Parent/Student Handbook

attendance procedures

Please notify the office before 9:00 a.m. each day if your child will be absent from school.  We maintain a separate line for this purpose.  The attendance line is open 24 hours a day and it is the parent’s responsibility to report a student’s absence.  The phone number for our Attendance HotLine is (949) 936-8551. Please report known absences ahead of time.

Studies show that there is a direct correlation between good school attendance and student achievement.  Therefore, we encourage you as parents to reinforce the importance of being at school each and every day and to make every effort to send your child to school on a regular basis. Attendance and tardies are monitored at the District level and warning letters will be generated if your child has 3 or more tardies of 30 minutes or more, 10 tardies of less than 30 minutes or 3 unexcused absences.  If you wish to pick up work for an absent child, please contact the teacher directly and be aware that teachers will not be able to collect materials for your child during instructional hours. 

If your child is tardy to school, he/she must report through the front office to allow us the ability to update our attendance records for that day.  Consistent tardiness also impairs your child’s ability to perform well at school and will result in parent contact and appropriate consequences.

Should you find it necessary to schedule a medical/dental appointment during your child’s instructional day, please notify the teacher & school office via email in advance so that we may keep class interruptions to a minimum. All students leaving school before dismissal time must be signed out in the front office by a parent, guardian, or other adult listed as a contact on Parent Portal. Students will be released only to individuals whose names are listed as contacts in the Parent Portal (http://myiusd.org ) with proper photo identification.

independent study

The Oak Creek Staff believes that there is no substitute for regular attendance and encourages children not to miss school unless unavoidable.  We also recognize that opportunities for travel or family crises sometimes occur during the regular school year, necessitating coordination between the school and family.  Independent Study contracts may be requested for extended absences of five or more consecutive school days. Requests for contracts must be made two weeks in advance to provide the classroom teacher the time to compile materials and plan appropriate activities. The fitness of a student for an Independent Study Contract will be determined by the classroom teacher in consultation with the administrative staff.  An Independent Study contract will not be considered unless a student is currently performing at or above grade level in all curricular areas.  Independent Study contracts for students in grades 1-6 require a minimum study time of four hours per day.  No student will be issued multiple independent study contracts within the same school year. A student may be disenrolled for absences longer than ten consecutive school days. 

lunch & snack

Please visit https://iusd.org/department/nutrition-services for information regarding student meals. A variety of hot lunch choices are available each day, as well as a variety of fresh produce choices in our salad bar (when available). Menus are available at http://iusd.org/district_services/food_services/Menus.html. 

Some grade levels will eat lunch first and play after, while others will do the reverse. All students are required to sit at the lunch tables during their lunch period to eat their lunch before being excused.  Oak Creek is a closed campus, and students may not leave campus for lunch.

Classes will not be interrupted to deliver late lunches.   Please make sure that all lunches are dropped off in the front with the student’s name and grade clearly printed on the lunch by 11:00am (no fountain drinks or unsealed beverages).  This service is offered as a courtesy for emergency or occasional needs, but is not intended to be utilized on a daily or regular basis. All lunches will be delivered to the lunch tables at the appropriate lunch time.  Do not attempt to deliver lunch to your child directly in the lunch area.  They must be dropped off in the front office.

parent involvement

Oak Creek welcomes and values the contributions of our parent volunteers.  Without our volunteers, many programs and activities would not be possible.  There are a variety of avenues for parents to volunteer their time and talents to our school.  These include:

• Classroom/Library Assistance:  Classroom teachers and our library staff will recruit parent help at the beginning of the school year.  There are opportunities for parents to work directly with students, to complete clerical tasks, and to complete tasks at home.  If you are interested in serving in this way, please contact your child’s teacher.  If working in the library is an interest to you, you may contact our library staff.
• School Site Council:  This group is composed of staff and parent members whose responsibility it is to plan, monitor, and review our school plans. If more parents are interested than spots available, parent members will be selected via electronic ballot in the fall. Meetings and the agenda are listed in the front office, and all parents are welcome to attend.

• Parent-Teacher Association (PTA):  This volunteer group is composed of all parents who wish to join.  Its elected and appointed representative’s goal is to support the programs here at Oak Creek and the overall educational system.  A variety of programs and activities are scheduled throughout the year and coordinated by the PTA Board, which is elected in the spring of each year.  All parents are encouraged to attend General Association meetings. Exact dates and times of all meetings, along with additional information is available online at http://oakcreekpta.org/ .

• ELAC: The English Language Advisory Committee is composed of parents of English Language Learners who meet to review our instructional support of all their children. 

volunteers & visitors

Volunteer requirements and guidelines are subject to change at any time. All parents or guests volunteering in the classroom or helping in any way at school must be screened in advance by our online system in the front office. The application is available online at https://apps.raptortech.com/Apply/MTU5OmVuLVVT and should be completed once per school year. On your first day of volunteering each school year, we recommend coming in at least 20 minutes prior to your scheduled volunteer time with your valid driver’s license or passport to complete this process. 

While visiting the school or volunteering in a classroom, you must sign-in and sign-out through our online system in the front office and wear a volunteer sticker to indicate to staff that you have signed in at the office. Please do not interrupt classes while in session.  You will be asked to go to the office and sign in. 

All student information observed or obtained while providing volunteer service is to remain confidential. Adults who breach this confidentiality expectation or whose presence in the classroom proves otherwise undesirable will not be invited to return.

Please recognize that when volunteering in the classroom, you are offering your assistance to the classroom teacher. If you are interested in observing in your child’s classroom, you are allowed up to three observations of no more than one hour each during the school year, per IUSD Board Policy. Please request your desired observation in writing at least two school days in advance.

lost & found

We urge parents and students to label EVERYTHING that is sent to school.  Our Lost and Found rack and bin (located in front of school office during business hours) fills up very quickly with many items that are never reclaimed.  We encourage parents and students to check it regularly for lost articles.  Unclaimed clothing is donated to charity bimonthly.

child care

We have on-site before and after school child care, provided by Catalyst Kids. For additional information, call (949) 551-3275.

library book check out

Students are able to check out library books, with frequency depending upon their grade level.  These books are due the week following check out unless the student renews the book(s).  Overdue notices are sent home if the student has overdue book(s).  Should any book be lost or damaged, payment must be made to cover the cost of the book’s replacement. 

pets on school grounds

Pets are not allowed on school grounds unless special permission has been granted by a teacher or the principal. Please be aware that pursuant to Orange County Ordinance 41.46 dogs are not to be on school grounds at any time. If you choose to bring your dog when walking your child to and from school, please wait for your child off school grounds

transportation to school

Please discuss a safe route to school with your child and plan the route that is best for him/her to travel when walking or riding to school.  Students who are transported to school by bus are expected to adhere to the IUSD rules governing bus riders and to conduct themselves in a safe and respectful manner at all times when they are on the bus.

Many parents choose to drive their children to school. It is imperative that drivers adhere to the following rules and the enclosed drop-off and pick-up procedures:

• Drivers are asked to respect the handicapped spaces.  Do not park in them or block them in any way, unless you have the appropriate placard.  
• Oak Creek has ample curbs for the dropping-off and the picking up of students. Cars may not be parked at those curbs for any length of time. You may use any of the empty spaces in the adjacent park, in the street, or unmarked spaces in school parking lot and walk your child safely onto school grounds. 
• Please provide ample time for dropping off your child before school to alleviate undue stress for you and your child. Adult supervision is provided by Oak Creek staff ten minutes prior the start of school. 
• Please adhere to the drop-off/pick-up procedures described below:

Crosswalk: The safest legal place to cross Dove Creek between Valley Oak and Royal Oak is the crosswalk highlighted in yellow below. Although this is already a lighted crosswalk, the City of Irvine also provides a crossing guard to attend to the safety of pedestrians who utilize this crossing area.  Motorists are reminded that it is illegal to enter the crosswalk while the crossing guard is anywhere in the crosswalk.

Dove Creek Drop-Off and Pick-Up: The green arrows below show the flow of traffic for motorists who are dropping off or picking up students in the drive-thru lanes along Dove Creek.  The lighter green area shows where they may be dropped off or picked up along the sidewalk only (please do not allow your child to exit the vehicle while in the passing/exit lane). Kindergarten students’ parents wishing to accompany their children to and from the classroom must park on the street or in the lot. Cars may not be left unattended in the drive-thru lanes!

Parking Lot Drop-Off and Pick-Up: The blue arrows and aqua lines below denote the appropriate flow of traffic and drop-off zone for parents in the main parking lot.  Students may be dropped off in either lane, but please note that students dropped in the middle lane MUST proceed to the crosswalk to get safely to the curb.  Please also yield the right of way to the busses (shown in gold) as they are required to load and unload on this curb. Cars may not be left unattended in these loading/unloading lanes!

Because of the size of our school and the distance that our Spectrum residents must travel to get to our school, we are encouraging all students who live in the immediate vicinity to consider utilizing a mode of non-vehicular transportation (walking, bicycling, etc.) to get to and from school.  Your cooperation with this request will help to ease the congestion on our streets and in our lots before and after school.

And finally, as a courtesy to the residents of our surrounding neighborhoods, please be considerate in your driving and parking practices.  Please be mindful of your speed, observant of existing signage, and refrain from impeding access to or entering a gated neighborhood in which you do not reside.  IPD traffic officers will be present occasionally throughout the year to “encourage and reinforce” your compliance and safe driving.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR ANTICIPATED COOPERATION WITH THESE GUIDELINES!

bicycles, skateboards, scooters, & skates

Bicycle & Non-motorized Scooter Guidelines:

• Per IUSD Board Policy 5140, bicycles and non-motorized scooters are allowed for students in grades 3 – 6 only

• All bicycles and non-motorized scooters MUST be parked in the bike rack area (or scooter racks) and LOCKED.  Students may not share a lock – only one item per lock!
• Helmets MUST be worn and properly by all students riding bikes and non-motorized scooters to and from school
• All bicycles and non-motorized scooters must be walked on school grounds
• Children should never ride with more than one person at a time
• Bicycles and non-motorized scooters must be in safe working condition
• Students are not to loiter in or around the bike rack/ scooter rack areas at any time
• All students riding bikes and non-motorized scooters to and from school must have prior parent/guardian authorization through the parent portal
• We suggest that every bicycle be licensed through the Irvine Police Department

Skateboard Guidelines:

• Skateboards are allowed for students in grade 6 only

• This special privilege is extended only to sixth grade students provided that they adhere to the following three conditions. The privilege can be revoked at any time if these conditions are not met.
• Skateboards may not be ridden anywhere on campus at any time
• Helmets must be worn and properly fastened
• Skateboards must be stored properly in a designated classroom space

Wheeled Shoes:

Roller skates, inline skates, and pop up wheeled shoes (Heely’s brand, etc.) may never be worn to or at school

Violation of these rules will result in loss of privileges.  Oak Creek does not assume any responsibility or liability in connection with a child’s bicycle, scooter, or skateboard if it becomes lost, stolen or damaged.

medication at school

Any time your child requires medication at school, the medication must be stored in the nurse’s office and administered by school personnel.  LEGALLY, the school requires:

• Medication MUST be in the ORIGINAL pharmacy bottle, labeled by the pharmacist.

• The parent and physician MUST sign a consent form (https://iusd.org/department/health-services) prior to any medication being administered. Forms are also available in the front office.
• Medication MUST be brought to school by a parent.  At no time should medication arrive at school in a lunch box, backpack, Baggie, etc.

These regulations also apply to any NON-PRESCRIPTION MEDICATIONS.  Non-prescription drugs include aspirin, vitamins, cough syrup, cough drops, ointments, etc.

• Please do not ask school personnel to administer any medications supplied by you until the aforementioned requirements have been met.
• Please do not ask school personnel to supply your child with medications, as none are available at school.

health services

A District nurse will be on campus periodically to complete required screening in vision and hearing. We ask for parent cooperation in keeping your child at home if they are not feeling well. Because of the generosity of our PTA, our health clerk will be on campus for five days a week, four hours a day. This health clerk, along with the office staff will assist with the illness/injury of children and contact parents to pick up these children who need to go home or see a physician.

Germs spread quickly. If your child tells you that he/she does not feel well, TAKE TIME TO ASSESS ALL THE SYMPTOMS AND CHECK HIS/HER TEMPERATURE BEFORE SENDING YOUR YOUNGSTER TO SCHOOL. We know that a child does not always have a fever when feeling ill, but most often we find ourselves sending home children who do.

student accident insurance

The Irvine Unified School District makes available to parents a low-cost accident insurance for their children. Forms are distributed to parents the first week of school. Additional forms are available in the school office. The desirability of having such a plan is that it can provide additional benefits and coverage if help is needed.

parent communication

Our commitment is that we will regularly and thoroughly communicate with parents.  This communication will be accomplished through a variety of formally scheduled activities throughout the year:

• Back-to-School Night - During the first month of school, we will hold a formal evening meeting for parents in which you’ll listen to a presentation by your child’s teacher on the year’s program.
• Report Cards - Three times per year, report cards will be issued for all students in grades K-6.  Report cards are made available online via the Parent Portal (https://my.iusd.org/) at the end of each grading period.
• Parent Conferences - Conferences are scheduled two times per year, in early October and late March.  The fall conference is intended to identify goals for the student for the year and to review early progress.  The spring conference is optional and serves as a follow-up to Goal Setting when necessary.  Teachers are always available to schedule an individual meeting to discuss a concern or issue.  
• E-mail Blasts,  Website (www.iusd.org/oc ) and Flyers (sent home in backpacks)

student birthday celebrations

While we appreciate the joy and excitement that accompanies our students’ birthdays, we do not allow parents to bring food items to their child’s classroom to commemorate their child’s special day. Dietary restrictions, food allergies, and the varied nutritional preferences of our parent population require considerable and deliberate coordination of any event involving food, and we cannot facilitate such oversight for every student’s birthday. Party favors are seen as more appropriate for a private setting, but if strongly desired, a parent may bring non-food items such as pencils, stickers, stamps, etc. for classmates. A more lasting gesture would be the donation of a Birthday Book to our library. Our library/media clerk has excellent suggestions for choosing an appropriate Birthday Book. A special dedication card will be placed in the book. Then, the book will be shared with your student’s class. After that, the book will be placed in the school library as a continuing memory of your child’s special day.

telephone/personal usage by students

Unless otherwise directed by a teacher, all cellular phones/personal devices must be turned off and put away during school hours (including recess and lunch). Any violation of this policy will result in the confiscation of the phone or device.

The phone in the front office may be used by students during the school day for emergency purposes or urgent matters, and used by students after school who are unable to locate or otherwise contact their parent/caregiver. In order to minimize classroom interruptions, we also do not deliver non-emergency phone messages from the office to individual classrooms. We ask that you take care of all after-school arrangements with your child before he/she leaves for school. Your assistance is greatly appreciated.

Technology Use: Once devices are approved by a staff member for student use, students must follow school and district rules/guidelines and use the devices appropriately and responsibly. This privilege can be taken away at any time, by any staff member.

student dress code

Students are not allowed to wear any items to school that may be deemed inappropriate, unsafe, or disruptive to the educational process: • Pants or shorts must be the proper size. Short skirts or shorts for girls must be longer than 14” from waist, fitting securely at the waist above the hipbone. Any clothing that prohibits students from participating in all activities of the educational program, including P.E., should not be worn at school. Examples are:

• Sandals, platforms, heels, sling-type shoes, Heelys (and similar products), or jellies are considered unsafe and not allowed. Tennis shoes are the ideal shoe for play and exercise.
• Dangling earrings are dangerous and are not appropriate school attire.
• Students should not wear shirts or tops that contain offensive or obscene symbols that promote alcohol, tobacco, drugs, gangs, tagging, violence, or that degrade any gender, cultural or ethical values. Spaghetti straps and halter tops are not appropriate. Tank top straps must be 1.5 inches in width.
• Any article of clothing that does not cover the mid-section or undergarments (boxers, bra straps, etc.) are not appropriate for school.
• Excessive make-up, unnatural hair colors or extreme hairstyles are not allowed at school.
• Hats and hoods may be worn outside for protection but should not be worn indoors.

Staff members monitor our school dress policy. Parents are contacted when students violate our dress policy. Inappropriately dressed students will be asked to phone their parents for a change of clothes.

playground supervision

Playground supervision at Oak Creek begins ten minutes prior to the start of the school day. Students should not arrive on campus before that time.  At the end of the school day, students are expected to leave the school grounds immediately unless they are attending the on-site day care program. This includes our playground area. Our child care program (Catalyst Kids) has exclusive use of the playground after school.  The only exception is an organization that has completed and has an approved Use of Facility Permit. Please leave campus with your students in a timely manner at the end of the school day. Parents who wish to congregate or allow their children to play together after school are asked to relocate to the adjacent City playground. Please also refrain from instructing your child to wait or remain unsupervised at the city park after school. This is a city park not monitored by IUSD staff!

Parents who are in need of before or after-school care are encouraged to contact Catalyst Kids at (949) 551-3275 to make arrangements.  A special rate is available for parents with children in primary and upper grades to accommodate our staggered release time. The center is located on our campus and is open from 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

OAK CREEK'S WISE OWL BEHAVIOR SYSTEM

What is SWPBIS?

SWPBIS stands for School-Wide Positive Behavioral Interventions & Supports. In short, it is a systems approach, used in schools across the nation, for establishing the social culture and individualized behavior supports needed for schools to be effective learning environments for all students. The system focus is clearly defined behavior expectations and positive reinforcement for all students.

Why do Oak Creek students and staff need SWPBIS?

Oak Creek staff wants to create a sense of unity and pride amongst the students at Oak Creek. The system will enable Oak Creek staff to consistently promote, teach, and maintain appropriate student behavior.

What are the behavior expectations for students?

How will students learn the WISE Owl behavior expectations?

Oak Creek staff has created videos demonstrating the inappropriate behavior alongside the WISE Owl behavior in each of the settings on campus. Students will view these videos and the positive incentive system will be introduced during the first week of school. Also during the first week of school, the entire staff will conduct a “kick-off” for the SWPBIS system by walking the students through the different areas of the campus where they will review expectations, demonstrate appropriate behavior, and role play making positive choices.

How does the program reinforce positive behavior?

Oak Creek staff has worked diligently to develop meaningful and fun incentives for our students. Students are awarded and recognized on a monthly basis for success in adhering to these expectations. In addition, students will have an opportunity to earn WISE Owl Tickets throughout the school day from any staff member that observes the student behaving in a WISE manner. The staff has come up with many incentives that will appeal to students and students will have an opportunity to place each ticket in a raffle box for an opportunity that he/she desires.

disaster preparedness

At Oak Creek, we are constantly concerned for the safety and welfare of each of our students. We hold regular drills to teach children the appropriate way to safely exit the building in the event of a fire, to “duck and cover” in the event of an earthquake, and to respond to our “Secure the School” drill. The school is fully equipped with supplies for both First Aid and search and rescue through the donations of parents and purchases made by PTA.

In addition, many of our staff members are trained in First Aid and CPR. Our school staff is prepared to deal with a major emergency and to provide for the physical and emotional needs of students while they are under our supervision as well as their orderly and safe release.

To assist us in this effort, we require parents to do the following:

• Please see first day packet from PTA regarding donations for disaster supplies and follow their instructions/suggestions, which were established in conjunction with OC staff.
• Carefully submit and regularly update the names and phone numbers of approved contacts via the Parent Portal ( https://myiusd.org ). Remember, in the event of a disaster, access to students will be carefully controlled so that we may account for every child. Students will be released ONLY to adults designated on their emergency data. All adults must check in at the designated student release areas (near lunch area and back of field) to pick up and sign out students.

zero tolerance (iusd board policy)

We enforce a policy of Zero Tolerance, which means that the following violations will result in immediate SUSPENSION or EXPULSION from the Irvine Unified School District.

• Possession of a firearm
• Brandishing a knife
• Sale of Controlled Substance
• Committed or attempted to commit a sexual assault

In addition, the following violations will result in immediate SUSPENSION and a determination of further action that may result in EXPULSION proceedings.

• Serious physical injury to others
• Possession of knives, explosives or other dangerous objects
• Possession of controlled substance
• Robbery or extortion
• Assault or battery upon any school employee