District & School Policies

ATTENDANCE POLICY

We encourage regular school attendance unless your child is ill or has a doctor’s appointment. If your child is absent, please notify your child’s teacher or the school by written note giving dates and reason for absence.

Our goal is for all students to achieve at least 96% attendance or better, this means no more than 5 absences per year. Please ensure that your child attends every day and on time, except when s/he is ill. Please be aware that as per California Education Code, students with 3 or more late arrivals or early pickups are considered to have had one or more absences and are not eligible for perfect attendance awards. If the student returns to school then the short absence from school is not counted. Early pickups and late arrivals are both considered tardies by the State and by LAUSD and remember that every 3 tardies count as one day of absence.

LEAVING CAMPUS DURING SCHOOL HOURS

There may be times when you need to take your child out of school during school hours due to a doctor’s appointment that could not be scheduled at any other time but please try to schedule all such appointments either first thing in the morning or late in the afternoon. Please do not take your child off campus for lunch. (Please refer to our Attendance Policy for more details.)

VISITOR'S POLICY

As per District Policy, we are a closed campus. For the safety of our students, all gates will be locked during school hours from 8:15 am – 2:38 pm. All visitors MUST enter through the main door on 247th Street. Visitors must go directly to the main office to sign in and get a visitor’s pass before entering the school grounds. Visitor’s Pass/Volunteer Badges must be worn at all times. All passes/badges must be returned to the office before leaving. Any parent who wishes to observe in their child’s classroom must obtain permission from the site administrator. Children who are not enrolled at Lomita Magnet may not be on campus without prior approval of the school principal.

ALL CAMPUS VISITORS MUST:

Sign in the Visitor’s Log Book located on the counter in the main office when entering the campus and sign-out when leaving campus.
Request an appointment for a classroom visitation date and time from the office staff after entering the school office.
Complete a visitor’s pass and obtain the principal/designee’s approval before proceeding to the classroom.
Determine the classroom activity you are observing and keep the classroom observation time and frequency reasonable.
Follow the school’s established procedures for scheduling an appointment with the teacher(s) and/or principal/designee after the classroom visit, if needed.
Return the visitor’s pass to the school office before leaving the campus.
Children who are not enrolled at the school are not to be on the campus unless prior approval of the principal/designee has been obtained

IMPORTANT RULES FOR VISITORS

Enter and leave the classroom as quietly as possible.
Do not converse with the students, teacher, and/or instructional aides during the visitation
Do not interfere with any school activity during the visitation.

HOMEWORK POLICY

Homework is an important part of our instructional program and is a shared responsibility of teachers, students and parents. Homework is assigned to help students maintain and improve their learning. When homework serves this purpose, it reflects on student achievement.

Please support our Homework Policy and your child’s academic progress by:

Providing a quiet place and ample time.
Encouraging students to do and complete homework.
Insisting on proper care of school materials and textbooks.
Encouraging students to use good study habits.
Providing assistance, if necessary.
Asking the teacher for clarification and/or supplies, if needed.
Below is the approximate time homework should take per day by grade level. If your child takes much longer or shorter, please consult with the teacher.

Kindergarten ...........5 to 20 minutes PLUS reading/ being read to for 15-20 minutes.

Grade 1...............….30 to 35 minutes PLUS reading for 20-30 minutes.

Grade 2................…35 to 40 minutes PLUS reading for 30-40 minutes.

Grades 3 and 4....…40 to 50 minutes PLUS reading for 40-50 minutes.

Grades 5.................50 to 60 minutes PLUS reading for 50-60 minutes.

Thank you for your support.

TITLE IX

This law prohibits discrimination based on gender or any form of sexual harassment. At Lomita Magnet, boys and girls will have the same opportunity to learn. We have mixed (boy/girl) seating, line-ups and PE activities to promote “gender equity”. In addition, students are made aware of behaviors which may be interpreted as forms of sexual harassment so that they do not engage in such conduct/speech. Please be aware that students 10 years and older may be suspended for sexual harassment (State Law). Assemblies are held in the fall and spring semesters (as needed) to explain and reinforce appropriate student behavior

Lomita Magnet is committed to providing an environment that upholds the standards of respect and civility and understands that bullying and hazing are in violation of District and School policy. All teachers and other staff members have been advised that there is Zero Tolerance for any type of bullying (including cyber bullying) and we would like to encourage you to report any incident of bullying to your child’s teacher immediately. If it persists despite informing the teacher, please inform an administrator. Be aware and mindful of your child’s online activity and supervise as appropriate. Remember that the definition of bullying is that it must be ongoing, and persistent, negatively affecting the mental or physical health of the targeted student. It is not a one or two-time incident or mutual fight. If there is an incident such as pushing, hitting, or teasing that hurts or concerns your child, make sure to remind him/her to report it to his teacher or nearby adult right away. If the teasing, pushing, taunting, or hitting becomes persistent then it might be considered bullying, which again, will not be tolerated at Lomita Magnet.

DRESS CODE

Students must dress appropriately for school, remember this is their “job,” not a day at the park/beach. Students must wear tennis shoes and clothing they can run and play sports in since they must participate in physical education every day. We will send you a flyer with further clarifications, if needed on an individual basis. Please mark your child’s belongings to minimize loss; make sure to include the room number. Lost articles will be placed in the lost and found and disposed of once a month so please check as soon as the item is lost.

PROHIBITED AT SCHOOL

Radios, iPods, iPads, playing cards, pets (no dogs, no matter how cute,) toys, junk food (such as but not limited to gum, candy, cake, chips, cookies, etc.), skateboards, bicycles, AND scooters
Toys/replica guns, knives, or anything resembling a weapon
Throwing or shooting objects
Fighting
Intimidation, extortion, and/or bodily harm to any person
Bullying of any kind
Harassment of any kind
Possession of weapons
Profane language or disrupting school activities
Possession or setting off any caps, firecrackers, cherry bombs, or any explosive device
Touching, lifting, pushing, sitting upon or defacing any automobile or damaging any personal or school property on or near school grounds
Possession of tobacco, drugs, or alcohol

CELL PHONES

District Policy states that cell phones must remain off and in student backpacks while at school. Cell phones observed by staff members during the school day, including recess or lunch, will be confiscated from the student. Parents will need to pick up the cell phone from the Principal after making an appointment for a conference that will include the student. Student cell phone use is only permitted for emergency calls to 911 or urgent calls at the direction of a staff member. Students must comply anytime a request is made by school personnel to cease the use of phone or any electronic devise while on campus or on a school organized off campus activity/trip. Exceptions may be granted in advance by the principal relating to health needs of a specific student.

STUDENT BIRTHDAY PARTIES ARE PROHIBITED

Student birthday parties are prohibited at school, this includes in the YDP, please do not ask the teacher to make an exception since all teachers/staff have been directed to observe this policy. As per district policy, there are to be two classroom parties per year. At Lomita STEAM Magnet we have a party at the end of each semester, right before winter break and one at the end of the year. In addition, birthday party invitations cannot be handed out in the classroom. To protect the privacy of our students, we are unable to provide student addresses or telephone numbers for private parties.

ONLY HEALTHY SNACKS AND LUNCH

It is the policy of the Los Angeles Unified School District that junk food is prohibited in elementary schools. When you prepare your child’s snack and/or lunch please follow this policy and send only healthy food to school. Please be aware that staff may confiscate junk food from students and if that food is the student’s only lunch, provide the child with a school lunch. If the item is open, it will be put in the trash bin, if it is sealed, then the parent may pick it up from the main office. Items not picked up within two school days will be placed in the trash bin. Should the junk food continue to be brought to school, parents may be contacted by the principal. No replacement snack will be provided during recess (FYI, breakfast is served at 8:21 every day so very few children bring a snack to eat at recess, they would rather play.) In addition, make sure that students do not bring food that may contain peanuts or peanut products; this includes peanut butter sandwiches. We have several students who are severely allergic to peanuts so please help us to protect their health and wellbeing. If your child will not eat anything other than a peanut butter sandwich (and that is all s/he eats at home as well,) please inform his/her teacher, we will have a table available for students in that situation after parents request this exception in writing. This table is so that we may protect those children who are highly allergic to peanuts. Our school cafeteria does not serve peanut-containing products.

STUDENT HEALTH

The school administration and school nurse must be notified if a student with a medical or health condition requires accommodations at school in order to participate in the educational programs. For example, students with diabetes, severe asthma, and severe allergies to food or insect bites, require recommendations/prescriptions from the student’s physician. Temporary conditions like broken bones, etc. must also be reported to the teacher and the main office accompanied by a doctor’s release/authorization to be in school, otherwise, the parent will be called to pick up the child.

A student suspected of having a communicable disease will be excluded from school until guidelines/requirements for readmission have been met. In some cases, we work with the LA County Department of Health and additional safeguards may need to be taken, as required by L.A. County. A student returning to school with sutures, casts, crutches, brace(s), or wheelchair for a temporary time period must have a California licensed health care provider’s written authorization to attend school and must comply with safety procedures required by the school administration and health services personnel.

In the absences of the physician’s written request/certificate, a student returning to school with an ace bandage or other types of bandages must have a written request from the parent/guardian describing the reason for the ace bandage and any restrictions. The parent or guardian’s written request will be accepted for up to 4 days; thereafter, a written certificate from the student’s California licensed health care provider will be required.

A student returning to school following a serious or prolonged illness, injury, surgery, or other hospitalization, must have written authorization by a California licensed health care provider to attend school, including any recommendations regarding physical activity.

A current Emergency Information Card must be on file at school so that parents/guardians can be notified promptly in case of an accident or illness involving their child. Make sure to update the emergency card, if any information changes. Make sure that you list at least 2-3 emergency contacts, not including the immediate family and to make changes as phone numbers or email addresses change. By getting an LAUSD Parent Passport Account, you can make such changes from the comfort of your home, without having to come to the school.

Screening of vision and hearing will be done in accordance with State mandates. Parents and guardians will be notified of any conditions requiring further attention.

MEDICATIONS AT SCHOOL

Students cannot carry or use medications on campus without written consent. A student who needs to take medication during school hours, must have a written statement to this effect on file in the school office signed by a California licensed physician and the parent or guardian. Self-administration of medication may be permissible by special arrangement with the school nurse or school administrator. School health personnel do not prescribe or give advice regarding medications.

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED

All volunteers must have a current Volunteer Application on file in the office along with a proof of a current TB test (within 6 months of starting to volunteer.) The TB test is good for 4 years. All volunteers must also have a Live Scan finger print and background check (LAUSD Policy) before they are approved to start volunteering at the school. Volunteers will be notified when their applications have been approved/processed by the District. Please speak to the office staff if you have any questions.

Drop & Go

This program is for the safety of all our children. We need volunteers who can give 15- 20 minutes of their time from 8:00 to 8:21a.m. You can volunteer as little as one day a week up and up to every day of the week. We need your help. Please see our school’s Community Representative in the main office.

SAFE WALKING MAPS

> The City of Los Angeles provides a walking map with safe routes to schools within the city for elementary and middle schools.

PEDESTRIAN AND AUTO SAFETY

We need your support with this very important safety concern.

For the safety of all our students, teachers walk classes to a specific gate (determined by grade level and no exceptions will be made) to avoid congestion. This is meaningless if, when children reach the sidewalk, parents call them from across the street, double or triple park, break safety rules, or the law to save a minute or two. The life and wellbeing of your child is worth another minute or two, and even ten minutes! Is your convenience really worth your child’s safety?

If your child walks to school without an adult, please make sure your child knows the safest route to school (which may not be the shortest.)

Be a role model for your child and teach him/her how to cross the street at corners, and crosswalks. Do not have them cross in the middle of the street. Please do not summon your child to run across the street or between parked cars. This is very dangerous and we have had many students almost hit by cars who did not see them. Help your child obey our crossing guards. There is a crossing guard at 247th and Narbonne Ave., one at 247th and Moon St. and one at Lomita Bl. and Narbonne Ave.—these individuals are Lomita City employees, not LAUSD employees. Remind your child to look both ways before crossing any street. Do not double park or allow your child to get out of your car in the middle of the street.

Become familiar with the posted traffic signs around the school. Narbonne Ave. is marked “Bus Zone” only. Please do not park in this zone, you will be ticketed as per the signs. 247th Street is marked “Loading Zone” only and we assist in the mornings by offering our Valet Service (see below.) The local law enforcement is out regularly to issue citations so please obey all traffic signage.

Your support for these very important safety items will help keep your children safe and avoid tickets for parking violations:

Teach your child to wait and look both ways before crossing at a signal.
Pull your car into the curb or the school side of the street only. A little patience here will pay off in keeping your child safe.
Do not permit your child to get out of your car in the middle of the street to cross.
Do not double park to drop off or pick up your child. Walking in and around other cars is dangerous.
Do not park in bus zones.
Become familiar with posted parking signs. (You can expect tickets for parking violations. The school cannot "fix" tickets for you.)

VALET DROP-N-GO

This program is designed to give your child a safe passage into school. Please remember:

This is for your child’s safety so please be patient
Children must have backpacks ready
Have your child seated on the right side of the car
Say good-bye before entering the cone zone
Do not drive against traffic (to bypass the Valet Service) to let your child out of the car anywhere else
When dropping off students, use a clockwise pattern around the school
Do not drop off students at the Moon Street gate/side of the school, that entrance has been designated as a pedestrian gate only, no drop offs. We are trying to look out for everybody’s safety and double parking, not allowing pedestrians to cross, etc. is not safe. Some of our parents as well as one child were hit by vehicles, fortunately no one was very seriously injured though some of them did require an emergency room visit and bed rest for up to a week. In other words, please be mindful of everybody’s safety at all times, gaining 1-2 minutes is not worth another person’s health and safety. Remember, it could be your own child’s safety one day.
Texting and driving is illegal and unsafe. Drivers need to concentrate on the road.
Stop whether a crossing guard is in a crosswalk with a stop sign in hand, or not
Slow down! Children can be unpredictable and could run out into your driving path.

BICYCLES, SKATEBOARDS, SCOOTERS, OR WHEELY SHOES ARE PROHIBITED

Bicycles, skateboards, scooters, or wheely shoes are prohibited at all times before, during and after school. Bicycles cannot be at school or locked to any part of the perimeter of the school or campus. Students or siblings must not ride scooters on campus at any time.

TEXTBOOKS

Your child may bring textbooks home. If possible, please help your child to cover each book to protect it for the year. Also, please help your child return it to school the next day. Students/families are financially responsible for lost textbooks.

LIBRARY BOOKS

Our library provides exciting learning opportunities for our students. Each child is responsible for any lost or damaged books. Please encourage your child to check out books from the school library and the public library. If your child does not have a library card, please make it a priority to get him/her one in the next couple of weeks..

AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS

The playground is open daily beginning from dismissal time to 6:00 p.m. We have two programs at Lomita Magnet.

Youth Services Branch (YS)

There are playground supervisors who are trained to supervise play. If your child is behaving inappropriately at any time on the after school playground the supervisors are directed to suspend him/her for one to five days, or permanently. The after school playground is a non-custodial program and students do not sign-in or sign-out. It is only for children in 2nd through 5th grade. Once students leave campus, they cannot return to the playground! Again, students may leave the campus at any time they choose to without adult consent or supervision.

Youth Developmental Program (YDP)

Parents must apply for this program and forms may be picked up in the main office. If you are interested in this program you must return the forms to YDP directly on the playground after dismissal. YDP is for students in grades 1-5 and provides homework time, academic enrichment and recreation activities. The program operates from the dismissal bell to 6:00 p.m. Students are expected to remain for the duration of the program. This program requires that children be signed out/picked up by their parents/guardians/authorized adults only.

CAFETERIA

All families must complete a meal application to determine if they qualify for a free or reduced lunch. If you don’t wish to provide any information you may check the box in the upper left corner that you do not wish to provide the information. Each and every family whose child qualifies for free or reduced lunch not only benefits from the meal’s savings but also counts toward our school’s Categorical (Federal) Funding, which increases our school’s budget for the year and also makes students eligible for additional programs not available to all students. If a child does not qualify for free or reduced lunch, please make sure there is money consistently deposited into their account if they eat in the cafeteria. The office does not lend students money to make purchases from the cafeteria. It is always better to have a few meals’ worth than to have the account zero out. Lunch menus will be sent home monthly.

Students may eat a snack at recess time but we require that it be a healthy one (no junk food please.) Please make sure your child clearly understands the difference between his/her snack and lunch so they don’t eat their lunch at snack time and have nothing to eat at lunch time. Remember to label all lunch boxes/lunch bags every day.

ONLINE LUNCH MENU

Cafe LA Menu Website

STUDENT AWARDS

Students are recognized once a month at a morning assembly. If your child is receiving recognition, your child’s teacher will notify you; you are welcome to attend this special moment for your child. In addition, students in grades 3-5 will be on the Principal’s Honor Roll each trimester if their GPA is 3.5 or higher in all academic subjects on their report card. Students with a GPA of 3.00 - 3.49 will be on the Teacher’s Honor Roll and will be recognized in the classroom.

ENROLLMENT ADJUSTMENT/ ORGANIZATION

Room assignment changes may be necessary due to the increase or decrease of school enrollment or to rebalance classrooms after the school year begins. You will be notified of any classroom changes involving your child due to reorganization or any other reason.