Cell Phones and Smart Watches

We discourage students from bringing cell phones to school.  However, we understand that many families rely on them for communicating with each other after school.  Therefore, if cell phones are brought to school, they must remain OFF and in backpacks during the school day, including recesses, lunch, and bus rides.  Smart watches can be worn during the day but should be silenced.  Students should not be accessing apps on the Smart watch.  Additionally, state testing in grades 3 -5 requires that phones and smart watches be in backpacks.  If a child needs to call a parent during the school day, they can use a phone in the office or classroom.

If a cell phone poses a consistent disruption to the learning environment, school staff will contact the family to develop a plan.

Please remember that cell phones brought to school are brought at the owner’s own risk and families need to understand that the phones and watches are easily lost.  If a loss occurs at school, it is not the responsibility of the school.

 

Classroom/Birthday Treats

Teachers may have specific requests regarding birthday treats and celebrations. Therefore, it’s always important to discuss your desire for a birthday celebration with your child’s classroom teacher ahead of time.

  • If a birthday is celebrated at school, plan on a short duration (5 minutes).
  • If your child’s classroom teacher allows birthday treats, they should be healthy and nutritious and must follow the procedures of the school district policy for the prevention of anaphylaxis (food & substance allergies). (See appendix for the Bellevue School District Nutrition Policy: POLICY 3420 AND PROCEDURE 3420P (ANAPHYLAXIS PREVENTION AND RESPONSE)
  • There is no refrigeration available for birthday treats at school.
  • Birthday invitations must be emailed/mailed and cannot be handed out at school.

* A new popular idea for celebrating a child’s birthday or special accomplishment is to donate a favorite book to the school library or classroom in the child’s name. Kids LOVE this gift! Ask your child’s teacher or our librarian, Ms. Lee, for title suggestions.

 

Dress Code & Shoes

Dress for school should allow for students to move around comfortably and safely as classes often include movement within instruction. Additionally, please be sure to consider the weather, as recesses are held outdoors rain or shine.

Footwear should be chosen with safety in mind, considering running outdoors and climbing on playground equipment. A non-skid, non-marking soled shoe with closed toe is recommended for PE days.

 

Emergency Contact Numbers

Call or send a note to the office promptly with changes in home address, home and work phone, or names and phone numbers of emergency contact persons.  This information is vital in the event of an accident, illness, early school closure or other emergency while the child is at school.

 

Emergency Information

Please complete and return the “Student Profile/Emergency Release” form which is sent home mid-September.  This form will be kept on file in the office and in our emergency supply storage room.  The form will be used when your child is sick or if there is an emergency at school.  In either of these cases, we will first call the parents/guardians listed at their home/work numbers.  If we are unable to reach them directly, we will leave a message whenever possible and proceed down the emergency contact list in the order given.  We often face the dilemma of not being able to contact anyone because the phone numbers have changed or are no longer in use, or we simply don’t have any other numbers to call.  We would appreciate your listing as many alternative emergency contacts as possible.  Contact the school office when any of the emergency contact information you wish to have on file changes.

 

Emergency Plan

In the event of an emergency, we have an emergency/disaster plan.  Students and staff are instructed on emergency procedures.  We practice monthly safety drills such as fire, earthquake, and lockdown drills.  We have an emergency supply storage room on campus that contains supplies to provide food, water, and shelter for the students and staff.  We also have a number of staff trained in First Aid and CPR.  In the event of an emergency, our power may be lost and we may not be able to contact you.  For that reason it is even more essential for you to complete the “Student Profile/Emergency Release” form.

During an emergency, your child will only be released to their parent/guardian or those you have designated on their emergency contact sheet. Also, during an emergency, if you come to the school site, look for signs or school personnel at the student check out station. The most secure and safe way to get your student is to check them out at the sign-out station – this is where you will find the quickest information and action to get to your child. Please be sure to fill out the “Student Profile/Emergency Release” form, to help expedite the process for everyone’s benefit.

 

Enatai PTSA

Enatai Parent Teacher Student Association (PTSA) is a major program facilitator and economic resource for Enatai Elementary students and staff.  Some educational programs, most financial classroom support, and many social activities would not exist without the support of Enatai PTSA. You can join Enatai’s PTSA in the front office using the family computer kiosk or on Enatai’s PTSA website:  http://www.enataiptsa.org.

 

Health Information

Additional guidance specific to COVID-19 procedures will be provided via The Eagle Update as Seattle-King County Health adapts procedures for COVID-19 based on the health of the community.

Students who become ill at school are sent to the health clinic for observation.  Your child will need to be picked up immediately if an elevated temperature is present, or if your child vomits at school.  If the school is unable to contact parents, the person designated by parents as an emergency contact will be called to arrange care until a parent is available.  It is recommended that if a child has vomited in the last 12 hours, or had a fever, he/she stay home sick for the day.

Injuries are handled in a similar manner.  The school will administer basic first aid, but if there is any question as to the seriousness of the injury, parents will be notified immediately.

Keep in mind Public Health rules designed to safeguard children:

  1. Stay at home with a severe cold for several days.
  2. Do not come to school with a fever.
  3. Do not come to school if unable to participate in both indoor and outdoor activities, including PE and recess.

 

Administering Medication At School

School personnel are not allowed to administer medication without written authorization from a physician.  If medications are to be given at school, the school nurse must be notified and an Authorization to Administer Medication form must be filled out and on file in the school office.  All medications must come to the school office in the original container, labeled by the pharmacy or physician with the medication name, amount to be taken, frequency of administration and name of physician.

The State of Washington Code requires that schools maintain up-to-date immunization records for measles, mumps, rubella (MMR), diphtheria, and polio for all students unless there are medical or religious objections. Additionally, all students are required to complete a series of three Hepatitis B inoculations and kindergarten-4th grade students need a second MMR. Should the school be missing any of these immunization records, your child may be asked to stay home until the information has been received in the office.

 

Items From Home/Class Sharing

Toys, trading cards, electronic games, stuffed animals, money, and other personal items of value should remain at home so they are not misplaced, lost, or broken.  If a child wishes to bring a special item to share with the class, they must first get permission from the teacher.

 

Library

The library is open to students during the school day.  Classes in grades K-4 visit the library each week to meet with the librarian, listen to stories, engage in research projects, and check out books.  Students in fifth grade visit the library as needed for book borrowing and research.  Checking out library books for home use is encouraged.  Please help students become responsible for returning library books on time.  Be mindful of the books your child brings home so that they may be returned when due for use by others.  Parent volunteers are welcome and needed to help shelve and repair library books. Contact our librarian to offer your assistance. She can be contacted by email at [email protected] or via phone at 425-456-5200.

 

Lost and Found

If your child misplaces an article of clothing, water bottle, or lunchbox, please visit our Lost and Found located near the main office. As a friendly reminder, please label student items which helps us reunite the item and owner.

Each year, numerous jackets, sweatshirts, lunch boxes, and other items are never claimed.  Three times a year (winter break, spring break, and again in June), items from the Lost and Found will be donated to charity, so please claim missing items promptly.

 

Meal Program 

(Please see the appendix for the full text of the Bellevue School District Nutrition Policy 8400).

We use a computerized meal accounting system.  Each student is issued a Personal Identification Number (PIN) which is used to purchase a meal or milk.  Students who purchase meal key in their PIN and their account is debited accordingly.  Students who purchase milk write their PIN and name on a sheet of paper and their account is debited accordingly.  We encourage you to send a check for several lunches at a time, if possible, made payable to the Bellevue School District.

When sending a check for lunch payment, make sure you include your child’s first and last name on the check.  If you have more than one child, you may use one check, but please indicate the amount of money to deposit into each child’s account.  If you pay with cash, place it in an envelope, clearly labeled with your child’s name and teacher.  All lunch money must be delivered to the office in the morning. You may now also make prepayments to your student’s account using a credit card. Call 456-4507 or visit https://paypams.com/HomePage.aspx to use this option.

Menus are available on the district website. Free and reduced price lunches are available to children whose family’s income falls within eligibility guidelines. You may complete the eligibility form online at any time (including using the family computer kiosk in the main office); however, you must reapply each year. This information is kept confidential.

 

Snack

Many students choose to bring a snack from home to eat mid-morning.  These snacks should be healthy choices such as crackers, cheese, granola bars, or fruit.  Candy, gum, and soda should not be brought to school for snack or lunch. Classroom snacks should follow district policy and procedures (POLICY 3420 AND PROCEDURE 3420P (ANAPHYLAXIS PREVENTION AND RESPONSE). Teachers appreciate donations of boxes of graham crackers, saltines, fish crackers, pretzels, or other non-perishable snacks that can be kept in the classroom and shared with students who may have forgotten their snack. If you are interested in donating, please check with your child’s teacher to see if they are interested and of what types of snacks.

 

Parent Volunteers

Enatai has a positive reputation for the number of volunteers that assist staff and students each day, week and month! Enatai continues to need volunteers to help provide quality educational and enrichment activities for students. Every contribution, big or small, makes a difference in our children’s education and is vital to the success of our school.  If you are interested in serving as a volunteer at Enatai (in a classroom, library, field trip volunteer, etc…), you need to be cleared once during your child(ren)’s elementary school years.  This can be done by contacting the Enatai main office either in person or via phone at 425-456-5200.

 

Visitor Badges

We are fortunate at Enatai to have the strong commitment by families and other volunteers to assist in the school.  In keeping with state laws, Bellevue School District policy, and as a safety measure, we require that all visitors and volunteers sign in at the office when arriving at the school. We truly appreciate your support of Enatai and want you to feel welcome here. Thank you for realizing that the safety of all students is a high priority.

 

Photographs and/or Recordings

Photographs and recordings of students at school are not allowed without permission from the parent/guardian.  Please note that this is one of many reasons that students are not allowed to use phones and smart watches during the day.

Occasionally, your student might be included in a recording and/or photograph used for appropriate district-authorized purposes possibly outside the district.   Permission forms have been sent home and are available in the office for you to sign only if you do not want your child included in these recordings or photographs.

Examples of uses include but are not limited to:

  • Highlight for the Bellevue community what we do in our school
  • Use for broadcast media and newspaper articles
  • Include in the Annual School Performance Report
  • Publicize Bellevue Schools Foundation programs
  • Make presentations to other audiences at workshops
  • Support other appropriate district-authorized purposes

Please remember that when attending a school performance, videos and pictures taken on personal devices that include other students should not be posted on social media without consent from all guardians of these students.

 

Student Placement

The goal of student placement is that each student be placed in a positive learning environment.  Staff members work collaboratively to build balanced classes that best meet the needs of each learner.  Many factors are considered when placing students.  Academic strengths, needs, social and emotional characteristics, as well as parental input are thoughtfully considered.  Should a parent feel that a child’s placement is inappropriate, a request  should be made to the Principal either by meeting* with the Principal or by using the “Request for Change of Placement” form found in the main office.   Changes in classroom assignments will only be considered after the second full week of school and will involve meeting with the classroom teacher.  Please note a change of placement during the school year is rare.

*Meetings may include, but are not limited to, meeting in person, meeting online, and/or a phone call.

 

Student Progress Reports

The chief purpose of reporting student progress to parents it to provide the information necessary for a solid collaborative partnership between school and the home in guidance of the student.  Parents will be kept informed about the growth and progress of their children in all aspects of school curriculum, including observed student behaviors in the intellectual, emotional, physical and social development areas.  Written progress reports will be sent during two reporting periods: January and June. These reports are accessible to families via ParentVue.  If you need help accessing ParentVue, please contact the main office during regular hours of operation.


The Bellevue School District acknowledges that we learn, work, live and gather on the Indigenous Land of the Coast Salish peoples, specifically the Duwamish and Snoqualmie Tribes. We thank these caretakers of this land, who have lived and continue to live here, since time immemorial.