Earl Buxton School

Student and Parent Handbook

2017 – 2018

Principal: Mrs. Judy Wilkie

Assistant Principal: Mr. Michael Steele

250 Rhatigan Road East NW

Edmonton, Alberta

T6R 2H7

Telephone: 780-435-1577

Fax: 780-435-0178

This agenda belongs to

Name:_________________________________________________________

Room:_______________________________________________

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Welcome to Earl Buxton School

We are pleased to welcome your family to another year of learning at Earl Buxton School.

In its twenty six year history Earl Buxton School has earned and enjoyed a reputation for

excellence. This has come about as a result of the natural abilities, hard work and effort of our

students, the skill, expertise and dedication of our staff, and the support and assistance of our

parents and the community.

We hope that together we can help our students strive for and achieve excellence in all aspects of

their schooling. We plan on reaching this goal through emphasizing the key roles that are played

by students as learners, parents as partners, teachers as professionals, and the school as

community.

The purpose of this handbook is to provide you with basic information about school organization

and school policies and procedures. It is not intended, however, to replace the need for or

benefits of personal communication between us. If you have any questions, concerns or

suggestions about any aspect of the school or your child’s/children’s programs please do not

hesitate to contact us. Welcoming and enhancing a strong partnership can assure us of success in

the upcoming year. We invite your participation and involvement as we work together to

support your child/children as they “Aim for Excellence”.

Our staff is looking forward to assisting you and your child/children throughout this important

initial phase of their learning journey, as we work together towards having a great year!

Yours in learning,

Mrs. J. Wilkie Mrs. Judy Wilkie M.Ed

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About our namesake Dr. Earl Buxton: 1910 to 1977

Dr. Earl Buxton was a talented teacher and administrator in a number of towns in Alberta prior to

becoming a teacher with the Edmonton Public Schools from 1942 to 1948. He resigned to

accept a teaching position with the University of Alberta and eventually became a professor in

the Faculty of Education at Edmonton. He served as a member of the Edmonton Public School

Board from 1964 to 1968.

Dr. Buxton wrote and edited several high school texts and references, drew cartoons for

publication and was a champion boxer. Prominent in national and international organizations

relating to the teaching of English, the name Earl Buxton is still very prominent in professional

literature.

Earl Buxton School

September 2017 marks the beginning of the twenty sixth full year of operation in this very fine,

award winning facility.

This year the school will accommodate three classes of Kindergarten and twenty classes of

students from Grades 1 to 6. French as a Second Language is offered for students in grades 4 - 6.

This facility is being used to its maximum. Students are involved in an array of activities and

group work throughout the school, both with students in their own classes as well as "buddy"

classes. Our Learning Commons continues to add to its collection and list of resources. The

Learning Commons is an integral part of our school and we look with promise on the research

and thinking skills that are gained as students and teachers work with the Learning Commons

staff on an on-going basis.

With the Riverbend Community League Building attached, we have built a mutually beneficial

partnership with friends in our community. It is a wonderful space and certainly adds a unique

dimension to Earl Buxton School. Priority booking of the school gym on weeknights has been

given to groups and organizations affiliated with the community league.

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Edmonton Public Schools

Vision and Mission Statement

VISION

Transforming the learners of today into the leaders of tomorrow

MISSION

We inspire student success through high quality learning opportunities, supported by

meaningfully engaged students, parents, staff and community

DISTRICT PRIORITIES 2014 - 2018

1. Foster growth and success for every student by supporting their journey from early

learning through high school completion and beyond

2. Provide welcoming, high quality learning and working environments

3. Enhance public education through communication, engagement and partnerships

VALUES

Supporting the Vision, Mission and Priorities are the District’s cornerstone values of

accountability, collaboration, equity and integrity

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Earl Buxton School

Vision:

Earl Buxton School is a safe and engaging environment where every student

achieves at his or her maximum potential.

Mission:

We will strive to empower every student to become a lifelong learner who is a

responsible, productive and engaged citizen within the global community.

School Hours of Operation

Morning Afternoon Thursday - Early Dismissal

8:30 a.m. Buses Arrive

8:39 a.m. Assembly Bell

8:44 a.m. Classes Begin

10:20 - 10:35 a.m. Recess

11:35 a.m. Lunch Dismissal

12:25 p.m. Assembly Bell

12:28 p.m. Classes Begin

2:10 - 2:25 p.m. Recess

(No p.m. Recess on Thursdays)

3:30 p.m. Dismissal

3:40 p.m. Buses Leave

2:21 p.m. Dismissal

2:30 p.m. Buses Leave

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Calendar of Events and Holidays for 2017 – 2018

August 31st

September 1st

September 4th

September 5th

September 14th

September 21st

September 22nd

October 9th

October 20th

November 9th - 13

th

November 27th

December 12th

- 14th

December 22nd

December 25th

– January 5th

January 8th

February 9th

February 19th

March 1st & 2

nd

March 23rd

March 26th

– April 2nd

April 3rd

April 30th

May 18th

- May 22nd

June 28th

June 29th

PD Day (no classes)

Operational Day for Staff (no classes)

Labour Day (no classes)

First Day of Classes

PAC Welcome Back BBQ

Meet the Teacher Night

Terry Fox Run

Thanksgiving Day (no classes)

PD Day (no classes)

November Break (no classes)

PD Day (no classes)

Christmas Concerts

Last Instructional Day before Christmas Break

Christmas Break (no classes)

First Instructional Day after Christmas PD Day (no classes)

Family Day (no classes)

Teachers' Convention (no classes)

Last Instructional Day before Spring Break

Spring Break and Easter (no classes)

First Instructional Day after Spring Break and Easter

PD Day (no classes)

May Break (no classes)

Last Day of Instruction

Last Day of Operation (no classes)

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Policies and Procedures

Attendance Check

In an effort to ensure the safety of your children, the school will conduct a daily attendance

check. Please call the school at 780-435-1577 if your child is going to be absent from or late to

school. This line has an answering machine to take your calls from 4:00 p.m. until 8:30 a.m. If a

student is absent and we have no prior information pertaining to this absence the school will call

home to ensure that your child is safe and accounted for.

Bicycles, Skateboards, Rollerblades and Scooters In an effort to promote a healthy lifestyle, students are encouraged to consider alternative

methods of arriving to and from school. Prior to considering these alternative modes of

transportation, however, it is important that parents help children to understand and obey the

safety rules associated with them and to ensure that appropriate safety equipment is worn.

Students who bike, board, blade or scoot to school are expected to remove or get off their

equipment once they arrive at school. Bicycles are to be locked up on the racks provided. All

other equipment is to be put away and stored in the student's backpack. Students are not

permitted to use this equipment during school hours unless they are under the direct supervision

of a teacher.

Please note: the school will not assume any responsibility for lost or stolen equipment.

Bus Transportation Yellow bus service may be provided for students living in Falconer Heights, River Ridge, and

Eagle Ridge. Specific locations for pick ups will be determined in late August by our

Transportation Department and sent out on SchoolZone. If you have any questions or concerns,

please call us at the school. Just a reminder that late bus notification and other information can

be found on http://transportation.epsb.net.

Cold Weather Policy When it is extremely cold (-23 C or colder including the wind chill) or raining very hard,

regular recess will be cancelled. Students will be given a short in-school break and dismissed at

the regular time. Please ensure children are appropriately dressed for the weather so that they

will be comfortable when they are outside. If they are reluctant to dress warmly, include all

appropriate clothing in their knapsack because, as they realize we are committed to outdoor

recesses, they will then dress for the weather.

Consulting Services Team As well as curricular consultants for teacher support, Edmonton Public Schools provides services

from Reading Specialists, Psychologists and Social Workers. These people are excellent in

helping teachers and parents tailor an appropriate program for students. Teachers will contact

parents before referring students to the reading specialist or psychologist.

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Earl Buxton on the Web and School Zone For those families with Internet access you are invited to visit our website

http://earlbuxton.epsb.ca. Features include the School Handbook, Internet Links page, and the

annual Calendar. Please make sure that you are regularly checking SchoolZone to ensure you

receive all the latest updates regarding your child.

Emergency Drills In addition to Fire Drills, throughout the year we will be holding Emergency Drills so that

students and staff will be well prepared in the event of an actual emergency that would

necessitate the evacuation or the securing of our school.

Although our staff will be preparing students for these drills; kindergarten students do several

“simulated” drills prior to the actual drill while other students are reminded of the expectations,

some students can be upset by this experience. If you anticipate that your child will need

additional support please contact your child’s teacher so that we may work together to prepare

them.

If you have any questions about these drills please do not hesitate to contact the school office.

Field Trips and Resource Persons Field trips, author presentations and workshops and special fine arts performances are an integral

part of the curricular program, therefore it is our hope that all students will participate in these

activities. Parents will be notified of all field trips prior to their occurrence. This notification

will indicate the purpose and requirements for the field trip and will include a permission slip to

be signed by a parent and returned to the teacher. Students must have a signed permission slip to

attend each field trip. Information will also include the name of the First Aid designates for that

trip, the fee for the field trip or special in-school activity will be stated. The number and cost of

field trips varies from class to class so each teacher will provide specific information related to

his/her class. No child will be refused the right to participate in these activities due to lack of

funds if the situation is brought to the attention of the principal.

Please Note: Insurance coverage for students is a parental responsibility. Student insurance is

not provided by the school district.

Holidays During Scheduled Instructional Time The school year has been organized so as to provide for natural breaks and holidays for students.

The demands of the curriculum are such that if a child were to miss a significant period of

instructional time this could have an impact on his or her achievement for that year.

While travel provides wonderful opportunities for learning, given the increasing number of

parents who are choosing to withdraw their child/children for extended periods of time at times

other than scheduled breaks, it is important to understand the educational ramifications of that

decision. The purpose of this policy is to provide you with information regarding what the

teacher is able to do to support the child’s learning and what will be the responsibilities of the

parent during this absence.

Essentially parents who choose to take their child/children out of school to go on an extended

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holiday or trip are choosing to homeschool their child for that period of time. Before making this

decision please talk to your child’s teacher and consider the following factors:

● Your child’s/children’s overall achievement and progress to date and the possible effect

this absence may have on him/her/them. Remember that it is impossible to replicate all

of the learning that will take place in his/her/their absence.

Please keep in mind that teachers are not able to:

● Provide you with a copy of a textbook that is shared between classes

● Replicate teacher-led lessons or hands-on experiences

● Provide you with copies of evaluations – tests, quizzes, etc.

Before you ask for work for your child/children please consider carefully whether or not it will

be realistic for you and your child/children to do this work while away. The preparation of

materials can take a substantial amount of teacher time so please save us some time and yourself

some guilt by NOT ASKING FOR WORK as it is unlikely to be completed.

During the absence, you are choosing to homeschool your child, it then becomes your

responsibility to: monitor and supervise the child’s/children’s learning and to mark all

assignments

Upon your child’s return to school it is his/her responsibility to “catch up” on any other

work that he/she has missed. This will of course require additional time and assistance

from home. If you decide to withdraw your child/children from school but are not prepared to

homeschool him/her/them during the absence then you need to accept the fact that your

child/children will miss the learning that continues in his/her/their absence and that this may

have an overall impact on his/her/their achievement. It is also important to note that depending

on the timing and length of the absence that there may be insufficient information collected to

enable the teacher to provide a valid evaluation of your child’s/children’s progress and

achievement during that particular term. This may result in the following comment on the report

card:

Insufficient information available to provide a mark.

Ultimately the decision is yours to make. Hopefully this information will help you to make an

informed one.

Homework Policy Homework and home study is intended to reinforce curriculum concepts learned at school.

Occasionally homework may be sent home with these criteria in mind:

● Work a student did not complete at school ● A special project requiring more time ● Preparation for assessment tasks (quizzes, unit tests etc.)

It is strongly recommended that students keep track of daily homework or home study in a

student agenda, and/or school zone.

Students are encouraged to read on a nightly basis.

Illness Please do not send an ill child to school. Normally, children who are too ill to go outside at

recess are too ill to be at school. In the event a child becomes ill after arriving at school, the

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child will lie down in the medical room while we attempt to contact the parents so the child may

be taken home.

Lunch Program The school District has made some changes to lunch-time supervision services.

Starting in the 2017-2018 school year:

All students who stay for lunch will need to:

● Register for lunch supervision,. ● Pay lunch fees for supervision. ● Schools will set lunch fees using a standard formula.

Lunch-time supervision is a service many families need. These changes should make the service

easier for families, especially when it comes to understanding how schools set fees. The rules

will also be consistent across all Edmonton Public Schools, so no matter which school your

children attend, processes will be the same.

Most importantly, these changes still give us the flexibility to create a lunch-time supervision

service that works best for the needs of our school and our families.

We strongly believe that it is in the best interest for students to go home for lunch. If your child

stays at school for lunch, the fee is:

• $150 for the full year (payment due in September)

• $15 per month per child (post dated cheques please)

• $2 per day per child for occasional stays

Lunch room fees includes the cost of hiring lunch room aides, cleaning and purchasing games

and treats on special days.

Peanut and nut aware school We have several students who have severe allergies to peanuts and nuts in our school. Please

refrain from sending food that contains nuts—such as peanut butter or Nutella sandwiches.

While this might pose a minor inconvenience for some people, these products might mean the

difference between life and death for those with severe allergies. It is a collective responsibility

to ensure we provide a safe environment for everyone. If your child has any serious medical

concerns, to please let our staff know so that we can have the appropriate measures and

procedures in place.

Healthy snacks and lunch To encourage healthy nutrition, please avoid packing candy, chips, gum and sunflower seeds

(these can make a mess in the school).

Lunch program expectations Please provide your child with:

• lunches that do not require microwaving or hot water

• lunch bags that are labelled with your child’s name and classroom number

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• reusable containers or bags to help support our commitment of reducing garbage and waste

• a plastic bag or containers for leftovers so you can see what your child is or isn’t eating

Students are expected to:

• eat quietly at desks or tables

• remain seated and not leave the designated lunch area without permission

• be respectful of each other and supervisors at all times (student behavior expectations for the

lunch program are the same as classroom expectations

• use indoor voices

• practice “pack it in, pack it out” - taking all garbage and leftovers home

• go outside after eating (except in severe weather)

Medication Policy In response to requests from parents for school staff to administer medication to their children

during school time the following Edmonton Public Schools policy will be followed:

“The principal shall require a signed request from the parent and physician indicating the type of

medication to be administered, required dosage and action to be taken in the event of possible

hazards or side effects.”

The forms for this request are available in the school office and must be completed each school

year.

Money When sending money to the school, except for small amounts, payment by cheque made out to

Earl Buxton School with the name of the student in the memo field would be appreciated.

Whenever money is sent, please put it in an envelope with child’s name, room number and

teacher’s name written on the outside. It is recommended that personal money belonging to the

student be left at home.

Newsletter The school newsletter is essential for keeping parents informed of school and community events

and activities. The newsletter will be issued on the first Friday of every month and will be posted

on school zone and a paper copy will be sent home with any student whose family is not on

SchoolZone.

Patrols Students from grade six make up our A.M.A. school safety patrols. They provide a very

important service to our school and it is expected that all students will cooperate with them and

encourage them in the fulfilment of their duties. The crosswalks patrolled are Rhatigan Road

East and Rehwinkel Road.

Please note: Students delivered or picked up on the opposite side of the street are expected to

cross with the patrols.

Personal Property Each year our lost and found box fills to overflowing with perfectly good articles of clothing.

Please help the school and the students keep track of items by clearly labelling all personal

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property with the student’s name. While students will often bring play items to school we

remind you that the school cannot be held liable for their damage or loss. Expensive items or

items which have a sentimental value are best left at home.

Parking In an effort to put safety over convenience designated staff parking is restricted to staff vehicles

only. This means that numbered stalls are NOT available to the public.

The turn-around at the front of the school should be used for student drop-off and pick-up.

Please respect the “no-stopping” sign in this area, for it is imperative that the traffic keep flowing

through the turn-around at all times. Ample parking is available along Rehwinkel Road but

please, for the safety of the children, do not double park or Jay-walk.

Positive Behaviour Plan At Earl Buxton School we are committed to providing a safe and caring environment which will

enhance the education of our students. We believe that students can and will make acceptable

and appropriate behaviour choices when they know what is expected of them, have the positive

support they need and are held accountable for the choices they make. As part of our Character

Education program students will be taught six core ethical values called the ‘Six Pillars of

Character’.

Positive Discipline Practices The staff of Earl Buxton has adopted a school-wide discipline program based on the above

philosophy. It is called the Positive Behaviour Plan. This program is based on a set of

expectations and consequences both school wide and in the classroom. The methods staff will

use to resolve disputes are non-confrontational, supportive and ensures that appropriate support

is available for the student. Please take the time to discuss Earl Buxton School's Positive

Behaviour Plan with your child.

This school-wide approach to discipline will:

1. encourage students to explain the situation

2. assist students in identifying their problem

3. assist students in solving the problem they created

4. allow students to keep their dignity

5. assist students in making more acceptable choices in the future by teaching problem

solving strategies

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6. recognize the efforts displayed by students to practice appropriate behaviours and

appropriate problem-solving strategies

Our discipline procedures are based on the following beliefs:

1. Students are expected to follow clearly stated rules established to ensure the learning and

well being of all.

2. The majority of our students understand the need for rules and behave in appropriate and

responsible ways.

3. Staff, students, and parents share the responsibility for developing a positive, cooperative

and orderly school environment.

4. Actions taken by staff for unacceptable behaviour are aimed at holding students

accountable for their own actions and teaching them to solve problems in a positive and

constructive way.

5. Should a student misbehave, students and parents have the right to explain, and to be

informed about consequences of misbehavior.

Reporting Student Progress Progress reports will be issued in November, March and June of each year. Progress reports will

be sent out on School zone. Parent-Teacher and/or Student-Led conferences will be scheduled

following the first and second report cards. Please do not wait until report card time to contact

your child's teacher about his/her progress or welfare if you have concerns. In all cases the

teacher should be your first contact. Please call the school and leave a message for the teacher to

call you back to make an appointment.

Please see Assessment Plan on the Earl Buxton School website or on SchoolZone for further

information.

Supervision Outdoor supervision is provided by staff for fifteen minutes before school in the morning, at

recesses and after school until the busses leave. Supervision is also provided during the lunch

break by our lunch supervisors.

Parent Advisory Council (PAC) Parent Advisory Council (PAC)

PAC’s purpose is to support and enhance student learning

Earl Buxton’s Parent Advisory Council is an organization of parents/guardians and school

leadership which meets monthly to discuss and plan school activities and events. The PAC gives

parents/guardians a voice in the decision making that affects the school, and ultimately their

children. By being part of the discussion with the administration and fellow parents and

guardians, they have a say in what goes on, from programming to how the school spends money.

Many of the school programs and services we've come to expect and enjoy are funded entirely or

in part by the PAC. Not only does the PAC raise funds for the school, it also is instrumental in

deciding how those funds are used -- from books in our library and classrooms to the Artist in

Residence program to technology. PAC drives and helps fund many of the school’s popular

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programs, with monies raised going to support Lunch ‘n’ Learn, Hot Lunch, Club Moo, Artist in

Residence, Healthy Earl Buxton, the Family Dance, as well as the school’s technology, reading,

library, gym and other programs.

Dates and times of meetings are announced on SchoolZone, through the school newsletter and on

the outdoor school sign. If you have any questions regarding the PAC, please contact Chair, Tara

Middleton at earlbuxtonpacchair@gmail.com.

2017 - 2018 PAC Executive Team:

Tara Middleton, Chair

Sondra Mackenzie-Plovie, Vice-Chair

Tové Nielsen, Secretary

Laurie Frank, Treasurer

Student Health Capital Health works together with schools and community agencies to provide a range of

coordinated health and support services for school children and their families. Our common goal

is to build on the health and education potential of all students. Services include: vision, hearing

or dental screening, follow-up of medical conditions, immunizations, speech and language

services, rehabilitation services and emotional/behavioural support. If you have any concerns

about your child’s health, please talk to the principal or contact your school’s health nurse @

780-342-6805 (Rutherford Public Health Centre).

Volunteers Field Trip Volunteers Parent volunteers are often needed and required to assist on field trips. As Edmonton Public

Schools insurance coverage for volunteers on field trips does not include coverage for siblings

coming along on buses or at the field trip site, we regret that we cannot accommodate siblings.

School Volunteers Another way to get involved is by volunteering your services to classrooms and the library. Our

staff is committed to volunteers, believes in their value and recognizes their service. If you

would like further information on how you can get involved, please contact the school office.

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