Family Handbook

Madrona is a Dual Language (DL) school. In the dual language program, students will become bilingual and biliterate in English and Spanish, accomplish high academic achievement and develop sociocultural competence. 

Our instructional philosophies are that:

• Students are immersed in the language. The teacher will teach exclusively in English or Spanish (even when students respond in the other language). Please note that students are being taught grade level content in Spanish and English according to your child’s schedule.

• Literacy instruction is integrated with Content instruction (Social Studies and Science)

• Instruction is Student Centered: Inquiry & Project Based Learning, Experiments, Investigations

• Students learn language and content through speaking and listening and “hands-on” learning practice.

• Students participate in Spanish instruction for 50% of the day and English instruction for 50% of the day with one or two classroom teachers.

 

Why enroll in our Dual Language program?

Research shows that students who participate in a well-implemented dual language program perform at or above grade level on district or state tests, as well as achieve advanced levels of proficiency in two languages (Collier & Thomas, 1997). In addition, graduates from this program have a head start on language requirements for college and have enhanced employment opportunities.

Who can enroll?

All students can enroll in the program. Students benefit from the program regardless of their home language(s) and special education needs. For students entering in 2nd grade or above, it is recommended they have prior experience in Spanish. Students who are entering in 2nd grade or above will need additional support to accelerate their learning in Spanish. 

How do you enroll?

Families receive information about the dual language program when they enroll their student at Madrona. All new 1-5th grade families or families enrolling mid-year will meet with the DL coordinator or Bilingual Family Liaison (BFL) to ensure that the program is a good fit for their student(s). The DL Coordinator / BFL will do an informal Spanish language and literacy screening with any students entering in 2nd grade or above. For those who enter after 1st grade, additional support will be needed at home to help students accelerate their learning in Spanish. Your commitment is essential for the success of your child in the program. Students may choose to opt-in from our partner school, Bow Lake, and are provided with transportation.

How do you opt out?

If you prefer that your child not enroll in our Dual Language program, you can request that s/he opt out to attend our partner school, Bow Lake Elementary. Transportation will be provided for families who opt out to Bow Lake.

You can help at home by:

• Talking, reading and writing in your home language.

• Watching TV shows and movies in the second language.

• Engage in our online learning programs

  • iReady (math, reading)

  • Raz Kids (leveled books)

  • Imagine Learning (available for students who qualify for extra support in Spanish or English language development)

• Reassure your child that being bilingual is challenging but it is worth it! You can encourage your child by reminding them of the added benefits and opportunities they will have as a result of being bilingual.

Please reach out to your child’s teacher(s) if you have any questions or concerns about their language or academic progress, or about how to support your child with their at-home learning.  Please note that It can take 3-5 years for children to become fluent in everyday conversations in a new language, and 5-7 years to become fluent in academic language. You can help your child by celebrating what they have learned along the way, and by modeling how to look for clues to understand what is being said in the new language.  Your enthusiasm is contagious!

The doors open at 8:20 AM. We ask that students are not dropped off before then for safety and supervision reasons. Parents may be called to pick up students who arrive before the designated time. Students who arrive at school after 8:45 AM need to check in at the office to receive a pass to class. Office staff will welcome students who are late and will do a mood meter check in before the student goes to class

Bus Riders

• Arrive at the bus stop 5 minutes before your bus route schedule arrival time. Board the bus in a quiet, safe manner and remain in the same seat throughout the trip. Students are expected to follow bus expectations. Those who choose not to safely ride on the bus may have consequences up to and including the loss of bus-riding privileges. For bus information and policies, please see the district website or contact transportation at 206-631-7502. 

• Students enter through the gym doors when they arrive at school.

Walkers

• Students enter through the gym doors from 8:20-8:40 AM

Car Drop Off

• Families drop off students at the curb in front of the main entrance to the school from 8:20-8:40 AM. If you would like to walk your student to the door, please park and use the crosswalks. Student enter through the front main entrance door and walk to their designated line up area with their class community.

Before School (8:20-8:40)

• Students line up with their class community (1st and 4th graders in the cafeteria, 5th graders in the gym, 2nd and 3rd graders under the covered basketball court) and are encouraged to read, work on assignments and/or socialize with friends. 

• Kindergarten students walk directly to their classroom and have breakfast. 

First Bell (8:40)

• Teachers pick up their students from the designated line up areas and walk students to the classroom. Students put their coats/backpacks in their cubbies and then have breakfast in their classroom. Classes may have breakfast outside. 

• If a class has specialists first thing in the morning, students will eat breakfast in the cafeteria where teachers will take attendance. Specialists will then walk students to their specialist class. 

Monday-Thursday 8:45-3:15, Friday 8:45-1:45

Students receive instruction in Spanish for 50% of the day and in English for 50% of the day.

Minutes	Spanish	Minutes	English
120	Integrated SEL, Science & Engineering/Literacy Daily components: Read/Write/Discuss Complex Text Reading Lab Writing	120	Integrated SEL, Social Studies/Literacy Daily components: Read/Write/Discuss Complex Text Reading Lab Writing
	Math  Math Routines, Vocabulary and  Review Science  Experiments and Investigations		Math Core Math
35	Recesses: Students will have daily recesses outside except during severe rain, snow, lightning or high winds. Please have your student dressed for the weather conditions, including a coat.
30	Breakfast and Lunch: All students receive a free breakfast and lunch through a grant. Menus are posted in the school and on our website. Please let the nurse know if there are any food allergies or sensitivities. Families are not required to fill out the Free and Reduced Meal Application. However, if you receive a Family Income Survey, we encourage you to complete it, in order for our school to continue receiving the grant for free meals for all students.
45	Specialists: Students have a specialist class (PE, music, or library) daily. Please have your student wear appropriate shoes such as running shoes or sneakers on the days they have PE for their safety. Send library books to school with students on their assigned library class day. (Specialists are taught in English)
25	Community Meeting/Circles: Students participate in daily community meetings/circles in either Spanish or English to build positive relationships and grow their social emotional and problem solving skills.

 

The dismissal bell rings at 3:15 on Monday-Thursday and 1:45 on Friday. If your student will be going home a different way than usual, please send a note or call the office at least 30 minutes before dismissal. 

• Bus Riders

  • Teachers will walk students to the school bus lines in the gym or to the bus zone.

  • Students need to bring a note from a parent to be signed by the principal if they intend to ride the bus to a friend’s house after school.

  • Kindergarten students must be met at the bus stop the first 10 days of school. Bus drivers will return kindergarten students back to school if there isn’t an adult at the stop. 

• Walkers

  • Students will walk home immediately after school dismissal. 

• Car Pick Up

  • Teachers will walk students to the front pick up area. Kindergarten, 1st graders, and primary IAC students will wait on the sidewalk after the crosswalk. 2nd-5th graders will wait on the sidewalk between the flagpole and crosswalk. Older siblings will wait with their younger siblings. Drivers must stay in their cars and follow the directions of staff directing traffic. Students will load from the curbside. 

  • If you would like to park and pick up your student, please use the crosswalk and wait until a staff member directs you to walk across. Students must be accompanied by an adult in the parking lot for their safety. 

  • If a student has not been picked up by 3:30 PM, the office will attempt to contact a parent/guardian/emergency contact.

The end of the school day can be very busy. We ask that early dismissal pick ups happen before 2:45 on Monday-Thursday or 1:15 on Friday. Also, as a safety precaution, we only release students to parents/guardians/emergency contacts. If you need your student to be released early to someone other than the parent/guardian/emergency contact, please call or send a signed note to the office. Our office staff may ask for a photo identification of anyone who comes to pick up your student.

Regular attendance is important for your student’s success in school. Missing even 2 days per month is shown to negatively impact student learning. Please help your student build the habit of attending school on time daily. If your student is unable to attend school, please contact the school office and let us know why your student is absent. If your student isn’t at school, they can also access our digital learning tools through Classlink. Students can work on math, Spanish reading, and English reading through our individualized learning program, iReady. They can also read/listen to digital books on Sora and RAZ Kids.

Absence Examples	Action Needed
Excused Absences Illness, health condition or medical appointment Religious or cultural purpose Family emergency	Contact the office and tell us why your student is not at school so we can excuse the absence. You can... Call 206-631-4100 Text only at 206-291-2241 Email madrona@highlineschools.org  Send a note to the office the next day
Prior Approval Needed Family Vacation or Extended Absences	Extended absences are encouraged during the scheduled school breaks. However, we understand that circumstances happen. In order to excuse an extended absence, please complete the extended absence form.  Students that are out for 20 consecutive days will be withdrawn per district policy.
Unexcused Absences Not calling or sending a note about illness or injury Unapproved vacations or trips	State attendance laws require,  Families to meet with the school after 2 unexcused absences.  After 7 unexcused absences in a month or 10 unexcused in a school year, the district must file a petition with the King County Juvenile Court. The court will contact the family regarding violation of the Becca Bill.

 

Madrona uses PBIS (Positive Behavior Intervention Support) and restorative practices to support all students. Our core values about behavior and discipline are:

• That mistakes should be viewed as an opportunity for individual problem solving and growing in preparation for today, tomorrow and into the future.

• In handling any misbehavior with logical and differentiated natural consequences (instead of punishment) across school systems.

• That students should be given the opportunity to make decisions and experience the cause and effect of their decisions, whether positive or negative.

• In making every attempt to maintain the dignity and self-respect of the student, family and staff member.

Teachers teach, model, and reinforce the school guidelines and common areas expectations throughout the school year. Our school guidelines are: make good decisions, solve problems and show respect

Bus	Keep feet and hands to self. Keep food, drinks, and personal items in your backpack. Stay seated and facing forward for safety.
Cafeteria	Stay seated until dismissed. Clean your space before you leave. Walk at all times.
Restroom	Flush toilet and leave the restroom clean. Use one squirt of soap to wash hands. Throw used paper towels in trash cans.
Playground	Keep feet and hands to self. Use equipment safely. Keep food, drinks and personal items in your cubby or at home.
Hallways	Walk at all times. Keep hands and feet to self. Stay with your class or have a pass.
Assemblies	Enter quietly. Keep hands and feet to self. Stay engaged.

 

The flow chart below shows how staff respond when a student engages in a behavior that does not align with school expectations. For further details on student expectations and disciplinary actions refer to Highline School’s District Policy; “Students’ Rights and Responsibilities” located on the Highline School District Website.  

 

Bullying is defined as unfair and one-sided. It happens when someone keeps hurting, frightening, threatening, or excluding someone on purpose.

Madrona staff will do the following to prevent bullying and help students feel safe at school:

Madrona students will do the following to prevent bullying at school:

Closely supervise students in all areas of the school and playground Watch for signs of bullying and stop it when it happens Educate our children about violence prevention, anti-bullying practices and teach appropriate social/emotional skills Respond quickly and sensitively to bullying reports Take parents’ concerns about bullying seriously Look into all reported bullying incidents Assign consequences for bullying based on school discipline guidelines Provide immediate consequences for retaliation against students who report bullying

Treat everyone respectfully Refuse to bully others Refuse to let others be bullied Refuse to watch, laugh, or join in when someone is being bullied Try to include everyone in play, especially those who are often left out Report bullying to an adult

 

Medication may not be given to your child without a written physician’s order. This includes over-the-counter medicines, eye ointment, eye drops, ear medications, nose spray, and cough drops.  If it is necessary for medicine to be administered at school, parents need to provide the following:

• A physician’s order which includes the name(s) of the medicine and the time(s) and amount(s) to be dispensed.

• A medical authorization form signed by the parent and doctor giving school personnel permission to administer the medication. These forms are available in the office.

• All medication must be in pharmacy containers and will be stored in the school office.

Only trained personnel will administer the medication.  No medications may be in your child’s possession while at school.

For the protection of your child, Washington State Law requires that we have a Certificate of Immunization Status (CIS) on file for each student.  This certificate must be presented at the time the student is registered for school. If your child’s record shows that immunizations are needed, the school nurse will contact you. If you choose to not vaccinate your student, an annual Certificate of Exemption form must be completed each year.

The school staff is trained to administer first aid for minor injuries.  In the event of a serious injury, 911 will be called.  Parents/guardians will be notified as soon as possible of all serious injuries.  

If a student becomes ill, parents/guardians will be called to take the child home.  If we are unable to reach the parent/guardian, we will contact the designated emergency contact.  If this person is not available, we will keep your child in our health room until someone can be reached.  

Please keep your child home if he/she has COVID-like symptoms, a fever, has vomited or has had diarrhea in the past 24 hours. If your child should become ill during the night or is sick in the morning, please do not send him/her to school. Please contact the office so we can excuse your student from school.

The school nurse should be contacted if your child has a communicable disease such as COVID, measles, chicken pox, German measles, mumps, scarlet fever, fifth disease, whooping cough, hepatitis, or AIDS.  Please contact the nurse if your child has any health related concerns. 

If your student is found to have lice, we will call home. The student needs to be treated before returning to school. It is important to know that lice causes no health problems. They are strictly a nuisance and once treated a student should return to school. Regular head checks at home will assist early identification of this condition. Please notify the school if your child has head lice.

Please coordinate with the classroom teacher in advance if you would like to bring in treats. We ask that edible treats are pre-packaged items or store bought. Invitations for parties cannot be handed out at school unless they are for the whole class. Helium balloons are not allowed in the building as they affect the alarm system.

We value your partnership in supporting your student and welcome communication with your child’s teacher(s) throughout the school year. Please send your student’s teacher an email, Remind text, or call the office to schedule any meetings. 

• Conferences- All families will be invited to participate in Student-Led Conferences in November to discuss your student’s progress and goals. Students should attend the conference with their parents/guardians. 

• Progress Reports & Report Cards- Families will receive a written progress report in October and report cards in November, March and June to communicate student’s learning during the school year. 

• Friday Folders- To help streamline communication, any paper communication will be sent home on Fridays. Please check your student’s backpack each Friday and return any forms that need to be signed with your child.

• Remind- Teachers will be using the Remind app to send text messages. Families can also download the Remind app to communicate with teachers.

Both Washington State Law and Highline School District policy require that current custody papers for children of divorced parents be on file in the office.  Documents must be issued in Washington State, as those from other states are not honored in this state.  Questions regarding custody issues and disputes should be referred to your attorney.

We conduct fire, earthquake, and lockdown drills so that our students will be prepared in case of an emergency.  If you are visiting the school during one of our drills, please follow the drill procedures along with our students and staff. In the case of an emergency, please do not call the school– we need the phone lines open. You will be notified if your child is hurt. We have staff trained in first-aid to help in case of an emergency.  

Students are responsible for the devices assigned to them and for library books they check out. If books are lost or damaged, students will have a fine to cover replacement costs. Please contact the office if you have any questions about fines.

Students may use a school phone to contact parents/guardians after receiving permission from their teacher. If you need to speak with your child, we will arrange for him/her to return your call during recess. The office becomes extremely busy at the end of the day so changes to daily routine (how to get home, who to walk with, where to go after school) need to be arranged before students come to school.

Online Verification is required every year to ensure your information is up to date. This includes your phone number, email address, mailing address, student health information, and emergency contact information.  In the event of an emergency, it is important that we know where your student should  go, who can pick them up, current phone numbers, and how to reach parents/family contacts. Please notify the office or update ParentVUE with any changes that take place during the school year.

Personal items such as toys, electronic games, cell phones, money, etc. are not allowed at school.  The school is not responsible for valuables or toys that students bring to school. If a student brings a cell phone per parent permission, it must remain in a backpack and turned off.  Any use of a cell phone during school hours without permission will be held in the office until a parent can pick it up.

During school business hours (8:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.), the playground is closed to the public.  

Madrona parent-teacher group is devoted to supporting educational programs and school activities. Meetings are held to plan fun family activities. Please look for notices sent home in your child’s backpack informing you of dates and times we meet. If you have ideas for events or want to help, please join us. Together, we can make a difference. We also welcome all parents to join the “Madrona Elementary PTA- Highline” Facebook page or get in touch by emailing us at madronaparents@gmail.com

In the event of a school closure or delay, the most accurate report can be found at www.highlineschools.org. In addition, Highline Public Schools will notify the news media and www.schoolreport.org.   Stay tuned to area radio or television stations for an announcement that will tell you of any school closures, 1 or 2 hour delays, or limited bus transportation.