The health and safety of students is a shared concern. While students are given directions regarding safety precautions at school, it is the responsibility of parents to get students safely to and from school.

Emergency Care Information

Accurate and up-to-date emergency care information must be filed in the school office. It must include the names and phone numbers of doctors, dentists and at least two local persons besides the parents who can be called in case of an emergency. Parents should review the information for accuracy. They are to promptly and in writing notify the office of any changes.

Child Abuse or Neglect

Child abuse is any act of commission/omission that endangers or impairs a child’s physical or emotional health and/or development. This includes:

• Physical abuse or corporal punishment
• Emotional abuse or deprivation
• Physical neglect and/or inadequate supervision
• Sexual abuse and/or exploitation

School personnel are required by law to report any reasonable suspicion of child abuse.
A reasonable suspicion of child abuse means that “it is objectively reasonable for a person to entertain such a suspicion, based upon facts that could cause a reasonable person in a like position, drawing when appropriate on his/her training and experience to suspect child abuse.” (Penal Code section 1166a)
Determining whether or not the suspected abuse actually occurred is not the responsibility of the educator, but that of the child protective agency.

Immunizations

No child may be admitted as a student unless s/he has been immunized according to California Immunization requirements.
TB Screening should be done upon entrance to school. The Mantoux test is the only acceptable screening test.
Conditional Admission: A student who lacks the required immunizations has one (1) week to begin immunization.

Communicable Diseases

In the school environment, many communicable diseases or conditions are easily transmitted from one individual to another. Among the most common restrictable diseases or conditions in students are head lice, chicken pox, mumps and measles.

Parent to School Notification

Parents should notify the school immediately if their chilld has come into contact with or has any contagious disease or condition, such as but not limited to, chicken pox, pink eye, and/or head lice.

Medications

Schools may not furnish any medications.
All medication administration require parent/legal guardian authorization.
All prescription medications and aspirin require physician and parent/legal guardian authorization.
All medications must be secured in the school office. Use of an epi-pen necessitates a 911 call. Because of the risk of students sharing medication, no student may carry their own medications. In the event that a student is seriously at risk without the epi-pen or inhaler on their own person, consideration will be given to a variance if the physician and parent document the following:

•Risk of not carrying medication
•The student has been instructed in the indications, administration, side effects, responsibility not to share, and the responsibility to notify the teacher immediately after use.
•Glucose testing and insulin administration is to be coordinated by the parent/legal guardian in collaboration with the school Principal.

Responsibility of Parent/legal guardians:

1. Parents/legal guardians will assume full responsibility for the supplying of all medications.
2. No medications may be brought to school by students.
3. Parents/legal guardians shall deliver or cause to be delivered by an adult or an authorized employee of a pharmaceutical supplier any medication to be administered. The medication must be delivered to the office in the original containers and labeled with the name of the medication, dosage, name of child, and frequency of administration. Over the counter medications should be in original sealed packages with directions for administration.

Aspirin and Other Over-the Counter Drugs

The dispensing of aspirin will be treated as a prescription drug. No aspirin will be administered to students by any school personnel without written authorization from the student’s physician.

Students requiring over-the-counter drugs (with the exception of aspirin) will be assisted by authorized school personnel. This shall be done in accordance with the parent/legal guardian’s instructions provided that a signed medication form is on file for the specific medication and all items listed above have been completed.

Playground Supervision

Supervision is provided from 7:40 a.m.- 3:00 p.m. Students may be on school grounds only between these hours unless participating in a school-sponsored activity supervised by a designated adult.

Illness and Injury

Should a student be injured or become ill, the parents shall be contacted. No student shall be permitted to go home before this contact is made.
If the parents cannot be reached and the illness or injury is serious enough to require medical attention, the principal shall consult the student’s emergency care authorization for persons designated by parent/guardian to act as their representative. (D.H. 5535)

Student Insurance

If a serious accident occurs during school hours the school office will complete the necessary form. Upon completing the form, the school will forward the form to the parent.

Health Screening

Students at appointed grades are screened for vision, hearing and scoliosis. In addition teachers may request vision or hearing tests for any student who demonstrates need. Screening for lice will be conducted on an as needed basis.
Snellen Eye Test...new students and grades 1,3,5,7
Modified Clinical Test...new students and those demonstrating needs (teacher referral and those who failed the Snellen eye test)
Audiometric Testing...new students and grades K,2,5,8
Scoliosis...grades 6,7 girls & 8 boys

Elevator Use

The elevator is not to be used by students without prior permission from the administration. The elevator is to be used only in an emergency or for the disabled.

Fire and Earthquake Drills

Earthquake and fire drills are held periodically throughout the year. Students leave the building quickly and quietly and report to previously designated areas. Each classroom has on display the particular route to be taken.

Emergencies occurring during out-of-school hours may result in school being closed. Parents should consult KNBR 680 or KCBS 740 radio. Families will be notified through the school phone tree.

Visitors and Volunteers

Visitors and volunteers (including parents) are permitted in classrooms only by prior arrangement, which includes checking in at the office and being announced to the teachers. All visitors, including parents who are working in the school, are to sign the book in the office and receive an ID badge upon arriving and sign out when leaving.

Megan’s Law

All volunteers who work at the school site or in school sponsored activities twelve or more hours a month must be screened pursuant to the identification process established under California’s Megan Law...All volunteers who participate in any overnight experiences (e.g. Environmental Education Camp) must be screened pursuant to the identification process established under California’s Megan Law. (Diocesan Handbook)

Volunteer Code

Volunteers serve to enhance the school’s ability to provide for the students’ development and to benefit the school. They serve in a variety of capacities, which include, but are not limited to: School Advisory Council and committees, Parents’ Association Board and committees, Annual Auction Committee, Art Literacy, classroom assistance to teachers, cafeteria/hot lunch program, room parents, field trip assistants, and other activities relating to the talents and gifts of the volunteer population.

Volunteers serving in the school will support and model the moral teachings of the Catholic Church and function faithfully within the mission and structures of the school, parish, and Diocese with proper respect for those serving in ministries.
Volunteers work in a collaborative role with others ministering to the development of the children and the school as an educational institution. Volunteers are asked to recognize confidentiality as a living principle and respect the dignity of those with whom they work and come in contact.
Volunteers accept responsibility to use contacts made through the school in such a way so as not to disrupt the peace, order, and tranquility of the school community.

Should volunteers come into conflict on school/parish related issues, it is the responsibility of both to resolve the dispute through personal diplomacy and/or an executive decision by school Principal and/or the Pastor of the parish.

Any person who has a conflict with a school/parish volunteer outside of the boundaries of school/parish activities must settle that dispute outside of and without involving or using school/parish resources.

TB Test

In order to comply with the California Health Safety Code, volunteers and employees of a school are required to be tested for Tuberculosis every two (2) years. Schools are required to keep an up-to-date file of certificates.

Children Who Walk, Bike or Ride the Bus

Any child walking, riding a bicycle, or taking the bus home must have a note of permission from his/her parents on file in the office. No child is to be picked up on Hamlin Road or Solana Drive.

Bicycle/Skateboard/Roller Blade Regulations

Skateboards and roller blades are not permitted on school property. The skateboard/roller blades/bike will be confiscated overnight and the parent will be notified if these rules are not followed. The only exception is equipment used by Panther House.

Traffic and Parking

1. Safety dictates that traffic on school grounds must proceed slowly (5 m.p.h.). When grandparents or others are driving students, school procedures are to be explained beforehand.

2. When picking up students after school, drivers follow the same procedure as in the morning. Students will enter cars only after they have stopped in front of the school. Parking in front of church at dismissal is restricted to those individuals who are purchasing scrip. Upon completion of their transaction, drivers join the carpool line.

3. Parents may park on the upper level at arrival time to walk their child(ren) down the hill. Parents may also park on the upper level at dismissal time and walk down to the school to meet their child(ren). Because there is no supervision on the upper level at this time parents must accompany their students to the car. Students may not walk to and from the upper level unattended.

4. For safety, the school and rectory driveways as well as the area behind teachers’ lot, must be kept free at all times. Parents and visitors needing to park during school hours are to use the upper level parking spaces only. Whenever possible, vehicles should be parked along the edge, not in the center or under basketball hoops.

5. No child is to be picked up on Hamlin Road or Solana Drive.

No unauthorized organization, agency, or person may be allowed to visit or assume custody of any student on school premises during school hours or immediately before or after school unless explicitly authorized in writing by the parent or guardian. In order to cooperate with student and family needs: It is the responsibility of the parent or guardian to inform the school of custody status and subsequent changes and arrangements. The school may ask for a legal verification of these arrangements. (D.H. 5320)
Non-legal guardian for the exercise of visitation rights may not use the school.