Student Handbook

Dear Christensen Families,

On behalf of the Christensen Elementary team, it is our pleasure to welcome you to the 2025-2026 school year. We look forward to partnering with you so that your children can reach their full potential. We understand that student success comes from both home and school, working together. Your involvement and our shared commitment will make a significant difference in your child’s education. As a team, we are all responsible for helping students thrive, and we pledge to do our part. To support your child’s learning journey, please help ensure that they:

1. Arrive at school every day, on time, and prepared for the day’s activities.

2. Read regularly to foster a love of reading and strengthen literacy skills.

3. Talk with you about their school day so you can stay connected to their experiences.

4. Let you know when they need extra help with any topic or subject area.

5. Understand that you believe in their ability to succeed in school and beyond.

At Christensen, our vision and mission guide our daily work.

· Vision: All students are capable of success, no exceptions.

· Mission: Through meaningful connections and rigorous instruction, we will create a safe and engaging community where students have a voice, feel valued, and are respectful of individual differences.

Please review this handbook with your student(s). It contains important information about daily procedures, rules, and expectations. If you have any questions about its contents, you are welcome to contact us, or speak with your child’s teacher. It is essential that you and your child understand the behaviors and expectations that contribute to a safe and productive year.

The staff and I feel honored to be part of the Christensen community. Thank you for your ongoing support. We look forward to working together this year.

Warm regards,

Jordon Al-Kaabi - Principal

Dayna Hughes - Assistant Principal

Consistent attendance plays a key role in a child’s success in school. Much of the academic and social learning your child receives depends on being present for classroom instruction. Research indicates that students who attend regularly in the primary grades are more likely to become strong readers by third grade and perform better on standardized assessments. They are also more likely to graduate high school and pursue college than those who are often absent or late. Please make sure your child arrives on time and is ready to learn each day!

If your is tardy, or absent please call the attendance office at

Attendance Expectations

· Students are expected to be on time, present and engaged every school day.

· Attendance is recorded daily; families must notify the school if a student will miss any part of their scheduled day. In Franklin Pierce Schools, office staff will determine whether an absence is excused or unexcused.

· Regular attendance means averaging fewer than two absences per month. An absence is defined as missing 50 % or more of the scheduled day.

Good Attendance Strategies

· Establish consistent routines to ensure your child arrives at school on time and ready to learn.

· Stay informed about your child’s progress by discussing their school day and addressing challenges early.

· Communicate with teachers, counselors, or the front office if your child needs extra help or if you encounter barriers that may lead to absences; resources and support are available.

Celebrating Good Attendance

· Christensen Elementary celebrates consistent attendance with monthly awards, classroom incentives, and a special recognition hosted by the principal and assistant principal.

Attendance Requirements

· Missing days can significantly affect academic success. Excessive absences, whether excused or unexcused, can cause students to fall behind as early as kindergarten and are linked to lower reading and math achievement.

· Missing about 10 % of school days (around 18 days over the year) increases the risk of not reaching grade-level standards and raises the likelihood of dropping out by high school.

· Unexcused absences can signal that a student is experiencing difficulties such as bullying, academic struggles, or disengagement. Families are encouraged to seek help early to address these issues.

If you have questions about attendance policies or need support, please contact your student’s teacher, counselor, or front office staff. Regular communication and partnership will help ensure your student’s success.

Christensen School-Wide Expectations

All teachers have an established classroom management plan that focuses on clearly communicating expectations and effective routines to support a collaborative and cohesive classroom environment. Each teacher sets Classroom Rules to support a positive learning environment. Classroom consequences are progressive, starting first with reminders and redirection, followed by moving the student within the room or contacting the office for significant student support.

When dealing with misbehavior, the teacher follows these guidelines: in each case, the classroom teacher will determine the level of the misbehavior and the appropriate response to support each individual student.

Level 1 Behavior: Teacher support with classroom intervention/consequence

- The support provided will be in class and done by the teacher.

Level 2 Behavior: Teacher support with classroom intervention/consequence.

- The teacher will contact the parent via ParentSquare or by phone.

- Administrators will respond and follow up with the reporting staff member if needed

Level 3 Behavior: Significant Defiance or Disruption or Safety Concerns that results in immediate referral to the office/Assistant Principal.

- The teacher will contact the Assistant Principal when a student is having repeated problems that may result in school consequences.

Our staff sees misbehavior as an opportunity to learn; re-teaching will occur as needed throughout the year. Positive Reinforcement is key to our Behavior Support Policy. We recognize students in a variety of ways daily, weekly, and monthly. Cougar Paws are awarded at any time for positive behavior, all-school drawings and announcements are held weekly, recognition assemblies are held monthly with drawings and other school-wide celebrations.

Classroom Exclusion: If a student significantly disrupts the learning environment, refuses a reasonable request by a staff member, or is a danger to him/herself or others, the student may be kept out of the classroom and/or excluded from school. This may result in a parent re-entry conference before returning to school.

(Christensen Elementary is not responsible for lost or stolen items)

Cell phones or personal listening devices ARE NOT to be seen or heard on school property during school hours.

ALL non-school materials will be confiscated if they are seen or heard during the school day. This includes, but is not limited to:

· Toys, phones and/or electronic devices

· Trading Cards (all kinds)

· Personal grooming items (make-up, hair products, perfumes, etc.)

· Items that distract from learning

If a teacher confiscates an item from a student, the teacher will contact the student's parent and ask them to pick the item up at the end of the school day.

School Board Policy requires students to observe modesty, appropriateness, and neatness in clothing and personal appearance. Please be aware of what your child is wearing to school and help us avoid problems. Students are not appropriately dressed if their appearance causes a disruptive influence, which includes clothing or items that are lewd/vulgar, profane, or that advertise firearms, alcohol, tobacco, gangs, and/or drugs. Clothing should cover undergarments and or private areas. Head coverings such as hats and scarves may be worn outdoors and are up to the teacher's discretion in indoor areas. For safety reasons, shoes that have wheels in them, flip flops, or high-heeled shoes should not be worn at school. Exemptions for religious and cultural reasons will be accepted upon request.

Shoes for P.E. 

To stay safe and have fun in P.E., students need to wear sneakers/athletic shoes that cover their whole foot and stay on when you run, jump, and play. 

Not safe for P.E.: 

• Flip-flops, sandals, or slides 

• Crocs or other slip-on shoes 

• Boots or dress shoes 

• Shoes with heels, wheels, or platforms 

If you don’t have the right shoes, you might not be able to join in some activities that day. Wearing the right shoes helps you play your best and keeps everyone safe! 

Student safety is important to us here at Christensen. Here are some reminders we need all families to follow when dropping off students at the beginning of the day and picking up students at the end of the day.

Morning Drop-off & Afternoon Pickup

• Dropoff begins: 8:40 a.m. • School starts: 8:55 · Dismissal: 3:25 p.m. • Use the front dropoff lane; follow staff directions and remain in your vehicle to keep the line moving. Park only in designated spaces; the bus crescent must stay clear. • Breakfast: Students enter via the gym to pick up breakfast, then go directly to class. If students are not eating breakfast, they should head directly to their class, not stopping anywhere else.

• Parent pickup by car: Begins after all buses have exited (~3:30 p.m.); staff will call students from the gym to your car. Vehicles must wait until buses have departed. • Parent pickup in person: At the front gate doors at dismissal; a staff member will call your student from the gym. • Ensure all pickup adults are listed in Skyward; report any transportation changes by 3:00 p.m.

Before working with students, volunteers must complete an application, or renew and update their application, and get approved every school year. The volunteer application portal opens the first week of August each year and remains open through the end of each school year. We strongly recommend applying a minimum of two weeks before a scheduled event or activity.

New and returning applicants, contact a school volunteer coordinator listed below, or the staff member associated with the activity or event you are interested in volunteering for, to inquire about opportunities, timelines, and participatory roles. This step is essential for Athletic Coach or Athletic Event applicants.

Once your application portal status shows "Complete", it will appear in the District Volunteer Coordinator's list of applications to review and process. The volunteer eligibility determination process takes 7-10 business days from the date all required documents are uploaded, saved and viewable, and all checklist items are completed. Please double check all uploads after saving them to ensure they are current, visible, and er

Pursuant to state law and board policy, volunteer applicants aged 18 and older will be screened annually through the Washington State Patrol background check system. Please complete your application Disclosure accurately. All information is handled with strict confidence and security.

Check your email regularly for important notifications or volunteer eligibility status updates from email@schooldata.net or volunteers@fpschools.org. Be sure to also check your spam folder as these emails sometimes land there.

Once approved, volunteer clearance status lasts for one school year and expires July 31st of each calendar year. Applications are accepted as early as the first week of August of each school year. The earlier you apply and get approved, the more events and activities you can volunteer for.

We recommend reviewing the Volunteer Information and Resources list below to learn about types of volunteers, application requirements, and the approval process.

Click here to start your Volunteer Application

Christensen welcomes our many visitors – family, teachers from other schools and districts, and guest presenters.

· Visitors must check in at the main office upon arrival.

· To limit disruptions, parents/visitors are not allowed in classrooms during school hours (this excludes school-wide events).

· VISITORS MUST FOLLOW THE HEALTH AND SAFETY GUIDELINES AS OUTLINED FOR ALL STAFF AND STUDENTS

Classroom food is limited due to Health & Safety protocols. Please check with the office before sending ANY food other than individual lunches.

· Please request permission from your child’s teacher before bringing snacks to school.

· All snacks/treats MUST be store-bought and individually wrapped.

· Healthy treats are encouraged!

Franklin Pierce Schools strives to provide students with optimal conditions for learning by maintaining a school environment where everyone is treated with respect and no one is physically or emotionally harmed.

In order to ensure respect and prevent harm, it is a violation of district policy for a student to be harassed, intimidated, or bullied by others in the school community, at school sponsored events, or when such actions create a substantial disruption to the educational process.

The school community includes all students, school employees, school board members, contractors, unpaid volunteers, families, patrons, and other visitors. Student(s) will not be harassed because of their race; color; religion; ancestry; national origin; gender; sexual orientation (including gender expression or identity); mental or physical disability; or other distinguishing characteristics.

RCW 28A.300.285

The possession of firearms on school property will result in a one year mandatory expulsion, subject to appeal with notification to parents and law enforcement.

RCW 28A.600.420