Good school attendance is important for fiscal reasons and for life long learning and positive habits of mind. "Days off" for reasons other than illness or emergencies are costly, not only to our budget, but also to the development of academic, study, and life skills. Regular school attendance is important for the promotion of a consistent and continuous education program. Regular attendance is also a vital part of our funding. The district and school does lose money on every absence whether it is an excused or unexcused absence.

If your child will be out of school for 5 consecutive days or more, a Short Term Independent Study Contract can be used for the days that your child will be out of school. Please remember that we need sufficient time to gather the work for your child, so let the school know as far in advance as possible that your child will need independent study work. A contract must be signed in advance of the date the independent study begins and the work must be turned in on the date specified in the contract (usually the first day back to school). We are also required by State regulations to keep a representative, original sample of your child's work. The work will be evaluated and must be the equivalent of a day's schoolwork.

We still keep track of absences that are excused for school use (but not for credit for money from the State) such as illness; quarantine under the direction of a county or city health officer; medical, dental, optometrical, or chiropractic services rendered; or attending the funeral services of a member of the child's immediate family. When your child is absent, please call the school office at 423-2454 before 9:00 am or you may leave this information on our answering machine when the office is closed. We make every attempt to verify all absences verbally each day. A written note is required if verbal verification was not obtained.

We are required to notify you in writing if your child is absent for any reasons other than the above for more than three days. If your child is absent for 3 days or more without a valid excuse, your child will be considered to be truant and you will receive a letter from the school and possible referral to the School Attendance Review Board.

Updated information allows us to reach you quickly in the event of an emergency. Please notify the school promptly of any changes in your address, telephone number, place of employment, doctor, names on your emergency lists, or special health needs. If your child has an accident or becomes ill at school, minimal first aid will be administered and parents will be notified utilizing the information on the student's emergency system. It is important to keep this information current and on file in the school office.

Student safety is the concern of everyone.

The school district has made available to parents a low cost accident insurance for their children. The desirability of having such a plan can provide benefits when help in needed. All children are eligible for membership in this plan, applications are available in the school office.

Please notify us of any special health needs on forms we will provide or are available at the school office. We must be aware of any possible emergencies that might arise.

Student safety is the concern of everyone.

Visitors to our school and to individual classrooms are welcome. We appreciate your interest in our program and in your child's progress. Please set up an appointment, in advance, with your child's teacher so they will know you are coming.

When you arrive, you must sign-in at the office and get a name badge to wear, so that we are aware of who is on the school grounds at all times. This is for your safety as well as for the safety of the school. Visitors without a badge will be sent back to the office to sign-in.

Volunteers are very important to Brook Knoll School!!! Please consider being a Volunteer. Brook Knoll is an exceptional place, because of all the parents and community members who give of their time. All volunteer positions can be tailored to meet your time availability. You can help in the classroom or as a Room Parent. The Library and Life Lab Garden depend on parent support. How about baking or driving on field trips?

The BKEC helps coordinate all our volunteers through the use of the Volunteer Sign-Up Sheet in the first day Back-to-School packet. Please sign in and pick up a name badge at the office each time you volunteer. This is very important for insurance and reporting purposes as well as knowing where you are on campus if we receive a telephone call for you.

Volunteers sometimes come in contact with confidential matters. They are expected to respect the rights of both students and school personnel in holding these matters strictly confidential.

To all Volunteers, thank you for everything you do!

Report cards are issued three times a year. The first report card is accompanied by a parent-teacher conference. We feel this conference with parents is an integral part of the education program. We hope you will feel free to contact your child's teacher when/if you have questions or concerns. Additional conferences are arranged as needed.

"The Board of Trustees believes that appropriate dress and grooming contribute to a productive learning environment. The Board expects students to give proper attention to personal cleanliness and to wear clothes that are suitable for the school activities in which they participate (i.e. appropriate shoes for PE and recess play). Students’ clothing must not present a health or safety hazard or distraction, which would interfere with the educational process.”

The staff considers bare midriffs, short shorts, and underwear showing as inappropriate and distracting. Please check your child’s dress. We also consider wallets on chains and large hanging chains a safety hazard, and are therefore not allowed. Please help us to focus on learning and help your students use common sense. Students must wear shoes that are safe for play and activity. Rolling shoes are considered dangerous. Flip-flops and open toed shoes are also dangerous.

Shoe Safety: Please make sure that your child wears appropriate shoes to school. Sandals, heels and flip-flops are unsafe for running, P.E. and recess. We have many painful incidents each school year due to open toes and unsafe shoes. Please help us keep kids safe and healthy! In addition, roller-shoes are never safe on campus. Sneakers are the safest!

Electronic devices, including but not limited to cell phones, electronic phone watches, MP3 or CD players, game consoles, etc.. are to be turned off and out of sight during school hours. These are considered personal items and should be left at home. In cases where students need to bring them to school, such as a phone for parent contact, they should be off and out of sight (i.e. in a backpack )during the school day.

Ed Code 48901.5 (a) Consequences: Confiscation of items, to be returned later to a parent or guardian and/or possible detention.

The office phone is available to students for emergency calls only: this includes forgotten lunch or lunch money, transportation after school, etc. Student may NOT use the phone to make play arrangements.

Teachers will not be called out of class for phone calls, except in cases of emergency. Messages will be left for teachers so return calls can be made.

The Board of Trustees is committed to a learning environment that fosters mutual respect among district teachers, parents, and students. Communication between parents and teachers is encouraged to enhance each student's opportunity to achieve at the highest possible level. The Board of Trustees also encourages parent involvement in school related organizations such as site councils, parent club/PTA's, and site foundations that assist the district in maximizing opportunities for teaching and learning at each school site.

Parents may contact teachers at the school site by telephone or by appointment. The Board of Trustees encourages positive communication and discourages volatile, hostile, or aggressive actions that could have a negative impact on the learning environment of both teachers and students.

The district is responsible for maintaining a reasonable, safe and harassment free workplace for students and staff and for preventing unauthorized persons from entering school/district grounds.

The Superintendent is authorized to develop an administrative regulation to assure a positive learning environment, free of disruptions, for teachers and students throughout the district.

The following regulations have been developed for dealing with individuals who disrupt/damage the educational environment through volatile, hostile, or aggressive actions:

Disruptions
Any individual who disrupts or threatens to disrupt school/office operations; threatens the health and safety of students or staff; willfully causes property damage; uses loud and/or offensive language which could provoke a violent reaction; or who has otherwise established a continued pattern of unauthorized entry on school district property, will be directed to leave school or school district property promptly by the Superintendent or designee and could be supported by law enforcement involvement.

If any member of the public uses obscenities or speaks in a demanding, loud, insulting and/or demeaning manner, the administrator or employee to whom the remarks are directed will calmly and politely admonish the speaker to communicate civilly. If corrective action is not taken by the abusing party, the district employee will verbally notify the abusing party that the meeting, conference, or telephone conversation is terminated and, if the meeting or conference is on district premises, the offending person will be directed to leave promptly.

If violence is directed against an employee, or theft against property, the employee shall promptly report the occurrence to the principal or supervisor and complete a written report. Employees and supervisors should notify law enforcement officials and report any attack, assault or threat made against them on school/district premises or at school/district sponsored activities.

When an individual is directed to leave under such paragraph 1 or 2 circumstances, the Superintendent or designee shall inform the person that he/she will be guilty of a misdemeanor in accordance with California Education Code 44811 and Penal Codes 415.5 and 626.7, if he/she reenters any district facility within 30 days after being directed to leave, or within seven days if the person is a parent/guardian of a student attending that school. 
If an individual refuses to leave upon request or returns before the applicable period of time, the Superintendent or designee shall notify law enforcement officials. An Incident Report should be completed for the situations as set forth in paragraphs 1 and 2.

Appeal Procedure
Any person who is asked to leave a public school building or grounds may appeal to the Superintendent or designee. This appeal shall be made no later than the second school day after the person has been directed to leave the school building or grounds. The Superintendent or designee shall render his/her decision with 24 hours after the appeal is made, and this decision shall be binding.

The decision of the Superintendent or designee may be appealed to the Board of Trustees. Such an appeal shall be made no later than the second day after the Superintendent or designee has rendered his/her decision. The Board shall consider and decide the appeal at its next scheduled regular public meeting. The Board's decision shall be final.

An individual may file a complaint using the District complaint Procedure (BP 1312).

Notification Procedure
The Superintendent or designee will be responsible for making both parents and teachers aware of district policy that promotes mutual respect including provisions for dealing with disruptions.

This Board Policy (BP 1314) will be included in the annual first day packet and will require a written acknowledgement of receipt.

If it is determined that a member of the public is in violation of the provisions of this policy, the individual should be counseled on the applicable Education Code and Board policy provisions at the time of the occurrence and the employee must notify his/her supervisor and provide a written report of the incident.

Legal References
SVUSD Board Policy: BP 1312, BP 1312.1, E 1312.1, and AR 1312.1, E 1312.2, AR 1312.2,
AR 1312.3

Education Code: 
32210 Disturbing School 
44014 Assault on Personnel 
44810 Person on School Grounds 
44811 Insults and Abuses.

Penal Code: 
243.5 Arrest on School Grounds 
415.5 Fighting on School Grounds 
626.8 Entry of School by Person Not on Lawful Business 
627.7 Refusal to Leave School Grounds.

Brook Knoll Elementary recognizes that bullying and intimidation have a negative effect on school climate. Students who are intimidated and fearful cannot give their education the single-minded attention they need for success. Bullying can also lead to more serious violence. Every student has the right to an education and to be safe in and around school.

The District's full policy on Bullying is described in Board Policy 5131.2 Bullying

Alternately, you can pay with cash at school by dropping an envelope in the Lunch Room drop box in the morning. When sending in money by check or cash, please include the students name on the check and envelope, so it is deposited into the correct account.

Eligible students may receive meals free or at a reduced price of $.40 for lunch and/or $.30 for breakfast. To apply for free or reduced priced meals, you must complete an application. Applications are included in the first day packets and available in the school office. Applications should be returned to the school office. All information is strictly confidential.

> Click this link to read more about the District's Lunch Program.   SVUSD School Lunch Program information

**NOTE: For the 2023/2024 School year all breakfast and lunch meals are free of charge to students.  Food Services has made the menus available here.  Please note that the menu is subject to change due to product inventory and availability.

Parents are urged to label all coats, sweaters, backpacks and lunch boxes. Lost items are placed in the "Lost & Found" bins near the office. Please remind your child to take home all personal belongings each day. Unclaimed items are given to charity approximately every six weeks.

Parking Lot Procedures

In the past few years, funding for our school district has decreased by close to $1 million a year – a decrease of nearly $1000 per student. To live within the funding allowance, our school district has had to cut positions, services and programs at the district office and all school sites. These cuts include hours of administrators, teachers, counselors, the district nurse, instructional assistants, custodians, secretaries and more. We have increased class sizes at all sites. Our goal is to raise $950,000 for SVUSD for the school year 2011-12 to protect our schools from even more drastic cuts.  We are asking every family to consider donating $365 per child this year to support our schools. To make your donation today click here.  Thank you to all of SVEF supporters!

SVEF Needs You, and You, and YOU

The Scotts Valley Educational Foundation (SVEF) is looking for new members to join our team. You don't need to take a specific job, just come and be part of the Foundation's important work. They have many great events each year and are truly making a difference for our schools. This amazing organization helps fund our libraries, art and music programs, technology, classroom spending and whatever is needed at all four Scotts Valley schools. Meetings are held the 3rd Thursday of the month at 7pm. Click here for more information about SVEF.

SVEF web site

The Scotts Valley Board of Trustees meets the second and fourth Tuesday of each month. Meetings are usually held at the Scotts Valley City Council Chambers located at One Civic Center Drive at 7:00 pm.

Locations of meetings is subject to change, so please check the Board Agenda posted on each campus 72 hours before each meeting.

The Brook Knoll School Site Council (SSC) is an elected group of parents and school professionals who plan, implement, and evaluate the quality of the school program. The primary task of the School Site Council is to ensure that the school is continually engaged in identifying and implementing curriculum and instructional practices that result in strengthening the core academic program. This year, the SSC is involved with many important tasks including:

• Revising our Single School Plan for Student Achievement,

• Monitoring the School Site Plan,

• Managing and directing the budget,

• Reviewing achievement data and monitoring academic growth,

• Coordination of categorical programs,

• Reviewing our School Safety Plan,

• Distributing and interpreting the yearly Parent Teacher & Student Surveys.

Five parents per year are voting members, but all interested parents are invited to attend the Site Council meetings. Meetings are usually held the second Monday of each month at 3:30 in the Brook Knoll Small Group Room. Please check the school newsletter for dates and times.

School Site Council

SV Public Library: 420-5600 

SV Parks and Recreation:  438-3251 

SLV-SV Soccer: 336-3312 

SV Girls Softball: 430-9616

SV Little League: 439-9493

Girl Scouts: 1-800-624-4757

Boy Scouts: 422-5338 

4-H Programs: 454-2460 

Crisis Intervention: 454-4022

County Health Services Agency (Immunizations): 454-4100 

Child Protective Services: 454-4222