Parent Handbook
Welcome to Creekside
Morning Schedule & Playground
- 8:20 am - playground gate opens for breakfast. Breakfast is free and available to all students.
- 8:25 am - playground gate opens with supervision for all students.
- 8:38 am bell - students line up ay their classroom number on the playground.
- 8:40 am bell - teachers pick up students from their line and walk to their classroom.
- 8:45 am bell - instruction begins
Early Thursday - Every Thursday is a “time-banking day” with early dismissal for all grader TK - 5th.
School Lunch - School meals continue to be free for all students, regardless of household income, under California’s Universal Meals Program. Every student enrolled in PUSD (PreK-12) is offered one free breakfast meal and one free lunch meal each school day. Meals must be recorded by specific student accounts, either by scanning their barcode or entering their ID number in a pin pad. Please note that a student cannot take just a beverage for free; they must select enough items to make a reimbursable meal.
Menus, nutrition information and meal accommodations can be found at https://pusdnutrition.powayusd.com/.
Before and After School Supervision
After School Supervision - After school, we ask parents/guardians to wait outside the school gates until the bell rings and the gates open. TK and Kindergarten students will be led by their teacher to the front of the school. Students in 1st - 5th Grade will be released from their classroom. Parents/guardians should designate a specific place to meet their child (i.e.: bus loop, main parking lot, etc.). Staff will supervise students waiting to be picked up for 20 minutes after the bell rings. Please arrange with carpools, babysitters, etc. to have students picked up within that time as supervision is not available beyond 20 minutes.
Gecko Gazette - This is a weekly e-newsletter emailed to all families each Friday afternoon. Take the time to read this each week to see what’s coming up around the school and community. Several past editions are on the Creekside website.
Classroom Communications - Our teachers will share information with you in various ways. All of our teachers use email as the primary communication tool, so be sure we have your current email address. Teachers’ email addresses can be found on the Creekside webpage and will be shared with you at Back-to-School Night in the fall. In addition to email, some teachers will share weekly or monthly newsletters highlighting important classroom happenings.
School Website/Calendar - We do our very best to keep our school’s website up to date and informative. Please visit our website to access information about our school. If you find incorrect or out of date information, please notify the school office so we can correct it quickly. Click on the “Calendar” tab to access our Google Calendar for school holidays and non-student days.
Friday Flag Assembly - is conducted by our principal who will share announcements of upcoming events, student accomplishments and interesting information about our Creekside culture. Parents are invited!
PUSD Website - On the Poway Unified School District (PUSD) website HERE, you’ll find information about a variety of district programs. This is a great site for information about Preschool, ESS and other programs as well as PUSD School Board Meeting minutes and information.
Getting To and From School
Bike/Scooter Policy - Students in 3rd through 5th grade may ride their bike or scooter to school with parent permission. Children must wear a helmet, provide a lock for the bicycle/scooter, and follow safety rules/laws. A Bike/Scooter Permit must be completed online for students who wish to ride their bike/scooter to school. Bikes and scooters must be walked once on school grounds. No rollerblades, razors, or skateboards are allowed on campus.
- No cell phones while driving!
- Always watch for children in unexpected places.
- Park only in marked spaces or on the street where legally permitted.
- Do not park in reserved spaces.
- Never leave car unattended at the curb.
- Never double park to drop-off or pick-up students.
- Always use blue crosswalk when walking through the parking lot.
- SLOW DOWN! Speed should be no more than 10 MPH while in lot.
The “Bus Loop” is the circular lot closest to Poway Road. Enter from the north (turn right into driveway) and load and unload along the curb behind the bus area. You will need to turn left when leaving the bus loop.
The “Main Parking Lot” is the larger lot closest to the playground. Enter from the south (left turn in) and exit south (right turn out) towards Scripps Poway Pkwy. You may also enter this lot from the North if you are parking. You may load and unload passengers along the red curb or park in a designated parking space.
Morning Drop-off Hints:
- Be prepared for drop-off; have backpacks and other items within reach of the student.
- Pull into the drop-off lane near the curb.
- Quickly drop students off anywhere along the curb in front of Office/MPR building.
- Students always get out on the curb side.
- Don’t wait for a parking spot (it really jams traffic). Continue through the lot to find street parking.
- In the Main Parking lot, pull forward along curb. Students will enter the vehicle ONLY once you drive past the blue crosswalk. (This really helps with traffic flow and safety.)
- In the Bus Loop, pull forward along curb to furthest opening. Your student will come to your car.
The system works if everyone follows the rules!
School Policies
Illnesses - PUSD Guidelines state that your child must be free from fever, diarrhea and vomiting for 24 hours before returning to school. Students with Upper Respiratory Infections, persistent nasal discharge that is purulent or discolored, excessive coughing or appears to be too ill or uncomfortable to adequately function in classroom setting should stay home until there are no symptoms for 24 hours or a written doctor's medical release is obtained.
Medication at School - Whenever possible, medication should be administered at home. Parents have the option of coming to school to give medication to their child during the school day. If your student needs daily or “as needed” medication administered at school, please review our policy and required form(s) .
Limiting Classroom Interruptions and Forgotten Items - To ensure that the focus is on the academic lessons, we ask your support in limiting the number of interruptions to the classroom. You can help by discussing alternate pick-up plans with your child for days you run late or when the weather is rainy. If you do need to leave a message for your child, he/she will be called to the office after the school bell rings at the end of the day to pick up the message. Forgotten items (musical instruments, homework, lunches, etc.) may be left in the office and an e-mail will be sent to the teacher. In addition to avoiding phone calls during the school day, we ask that classroom visits be limited to times pre-arranged with the teacher. While our teachers love chatting with parents, it can be an interruption to teaching and a distraction to students. Our teachers will need lots of extra help throughout the school year, so you’ll have plenty of opportunities to schedule volunteer time in the classroom.
Celebrations - We love to celebrate holidays and birthdays at school, but we are sensitive to allergies and dietary needs of many of our students. We ask teachers and parents to find ways of celebrating which do not include food. Class parties may include a special story, art project or game. If you would like to celebrate your child's birthday at school, contact your child's teacher to schedule a time. Rather than bringing edible treats, perhaps a gift to the classroom of a new book or game would be a nice way to celebrate.
Lost & Found - Lost items can be found on the Lost and Found rack in the lunch area. Items labeled with students names are returned to their classrooms. Unmarked and unclaimed items are donated before each school break and at the end of the year. Small items can be found in the office.
Extended Absences - We hope you will schedule family trips around school vacations, but should there be a planned absence of five days or more you may arrange for an Off Campus Independent Study (OCIS) contract for your child. Please inform the school office and classroom teacher as early as possible (at least 10 business days in advance) to prepare an OCIS contract. Your child’s teacher will provide the class work your child will miss while away from school. The teacher will make every effort to make the work a relevant and valuable educational experience. Covering a full day’s work while away from school is difficult, but covering a full week’s work, or more, is quite a challenge. If your child completes all of the assignments, he/she will not be counted as absent.
The Gecko is our Creekside Mascot
Trustworthiness - Be honest • Don’t deceive, cheat, or steal • Be reliable — do what you say you’ll do • Have the courage to do the right thing • Build a good reputation • Be loyal — stand by your family, friends, and country.
Respect - Treat others with respect; follow the Golden Rule • Be tolerant of differences • Use good manners, not bad language • Be considerate of the feelings of others • Don’t threaten, hit, or hurt anyone • Deal peacefully with anger, insults, and disagreements.
Responsibility - Do what you are supposed to do • Persevere • Always do your best • Use self-control • Be self-disciplined • Think before you act — consider the consequences • Be accountable for your choices.
Fairness - Play by the rules • Take turns and share • Be open-minded • Listen to others • Don’t take advantage of others • Don’t blame others carelessly.
Caring - Be kind • Be compassionate and show you care • Express gratitude • Forgive others • Help people in need.
Citizenship - Do your share to make your school and community better • Cooperate • Get involved in community affairs • Stay informed • Be a good neighbor • Obey laws and rules • Respect authority • Protect the environment.
