, cell phones, or toys they must remain in backpacks and be used only with the teacher or bus driver's permission.  No toys or playground equipment may be brought to school. Yelm Community Schools, Prairie Elementary, and school personnel will not be responsible for lost, stolen, or damaged items.

Please do not allow students to bring more money to school than what is needed during the school day. 

We expect all children to participate in daily recess. Be sure that your child is dressed appropriately for the weather conditions; students are only kept inside during severe weather conditions.

The safety of our students is of the utmost importance to us. Students should not arrive on campus before 8:25 a.m.  We do not have after-school supervision available.  To ensure student safety, all students must be picked up by 3:05 p.m. Individual after-school activities will be communicated by a supervising teacher.

 Unless other arrangements have been made by a parent or guardian, students are expected to be transported from school by bus at the end of each school day. 

Before and After School Drop Off Information

As you can imagine the volume of cars exiting and entering the school parking lot (and minimal space) creates the need to have procedures in place to keep our students safe and keep traffic flowing in the most efficient manner possible.

To ensure the safety of our students, it is critical parents follow this set of procedures

• Please do not drop your student off in the parking lot area. Curbside pick up/drop-off only. 
• Please – No student drop off in the designated bus area.
• If you need to enter the building for a meeting, please park in a parking stall.
• Please do not ask your child to meet you in the hallway or parking lot.
• Those dropping off/picking up students should remain in their vehicle.
• Please be respectful of other drivers and students as this ensures the safety of our students.

Drop Off/Afternoon Pick Up Procedures

• Enter through the parking lot gate.
• Circle around to the curb in front of the school.
• Pull as far up to the curb as traffic allows and drop off your student(s).
• Students exit/enter the vehicle on the curbside only.
• Once your children have unloaded/loaded, you may carefully pull out and exit.

Riding the Bus

The trip to school and back can be an enjoyable experience for a child when everyone respects certain rules of conduct. We expect students to observe the same courteous Prairie behavior on the bus as they would in class.  Bus rules are reviewed by the drivers with students at the beginning of each year. If you have a bus-related question, please contact the transportation department at 360.458.3300.

Bicycles/Walking

Students are not permitted to ride bicycles or walk to school without prior permission from the principal.

In YCS, textbooks are loaned free of charge. Please remind your child to be careful with school books and library books. Missing, lost, or damaged textbooks or library books will be the parents’ responsibility to pay the replacement cost. This fine will follow the student in their student records until it is paid and will be removed from their file once the fine has been paid. If the book is found after it has been paid for, you can keep the book or return the book to Prairie Elementary and the district office will issue a refund check for the amount paid.

For student health and safety, any snacks brought to the classroom to be shared with other students must be store-bought. Before sending snacks to school, please contact your child’s teacher for approval. Due to growing concerns over severe food allergies, we ask that the following guidelines be observed: 

• Students cannot bring soft drinks, candy, or baked goods. (i.e., cupcakes, cake or cookies)
• Students cannot bring products containing peanuts or peanut oil to school for classroom snacks.
• Students cannot share food at lunch.

Our school counselor, Sarah Bennie, is here to assist students, teachers, and parents in meeting the individual, social, emotional, and academic needs of our students. If you have any questions or need information from our counselor, please email her at sarah_bennie@ycs.wednet.edu or call our school office at 360.458.3700.

504 Coordinator - Board Policy 2162

The district 504 coordinator is the superintendent or his/her designee. The counselor at Prairie Elementary School coordinates 504 plans for our building.

Meal Service

The breakfast and lunch program is provided by our district’s Food Service department.  Breakfast is served at 8:25 .a.m.,
9:25 a.m. on Late Start Wednesdays. Lunch is served mid-day. Menus are available on the website.

Meal Costs

Please check the website for an updated fee schedule.

Free and Reduced Meals

Meal benefits are available to families that meet income guidelines.  Free and Reduced applications are available online through Skyward Family Access. Paper applications are available at school upon request or on our Food Service website.

If you have questions regarding your child’s meal account, please contact your school. For assistance with the Free and Reduced application, please contact the district Food Service Department at 360.400.1151

Online Payments

As a convenience to families, Yelm Community Schools provides an easy way to make online payments from home or work, 24/7. With just one login, you can make payments for any child in your household using Discover, VISA, or MasterCard credit or debit cards.

Online payments can be used to replenish a student’s food service account or pay for any existing fines or fees, such as class fees, athletic fees, or ASB activities.

Yelm Community Schools is fully compliant with all data protection laws, including PCI Data Security Standards. Yelm School District does not store your billing or payment information at any time. Any personal information you enter related to your credit card through this website is purged immediately. Any contact information you enter is stored for your convenience when using our website. Information you provide to us will only be used by Yelm Community Schools. We will never sell or rent your personal information to third parties. The website is https://wa-yelm.intouchreceipting.com/.

Life Threatening Illness

If your child has an illness, which has the potential to cause death during the school day YCS must be made aware prior to the student’s first day of school. Examples of these conditions would be seizures, diabetes, allergies requiring an Epi Pen, severe asthma and/or any other condition that is considered to be life threatening. Parents/guardians are responsible to report this information to the Registered Nurse assigned to that school. Parents/guardians must provide the medication in its original container along with the medication authorization form prior to the first day of school. Students will be excluded from school until these requirements are met. (RCW 28A.210.320, District Policy 3413)

Immunizations

In order to protect children against a number of childhood diseases, Washington State Law requires that all children enrolled to YCS be immunized against varicella, diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio, measles, rubella, mumps and hepatitis b as appropriate.  Parents may submit the Exemption from Immunization form. However, students will be excluded from school if they do not meet the requirements of the law. (RCW 28A.210.060, District Policy 3413)

Infectious Disease

In order to safeguard the school community from the spread of certain communicable diseases YCS will comply with the State Board of Health rules and regulations within the most current Infectious Disease Control Guide, provided by the State Department of Health and the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction. (District Policy 3414)

Medications

YCS requires signed authorization forms for the dispensing of any prescription or non-prescription medicines to students.  Forms must be signed by the physician as well as the parent/guardian and are available from the office.  Physicians may fax this information to our school at 360.458.6315. All medications must be delivered to and picked up from the school by the parent/guardian in the original container. Most medications can be dispensed by the parent/guardian before or after school. Please ask your healthcare provider for guidance on medication delivery times. (RCW 28A.210.260 & 270, District Policy 3416)

As a convenience to families, Yelm Community Schools provides an easy way to make online payments from home or work, 24/7. With just one login, you can make payments for any child in your household using Discover, VISA, or MasterCard credit or debit cards.

Online payments can be used to replenish a student’s food service account or pay for any existing fines or fees, such as class fees, athletic fees, or ASB activities.

Yelm Community Schools is fully compliant with all data protection laws, including PCI Data Security Standards. Yelm School District does not store your billing or payment information at any time. Any personal information you enter related to your credit card through this website is purged immediately. Any contact information you enter is stored for your convenience when using our website. Information you provide to us will only be used by Yelm Community Schools. We will never sell or rent your personal information to third parties.

Online Payment