Lakeridge Family Handbook

 

How can you be a part of the Lakeridge community?

At Lakeridge, we value diversity in all facets of life (language, traditions, religion, culture, etc…) You can be a part of the Lakeridge community in many ways, including attending our family engagement meetings, sharing your voice and family experience in discussions - via survey, feedback form, directly with your teacher or with our Family Engagement Coordinator - or by leading a project or event for our community. 

• FACE Team (Family and Community Engagement Team) - Our FACE Team aims to empower families to be a part of creating and leading in our school community. Anyone is welcome to attend meetings! Meetings are held monthly and announced in the school electronic newsletter. For more information, visit the Lakeridge Elementary School Website Family Engagement Page.

 

• Communication with Teachers and Staff:

  • You can contact the school office or teacher anytime. Phone numbers are available on our website.

 

• Your student’s teacher may contact you to ...

  • Share your student’s progress.

  • Share celebrations.

  • Problem solve with you.

• Please contact the school when ...

  • An extended trip/absence is planned.

  • Your family will be moving or switching schools.

  • Contact information changes. 

  • Transportation plans change. (For example: if your student will not be taking the bus home on a day when they normally do)

  • You have questions about your student’s progress.

• Visiting: You are welcome to visit your student at recess, lunch, or in their classroom. Contact your student’s teacher to pre-arrange your visit with 24 hour notice. When you arrive, please sign-in at the office. We can’t wait to see you!

• Volunteering at School: There are many opportunities to volunteer at Lakeridge. We have had families volunteer in classrooms, helping students with academics, on the playground, and in the cafeteria. We welcome any skills or expertise you would like to bring to our community. 

  • If you would like to volunteer, it is required that you pass a Washingtons State Patrol background check. This takes about 2 - 4 weeks to process and lasts for two years. Our office staff can tell you if your background check is current. 

  • WA state background check forms are available in our school office, on the district website, and at this link:  https://apps.raptortech.com/Apply/Mzk3NDplbi1VUw==

• Starting on October 18 2021, volunteers are required to be fully vaccinated.

 

 

• Field Trips: 

  • Most grades will go on one field trip per year. Field trips during the 2021-2022 school year may be impacted by Covid 19.

  • Teachers will reach out well in advance to ask for volunteers to chaperone on field trips. 

  • If you would like to chaperone, it is required that you pass a Washington State Patrol background check. This takes about 2 - 4 weeks to process and lasts for two years. Our office staff can tell you if your background check is current. 

  • For more information, please refer to the Renton School District Volunteer Guidelines.

 

 

Social Emotional Learning (SEL) 

Philosophy/What is SEL?

All Lakeridge students bring to school their identities, strengths, values, lived experiences, and culture. We use SEL as a framework to examine the importance of the range of our community identities and assets, reflect on and appreciate diversity, and foster an inclusive environment. 

Through our SEL and anti-racist social studies content students, staff, and families engage in developmentally-appropriate discussions with each other. Students identify the similarities and differences in cultures represented in our community and have opportunities to share their expertise in their own cultures and experiences. They also identify problems and solutions in schools and communities, productively challenge the inequities they see, have a voice in how the classroom and school operate, and take on authentic leadership roles. 

• Emotional Growth Toolbox

  • We provide opportunities for students to learn about:

    • Self regulation

    • Problem solving

    • Fixing mistakes

• Communication

  • You know your student best and we want to partner with you. If you have any questions or information you want to share about your student, call or email their teacher.

  • If your student’s teacher contacts you about needing support for your student, they will explain what strategies have been used so far, and work with you to plan next steps. 

  • Please let your student’s teacher know if there are specific strategies that you know work best for your student. 

• Building Level Support 

  • If students need additional SEL support, all staff are trained and are happy to support your student. We also have building level staff to serve them:

    • Behavior Interventionist

    • Counselor

    • Principal and Assistant Principal

  • Lakeridge works with Sound Discipline to learn strategies for supporting students in many situations.  See this document to see some examples of possible adult responses. 

Educational Philosophy and Academics  

• Educational Philosophy/Curriculum

• We hold high expectations for our students and we will meet students wherever they are. Through ongoing formative assessment, community collaboration, and innovation we are committed to an exciting year of learning.

• For more details, please see the Lakeridge Family Letter. 

• Renton Innovation Zone (RIZ) 

  • The RIZ includes 5 elementary schools including Lakeridge. Teachers and staff prioritize an equity lens in improving educational outcomes for all students.   

 

• Lab Days: Teachers are learners, too!

  • We value learning at Lakeridge for teachers, too. We hold full day learning labs 1-2 times per trimester. These days serve as learning opportunities for our classroom teachers in Literacy, Math, Science, and SEL/Social Studies. Substitutes are provided for classes.

• Student Discussion

  • We believe that student discussion is an important part of their learning process. Students learn strategies to engage in conversation with others. Discussions are used in all subject areas and all grade levels.

 

• Homework

  • It is the expectation of Lakeridge students to read at home each day (see reading minute expectations below). Families are encouraged to read with their student and/or participate in a discussion with the student about their reading.

    • Reading Minute Expectations by grade:

      • Kindergarten-2nd grade:  20 minutes or more per day or 140 minutes per week

      • 3rd-5th grade: 30 minutes or more per day or 210 minutes per week

  • “What else can my student do outside of school?”

    • Practice math facts: addition, subtraction, multiplication and division facts can be practiced with games, cards, or flash cards.

    • Students have access to several online learning apps through the Renton Clever portal. Contact your teacher with questions.

• Family Conferences 

  • November Family Conferences are scheduled with the teacher.  Appointments are 20-30 minutes long. Interpreters are provided if needed.

  • Additional Conferences may be requested by families or teachers.

• Report Cards

  • You will receive a report card at the end of each trimester about your student’s progress. 

    • During conferences in November 

    • Mid-year in March

    • End of the school year 

• Special Education

  • Lakeridge recognizes that all students learn differently. If you have concerns about your student’s academic or social- emotional needs, please reach out to your student’s teacher, the counselor, the psychologist, or administrators. 

  • For district special education resources, click here.

• Student Support

  • English Language Learner Program (ELL)

  • Highly Capable Program: Students identified as Highly Capable are part of Strength-Based Student Groupings. See your teacher for more information.

  • Students may receive additional support in Social-Emotional, Math or Reading in small-group settings.

 

More Helpful Information

• Attendance is important for academic success. Please let the office know if your student will be late or absent. 

• COVID Health and Safety Protocols:

• Breakfast is available everyday in the cafeteria. If a student arrives after school starts, they can get breakfast from the office before going to class.

• Lunch is served daily in the cafeteria. A vegetarian option is always available and no pork is served, The lunch menu is available on the district website. Please note that the menu options may change.

• The Free & Reduced Meal Application can be found on the Renton School District website.  (Application) It is important that all families complete a form each year, even if your student brings food from home to eat at school. Our school funding is tied to the application process and our school receives money from the state to provide things like free healthy snacks, reading support, and free family events.

 

• Arrival

  • Monday-Thursday: School starts at 8:30am. Student drop-off starts at 8:10am 

  • Friday: School starts at 10:00am. Student drop-off starts at 9:40. 

    • Breakfast is served from 8:10-8:30am.

  • Please drive slowly and follow the one way arrows in our parking lot. 

  • Disabled parking spots are reserved for permit holders only.

  • Please do not park in crosswalks. 

  • Use crosswalks for safety. 

 

• Dismissal 

  • Student pick-up is at 3:10pm Monday through Friday.

  • If you need to pick up your student before the end of the day please contact the office in advance: 425-204-4101.

  • Please follow all of the safety procedures listed above for dismissal.

  • Please contact the school if your transportation plans change. (For example: if your student will not be taking the bus home on a day when they normally do.)

• Recess

  • We believe recess should be fun and safe. Students are expected to follow agreements on the playground, which are created with student and staff input. 

  • Students get two 15 minute recesses each day. The school will provide appropriate recess equipment for all students to use.

  • There may be some instances where a student misses a recess (for example because of a safety concern). You will be contacted by your child’s teacher or other staff member if your student misses more than a few minutes of recess.

• Family Resources: Lakeridge has many resources for families. If your family needs support with anything, please reach out to our Family Engagement Coordinator Quincy Carter. He can be reached at 425-204-4136.

• Personal Devices

  • Technology Safety Information for Families

  • At Lakeridge, if a student has a personal device (cell phone, tablet), it should be turned off and kept in their backpack.

  • Add QR code (see link at top)

 

• Pets/Animals at School

  • Pets, even on a leash, are not allowed on school property from 8:10am - 3:20pm or during school functions for the safety of all.

Title 1 Information

• What is Title I?

  • Title I, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) provides financial assistance to states and school districts to meet the needs of educationally at-risk students. The goal of Title I is to provide extra instructional services and activities which support students identified as failing or most at risk of failing the state’s challenging performance standards in mathematics, reading, and writing. 

• District Parent Involvement Policy

  • The Renton School District values parental involvement in students’ education and has a Parent Involvement Policy (No. 4130) to support this value. The Categorical Programs Department holds annual parent advisory meetings for Title I, LAP, and ELL parents to gather feedback and implementation suggestions on the district’s parent involvement policy, procedures and programs.  The District’s policy is available on the district website and at the front desk in each school. School parent involvement plans are made available to parents at conference time and through school newsletters.  

• Instruction by Highly Qualified Staff

  • In compliance with the requirements of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) we would like to inform you that you may request information about the professional qualifications of your student’s teacher(s) or instructional paraprofessional(s).  

• Citizen’s Complaint Process

  • When a District receives Federal Title I funds it allows us the opportunity to provide supplemental support programs for Title I eligible students. As a recipient of these funds we are required to inform you that if you have a complaint about the services offered under Title I and have not been able to resolve them through the District process, you may file a citizen complaint to the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI). 

  • A citizen complaint is a written statement that alleges a violation of a federal rule, law or state regulation that applies to a federal program. 

    • Anyone can file a citizen complaint 

    • There is no special form

    • There is no need to know the law that governs a federal program to file a complaint