Info for Parents

2023-24 Parent Student Handbook

Expectations & Responsibilities

As a charter school, our success depends on a well-informed and involved parent body to support the students, teachers and administration. Therefore, we count on parental participation in the following areas to help our children and our school:

1. Attend at least one parent/teacher conference each year.

   • ​This will keep you informed of your child’s progress and enable you to ask questions about your child and his/her classroom performance and progress.

2. Read or listen to weekly or monthly correspondence from school. This helps keep you up to date about school events and calendar changes, as well as other information of importance to every member of the school community.

3. Attend school meetings that you may be available for (Leadership, Committees, TEP). Check the master calendar and website for dates.  This is a great way to meet other parents, ask questions, voice concerns and participate in the ongoing process of improving our school.

4. Volunteer at School.  There are many opportunities to participate during and after school hours.  Volunteers are needed in classrooms, for a wide variety of large and small jobs. Without parental involvement, many activities would not exist.

5. Support TEP’s fundraising efforts. TEP (Topanga Enrichment Programs) is our school’s parent organization which oversees all of the school’s fundraising events.  Attend a meeting and participate in a program that TEP sponsors (Coyote Run, Halloween Carnival, Book Fairs, etc.)

6. Support the school in academic and disciplinary matters. This includes supporting your child in the following areas: completion and return of homework, regular attendance, and prompt arrival. The school is open to students at 7:30am. The first bell rings at 7:55am. Your child will be tardy if not in line when the 2nd bell rings at 8:00am.  (8:15 for kindergarten). Tardy children will require a pass to enter their classroom. Your cooperation in our academic efforts and citizenship standards encourages your child to obey school rules and solidifies the partnership between home and school.

7. Support the safety standards of our school. In order to ensure the safety of all our children while coming to and leaving from school, it is imperative that all parents respect and abide by the safety standards that have been set forth (enclosed).

8. Maintain confidentiality when volunteering. Parent volunteers must adhere to the following policy:

   • “As a parent volunteer at Topanga Elementary Charter School, I agree that it is my responsibility to preserve and protect the right of privacy of any child that I observe, or have contact with, in the course of my work at school.  I will protect the confidentiality of children by not discussing them with others.  I will contact only the child’s teacher if I have pertinent information that must be shared.”

9. Wear your visitor badge. ALL visitors on campus, need to wear a yellow visitor’s badge. Please make sure to sign in at the school office and keep your badge on your person while on campus. This helps us identify who is on campus and keeps your child safe!
   

10. Be considerate with use of your cell phone on campus. If you’re volunteering, please keep your cell phone on silent. If you must answer a call, do so outside of the classroom and out of earshot of other children.

11. Please refrain from using school areas close to classrooms for socialization. This includes the school office and the assembly area. This can be distracting to our students as they need to focus in their classrooms during the instructional day.

12. Make an appointment when you need to see a teacher. Teachers are preparing for class in the morning. Please don’t arrive unannounced for a conference or even to say, “do you just have a minute?” This is the teacher’s preparation time and every child, including yours, may suffer when the teacher loses important preparation time. Contact your child’s teacher by phone, email or a note in the school office.

13. Please label your child’s belongings. We want to prevent any arguments regarding ownership of items. It helps to locate lost items as well. Expensive toys, iPods, and other electronic devices should not to be brought to school.