Safety Policies and Procedures

Transportation / Safety

Our goal is to provide a safe pedestrian and bicycle access while striving to maintain convenient automobile drop-off access. When age appropriate, we encourage biking and riding to the school to reduce vehicle drop-off congestion.

Pedestrian, Bicycle, Scooter, Skate and Skateboard Information

  • Review safety practices with children and practice traveling the route to school with the children.
  • Use your judgment if a child is ready to ride to school. However, it is recommended that K-2 not ride bikes, scooters or skateboards to school.
  • Bicycles, skateboards, scooters, and rollerblades are not to be ridden on the school grounds.
  • All bicycles must be locked every day. In the event of emergency, a lock may be borrowed from the school office.

Crossing Guards

  • An Adult Crossing Guard will be on duty approximately one-half hour before and after school at the Newell and Dana intersection and at the Alester and Channing intersection.

Safety Procedures During School Hours

VOLUNTEER AND VISITOR SIGN-IN/SIGN-OUT & NAME-TAG:
  • Between 8:05 a.m. - 2:40 p.m. (8:05-1:00 on Wednesday), all school volunteers and visitors sign in at the office when they arrive and wear a Duveneck name-tag while on campus.
  • When they leave, they return to the office to sign out. Parents and caregivers who are dropping off and picking up students do not need to follow this procedure during the 10 minutes before and after drop-off/pick-up.
GATES:
  • Gates to our school playground will be locked at 8:15 a.m. each morning. They will be unlocked just prior to 2:30 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday and at 12:50 p.m. on Wednesday. The kindergarten gate on Alester will be unlocked for a brief period of time at kindergarten dismissal.
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DISMISSAL PROCEDURES:
  • Parents and caregivers are not to arrive more than 10 minutes prior to dismissal time.
  • In accordance with PAUSD guidelines,“once school is dismissed, all students not accompanied by an adult are to leave campus for home and/or childcare”. In other words, all students must proceed home or be picked up at dismissal time.
  • According to PAUSD guidelines, parents with children waiting for the dismissal of primary and/or intermediate students may be on campus if they:
    • Remain (with their children) in principal designated area(s) until school is dismissed (see Duveneck’s designated areas below).
    • Supervise their children.
    • Do not disrupt teaching and learning programs.
  • Dismissal Times: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday:
    • 11:45 p.m. for kindergarten; starting Nov. 7, pick-up time twice a week is at 1:45 p.m.
    • 2:30 p.m. for grades 1-2-3
    • 2:40 p.m. for grades 4-5
    • Wednesday: 1:00 p.m. for all students.
  • Students must not remain on campus unsupervised after school has been dismissed. (Students who take the bus home are to report to a designated staff member for supervision when class is dismissed.)
  • Kindergarten students must proceed home at their 11:45 a.m. and 1:45 p.m. dismissals. Following 11:45 a.m. and 1:45 p.m. dismissals, parents/caregivers are not to remain on campus while waiting to pick up an older sibling; please return at the older student's dismissal time.
  • Between 2:30 p.m. – 2:40 p.m.: If the parent/caregiver remains on campus while waiting to pick up an older sibling, please:
    • Supervise your children at the picnic tables, blacktop, and playground structure. Since the school does not provide supervision once the students are dismissed, the parents/caregivers must supervise their children during this time period.
    • Children are not to play with balls or other equipment during this time.
    • All children are to "walk their wheels" - no riding on bicycles, rollerblades, skateboards, scooters, etc.
    • Remeber, school is stil in session for grades 4 and 5.
  • Prior to dismissal times: While classes are still in session, please help us by:
    • maintaining a subdued and quiet atmosphere near classrooms where instruction is still in progress
    • enabling teachers to have full and unfettered access to the picnic tables, blacktop, field and playground structures

     

SUPERVISION DURING LUNCH RECESS

A noon supervisor is assigned for each grade level (K-5) . We are fortunate to have this level of supervision.

DOGS ON CAMPUS

Most of us treat our dogs as members of our family. Many dogs are enrolled in obedience school to ensure that the pet is well behaved. We play fetch with our dogs and provide necessary veterinary care. It is a tradition for some parents to walk their children and dogs to and from school each day. Yet veterinarians tell us that the most socialized dog can exhibit aggressive behavior in crowds; for example, 300 students before and/or after school.

During the 2001-02 academic year, dogs that had not previously exhibited hostile behavior have bitten four (4) students in PAUSD schools; one of those incidents took place at Duveneck. PAUSD guidelines state that unless authorized by the principal, dogs may not be brought to school. At Duveneck, we urge parents not to
bring dogs to school, however dogs will be allowed on campus under the following conditions only:

(1) The parents have asked themselves the following two questions:
(a) Do we have a compelling purpose in bringing our dog on to the campus when dropping off and picking up our children?
(b) Does our dog possess the capacity to behave safely in a crowded, unpredictable, and active environment?

(2) After reflecting on the above two questions, if you determine that there is good reason for bringing your dog on to the campus at the start and close of the school day and that the dog is capable of managing
its behavior in this environment, then adherence to the following is required by the PAUSD:
-Keep your dog on a tight leash. (Palo Alto Leash Law)
-Only adults should hold the leash.
-Closely monitor your dog and the behavior of the children around you.
-Enter and leave campus as quickly as possible in order to reduce the opportunity for the dog to become over-excited or to misinterpret the actions of others.
-Keep your dog away from the red-top walking areas, picnic tables, & play structures (crowded spaces)

(3)Dogs are not allowed on campus on the following days and/or events (due to commotion, crowding, and/or unpredictable situations on these days/events):
-August 22 - September 3 (first two weeks of school)
-October 31 - Halloween Parade & Parties
-Classroom Performances/Presentations, Parties, & Field Trips
-Schoolwide Outdoor Events/Activities during the school day (for example, picnic lunches)
-Large Scale Events in the evening like the Science Fair and Open House
-Other Events/Days when notified by school

As part of our joint duty to continuously review issues of safety at our school, our School Site Council will continue to evaluate permitting dogs on campus while school is in session.

Emergency/Disaster Procedure

In case of emergency, such as an earthquake, parents follow these procedures:

Check-Out Procedure

  1. Do not phone the school.
  2. Park away from school.
  3. Report to the Command Center and complete a Release Request slip for your student and for other children for whom you are responsible Do not go to the classroom or to the classroom's evacuation location.
  4. Wait for the student(s) to be brought to the Command Center
  5. Check out the student(s) with the personnel at the Command Center.
  6. Leave the campus with the student(s).
  7. Should children be moved to another site, information will be posted near the office.

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Release Priority

School will retain children until the first to arrive of the following:

  1. Parent / Guardian
  2. Person designated on Emergency/Health Card and yellow Emergency ID tag.

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NOTE: Make sure your child's Emergency/Health Card and yellow Emergency ID tag are kept up-to-date.

Drop-Off Map  

SCHOOL POLICIES & PRACTICES

Attendance Procedures

Parents are requested to telephone the school office (322-5946) before 8:45 am on the day of a child's absence. Attendance messages can be left on extension 202 when the office is closed. The Office opens at 7:30 am. State the name of the child, the room number, and the reason for the absence. Please do not send your child back to school until he/she is completely recovered.

If for any reason (other than illness) your child must leave school before the regular dismissal time, he/she should bring a note from you to the classroom teacher specifying the purpose of the absence, the departure time and the time that he/she expects to return. Upon leaving or returning to school for any reason and at any time, the student must sign out/in with the main office.

Students are considered TARDY if they are not in their classroom at 8:05 am. Late students must check in at the main office and get a Tardy Slip to take to their teacher. Late students miss valuable instruction and unnecessarily interrupt their classes.

Hot Lunch Program

Elementary lunch is $3.75, and .40 for reduced price eligible students.

Palo Alto Unified School District (PAUSD) provides meal services for our students. Lunch is offered at all schools. Families may be eligible for free or reduced priced meals. To apply, you may complete the online form by visiting www.lunchapp.com or you can pick up an application at Food Services, 25 Churchill Ave, Palo Alto, CA 94306.

All elementary schools receive deposits/checks in any amount over $20. Tickets are not issued at these schools. Money is simply deposited into the child’s lunch account and debited as purchases are made. We encourage families NOT to send cash for lunch on a daily basis. We strongly prefer the options listed below.

  1. Visit www.lunchdeposit.com, open an account (opening an account is free – you will need your child’s 8 digit Student ID number) and deposit money into your child’s account online! You can also view your child’s lunch account balance on line at the same Web site. Note: There is a 6% service fee each time funds are deposited on www.lunchdeposit.com. Deposits will go right into your child’s lunch account.

  2. Don’t want to deposit funds online? Send a check made out to PAUSD Food Service to your child’s school or to Food Services at 25 Churchill Avenue, Palo Alto, CA 94306. The amount sent will be deposited into your child’s lunch account.

For information about the lunch program email foodserv@pausd.org or call 650-329-3806.. Look for detailed information mailed from the PAUSD to each family and on the Duveneck Web page. Menus are published monthly and distributed one per family attached to the Duveneck Dispatch (extras are available in the school office).

Medication at School

Students needing to take ANY MEDICATION (including prescription and non-prescription) during school hours must have the parent bring the medication, in the original container, to the School Office. It will be kept in a locked cupboard and dispensed as ordered. The parent or guardian must provide the Physician/Parent Authorization to Dispense Medication form available in the School Office. A NEW FORM NEEDS TO BE FILLED OUT EVERY YEAR. No medications, including aspirin or antibiotic cream or spray, are provided by the school. No medications of any kind, including inhalers, may be kept in the classroom, backpack, lunch box, etc., by a student. Medications must be kept in the office.

Student Illness

Please do not send your child to school if he/she is displaying any ofthe following symptoms:

a. Common Cold: Keep child home during period of productive cough, and yellow or green nasal discharge, especially during the first three days of his/her cold. Rest and care during the early stages often prevent complications.
b. Nasal drainage that appears thick (pus-like).
c. Cough.
d. Fever (over 100.4 degrees orally, 101 degrees rectally, or 99 degrees axillary, under the arm). In some children, lower temperatures represent a fever.
e. Eyes that are red, swollen, crusting or draining.
f. Draining ears and earache.
g. Diarrhea—loose watery bowel movement.
h. Severe headache or pain.
i. Skin rash, unless diagnosed by doctor as non-infectious (obtain notefrom doctor).
j. Childhood communicable disease—call school nurse.
k. Nausea or vomiting
l. Head lice (please inspect hair carefully).
m. Sore throat.

Head Lice

Head Lice have become a concern in the schools and information is available in the school office on detection and treatment. Students who have been identified to have head lice will be sent home immediately for treatment and will be excluded until subsequent inspection shows no lice or nits are present in the hair, and parents complete and return the lice treatment form.