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Tulare City District Office Building

Frequently Asked Questions

 
We understand that there are many questions you and your student may have. Most of the questions can be answered by reading the Parent-Student Handbook, found on the side of the page. If you can't find what you are looking for here, please feel free to contact us.
Click on the link below for our IT's  Chromebook Troubleshooting Document for common Chromebook Issues. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1wK7ZxhSFJdY1ZRnLH18iwIOp5bFNw1Nm/view?usp=sharing
AM Cohort Session TK-3rd:  8:10 AM-10:10:40 AM
PM Cohort Session TK-3rd: 1:00 PM-3:30 PM
 
AM Cohort Session 4th-8th: 8:10 AM-11:10 AM
PM Cohort Session 4th-8th: 1:00 PM-4:00 PM 
 
Grab –N-Go Meals are available for ANY child ages 1-18 at all 15 schools from 11:00 AM-1:00 PM on TUESDAY & THURSDAYS. Children do not need to be present. The student’s first, last name & school of residence (if any) will be needed to provide meals. 

 

The Meals on the Bus provides meals THURSDAYS from 11:15 AM-1:00 PM. Click on link for more information (https://bit.ly/2PJmMMU).

 

Long Term Independent Study students can pick-up meals at the Nutrition Services Building located at 600 N. Cherry St. on TUESDAYS.

School site office hours are  7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. You are welcome to call the school offices and set-up an appointment to stop by. Masks are required on school campuses. School office hours may change due to holidays.
 
 
You can easily find the school boundaries on our school boundary locator page.
PROGRESS REPORTS
Trimester - At approximately the middle of each trimester, progress reports will be available to parents. Progress reports will be mailed home. If their child is having academic problems parents should contact the teacher(s) to discuss the problem and what steps need to be taken for improvement.
 
Weekly - Weekly progress reports are available to parents through the office, upon request. After a discussion with your child concerning the weekly progress report, the report must be signed by a parent and returned to school. To receive additional reports on Fridays, the student must have returned the signed report from the prior week.
 
Danger of Failing a Course - Parents/Guardians will be notified when a teacher has determined that their child is in danger of failing a course. (E.C. 49067(a))
 
REPORT CARDS
Report cards are issued to parents three times each school year. Transitional Kindergarten and Kindergarten use Desired Results Development Profile (DRDP-K); 1st-6th-grade use Standards-Based Report Card (SBRC); and 7th-8th-grade use letter grades.
 
(Parent-Student Handbook Page 61)

The Tulare City School District believes that all students have a right to a safe and healthy school environment. The district, schools and community have an obligation to promote mutual respect, tolerance, and acceptance.

The Tulare City School District will work diligently to discourage and prevent behavior that infringes on the safety of any student.  A student shall not intimidate, harass, or bully another student through words or actions. 

The California Department of Education defines bullying as a form of violence. It involves a real or perceived imbalance of power, with the more powerful child or group attacking those who are less powerful.  Bullying may be physical (hitting, kicking, spitting, pushing), verbal (taunting, malicious teasing, name-calling, threatening), or emotional (spreading rumors, manipulating social relationships, extorting, or intimidating).  Bullying can occur face-to-face or in the online world.

To the extent possible, district schools shall focus on the prevention of bullying by establishing clear rules for student conduct and implementing strategies to promote a positive, collaborative school climate. (Visit the District

website: www.tcsdk8.org; or your school’s website for specific site strategies)

As appropriate, Tulare City School District shall provide students with instruction, in the classroom or other educational settings that promotes effective communication and conflict resolution skills, social skills, character/values education, respect for cultural and individual differences, including the negative impact of bullying other pupils based on their actual or perceived immigration status, their religious beliefs and customs, their disability, gender, gender identity, gender expression, nationality, race or ethnicity, sexual orientation, or any other characteristic that is contained in the definition of hate crimes set forth in Section 422.55 of the Penal Code. Instruction shall also include self-esteem development, assertiveness skills, and appropriate online behavior. (Visit the District website for more information on Bullying Prevention Resources, www.tcsdk8.org, in “Our Students”, “Bullying Prevention”)

The Tulare City School District expects students and/or staff to immediately report incidents of bullying to the principal or designee.   Students and parents are both encouraged to become familiar with the school district’s SPRIGEO anti-bullying and reporting site.   This site can be accessed through:

The Tulare City School District website under “Our Students”, on the “Bullying Prevention” page, or at the following link: (http://report.sprigeo.com/district/tulare)

Staff who witness acts of bullying or intimidation must take immediate steps to intervene when safe to do so.  Each complaint of bullying should be promptly investigated.  This policy applies to students on school grounds, while traveling to and from school or a school-sponsored activity, during the lunch period, whether on or off-campus and during a school-sponsored activity.

To ensure bullying does not occur on school campuses, the Tulare City School District will cultivate acceptance and understanding in all students and staff to build each school’s capacity to maintain a safe and healthy learning environment. 

  • Any student who engages in bullying may be subject to disciplinary action up to and including expulsion.
  • Students are expected to immediately report incidents of bullying to the principal or another adult staff member they trust.
  • Students can rely on staff to promptly investigate each complaint of bullying in a thorough and confidential manner.
  •  If the complainant student or the parent of the student feels that appropriate resolution of the investigation or complaint has not been reached, the student or the parent of the student should contact the principal or the Office of Student Services.  The school system prohibits retaliatory behavior against any complainant or any participant in the complaint process.
 

SPRIGEO

Sprigeo is an online reporting system where students, parents, or others can report school safety threats and/or bullying – anonymously if desired. The Principals, Vice Principal and/or lead school staff members are the only ones who receive the report. Once the report is received, they investigate the incident. Sprigeo can be accessed at Sprigeo.com or from a link on the district or school website.

(Parent-Student Handbook Pages 30-31)

Students will be excused from school for the following reasons
1. Illness of the student.
2. Quarantine under the direction of a county or city health officer.
3. Securing medical, dental, optometric, or chiropractic services
4. Attendance at the funeral services of a member of the student’s immediate family, so long as the absence is not more than one day if the service is conducted in California, and not more than three days if the service is conducted outside California.
5. Jury duty.
6. Illness or medical appointment during school hours of a child of whom the student is the custodial parent, including absences to care for a sick child for which the school staff shall not require a note from a doctor.
7. For justifiable personal reasons, including, but not limited to, an appearance in court, attendance at a funeral service, observance of a holiday or ceremony of his or her religion, attendance at religious retreats, attendance at an employment conference, or attendance at an educational conference on the legislative or judicial process offered by a nonprofit organization when the pupil’s absence is requested in writing by the parent or guardian and approved by the principal or a designated representative pursuant to uniform standards established by the governing board. Attendance at religious retreats cannot exceed four hours per semester.
8. Service as a member of a precinct board for an election.
9. Spending time with a member of the student’s immediate family, who is an active duty member of the uniformed services, and has been called to duty for, is on leave from, or has immediately returned from, deployment to a combat zone or combat support position; such absences will be granted for a period of time to be determined at the discretion of the Superintendent.
10. Attendance of the student’s naturalization ceremony to become a United States citizen.
11. For the purpose of students in grades 7-12 attending confidential medical services without parental consent.
 
A pupil absent from school under this section shall be allowed to complete all assignments and tests missed during the absence that can be reasonably provided and, upon satisfactory completion within a reasonable period of time, shall be given full credit, therefore, with no grade reduction. The teacher of the class from which a pupil is absent shall determine which tests and assignments shall be reasonably equivalent to, but not necessarily identical to, the tests and assignments that the pupil missed during the absence.
 
Absences pursuant to this section are deemed to be absences in computing average daily attendance and shall not generate state apportionment payments.
 
"Immediate family," as used in this section, means the parent or guardian, brother or sister, grandparent, or any other relative living in the immediate household of the pupil. (E.C. 48205)
 
A pupil may not have their grade reduced or lose academic credit for any absences excused pursuant to this section when missed assignments and tests that can reasonably be provided are satisfactorily completed within a reasonable period of time.
 
TARDY & LEAVING EARLY POLICY
Students are expected to be on time daily and stay for the entire day. It is in violation of school rules and state law (E.C. 48200) if a child is tardy or leaves early without a note or phone call verifying a valid excuse. Tardies and leaving early are excused only for the same reasons as legal absences. In addition, if a student is absent for more than any 30-minute period during the school day without a valid excuse this is also a violation of school rules and state law (E.C. 48260). If tardies and/or leaving early become numerous, the school site will address the problem. If the problem continues, referrals may be made to district attendance officers and eventually, the School Attendance Review Board.
 
EXCUSED ABSENCES
The easiest way to clear an absence or tardy is to call your school office, on the date of the absence or tardy, to verify the reason and the estimated date of return. In order for an absence to be cleared as excused, the school office must be contacted within 5 days of returning. When a student is absent or tardy, he/she must bring or fax a NOTE, (the first day he/she returns) to the school office, OR must be accompanied to the office by parent/guardian upon arrival OR the parent/guardian must phone the school office with the following information: Name of student; Name of the parent/guardian; Date; Date(s) of absence; Reason for absence(s); Parent/Guardian signature. If your child is missing more than 10 percent of the school year, and you do not contact your child’s school on the morning of their absence, the school may request a home visit to determine why your child is not in school. Students who are tardy or absent due to a doctor appointment must provide the school office with a signed note from the doctor’s office. Any restrictions (P.E., exercise, etc.) for the student must be stated and signed by the doctor.
 
ABSENCE FOR RELIGIOUS PURPOSES
With the prior written consent of parent/guardian and approval of the principal, a student may be excused in order to participate in religious exercises or to receive moral and religious instruction at a place away from school property. The student must attend school at least the minimum school day and shall be excused from school for such purpose on no more than four days per school month (E.C. 46014).
 
(Parent-Student Handbook Page 53)
You will find all the information you need on the enrollment page. 
Dress code is still enforced and should be followed during distance learning. Please see guidelines below.
 
General Guidelines
Before purchasing clothing for their children, parents are strongly urged to review the following criteria for student dress and appearance. It is not the district’s purpose to dictate a specific dress, but, rather ensure the following:
The health and welfare of students, a safe and calm school environment, and appropriateness.
 
District dress and appearance standards shall be in effect at all times at school, on the way to school, on the way home from school, at any school function or activity regardless of location, and at any other Tulare City School campus and/or function.
 
A student may not remain at school, at a school activity or function dressed in a manner which (1) creates a safety or health hazard for said student, for other students, or staff; (2) constitutes a serious or unnecessary distraction of any and all school activities or functions; (3) is in conflict with the district’s/school’s educational mission; (4) promotes substance abuse and/or gang activity; or (5) is indecent or revealing. The above-mentioned criteria are the guidelines by which the principal(s)/designees will make all decisions regarding dress and appearance. Students that do not adhere to these guidelines will be required to comply according to the timeline established by the site principal. Repeated or purposeful non-compliance of the district’s dress and appearance code will be subject to progressive discipline.
 
The following items are non-compliant (not allowed) to the district’s Dress and Appearance Code:
The following is a list of examples of, but not limited to, the restrictions to a student’s dress and appearance.
 
· Pants, shorts or cutoffs that are oversized, sag or don’t fit at the waist, or have excessively large legs.
· Oversized tops; halter tops; tube tops; see-through tops; fishnet; half tops; muscle shirts; undershirts; tank tops with large armholes; tops that expose the bare midriff, sides, and/or back, or low cut tops; backless dresses; and mini-skirts.
· Lycra stretch or other excessively tight or revealing clothing, unless worn with a thigh-length top.
· Any clothing that exposes posteriors or undergarments.
· Pajama bottoms.
· Head Covering - hats, caps, nets, bandanas. (*)
· Shoes with no back strap, flip flops, cleats, high heels, Heelys/sport skate shoes or sock-like slippers. (*)
· Initialed belt buckles, wallets with attached chains, hanging belts, suspenders straps hanging off the shoulders.
· Hoop earrings which are larger than a dime.
· Visible nose rings, facial, tongue, or body piercings that contain jewelry or create a health/safety hazard.
· Glasses, other than prescription (inside buildings).
· Visible permanent or temporary tattoos (must be covered)
· Altered eyebrows; Extreme hair colors, that cause unnecessary distraction of any school activities or functions
· Words or pictures that are not appropriate for the school environment on clothing. (Examples include obscenities, symbols representing alcohol, drugs or tobacco, gang colors, gang materials, gang behavior, weapons, sexually explicit words or pictures, tagging, or violence.) Bandanas of any color or size.
· Makeup for grades kindergarten through six.
· Fake or real fingernails that are too long and create a safety hazard.
· A student’s dress or appearance that is intended to communicate a particular or understandable message that causes a substantial disruption or material interference with school activities.
 
(*) Exceptions to Dress and Appearance Code:
· Exception: Hats worn for the purpose of sun protection. Knit “beanie” hats may be worn during inclement weather only. These hats may be worn outside only and may not sport an insignia, other than the school insignia. Hats, by nature of the color, arrangement, trademark, or any other attribute, that denote membership in gangs, or which advocate racial, ethnic, or religious prejudice, drug use, violence, intimidation or disruptive behavior are prohibited.
· Exception: 7-8 grade students may wear shoes with no back straps and flip flops
 
(Parent-Student Handbook Page 16)
The Our Curriculum section of the website will provide you with all the information you need about our curriculum.
Regular attendance is vital to a student’s academic success. Research shows that students who attend school regularly outperform those with poor attendance patterns. It is not possible to give your child the best education possible if he/she is not in class, or arrives late, or leaves early. The staff and administration will uphold and enforce the state laws of California which require students under 18 years of age to be in school, on time, on a daily basis.
 
Should attendance become an issue, school personnel will contact the parent/guardian to inform them that there is an attendance concern and improvement is needed. Thereafter, if attendance continues to be an issue, the school may request a home visit by district attendance staff to discuss possible solutions and provide resources in an effort to improve the student’s attendance. If attendance continues to be an issue the parents/guardians may be referred to a School Attendance Review Team (SART) or the School Attendance Review Board (SARB).
 
Parents/guardians who fail to abide by the directives set forth in the SART or SARB contract may be referred to the District Attorney for criminal prosecution pursuant to E.C. 48293, Penal Code 270.1 and/or Penal Code 272.
 
(Parent-Student Handbook Page 54)
Options for student transfers include intradistrict transfers, which allow students to transfer from school to school within our district, and interdistrict transfers, which allow students to transfer from one school district to another. We continue to allow students to attend schools outside of the Tulare City School District, and we also accept students from other school districts. However, in order to maintain room for students residing within a school’s attendance area, interdistrict and intradistrict transfers will be granted based on space availability (E.C. 48980).
 
(Parent-Student Handbook Page 37)
 

The District has an established procedure for considering complaints against the district and/or an individual employee.  District administrators work diligently to resolve concerns at the informal level beginning with the teacher or the principal, depending on the situation, and encourage our parents’/community members to do the same.  However, at times situations may arise in which a person feels compelled to file a formal complaint regarding a specific situation or employee.  When a formal complaint is filed, District Administration will follow the sequence listed under AR 1312.1, Complaints Concerning District Employees, available on the District website under Board Policies.

If any person desires to file a formal complaint is directed to place their complaint in writing and submit it to:

Compliance Officer
Assistant Superintendent of Personnel
600 N. Cherry, Tulare, CA 93274
(559) 685-7200

(Parent-Student Handbook Page 20)

The principals (school site Custodian of Records) and/or the District Custodian of Records maintain records on every student enrolled. These records are kept in a central file at the school attended by the student or when records are maintained in different locations, a notation is placed in the central file indicating where other records may be found. Parents/guardians of currently enrolled or former pupils have absolute access to any and all student records and information, in accordance with the law, and shall not be denied because he/she is not the child’s custodial parent. (E.C. 49063, 49068, 49069, 49070, 20 USC 1232g) School officials or employees whose duties and responsibilities to the district require that they have access to student records are also allowed access. The district will forward education records to other agencies or institutions that have requested the records and in which the student seeks or intends to enroll. Upon transfer of pupil records, parents/guardians have the right to receive a copy of the records and have the right to challenge the content of the records.
 
Student records include:
· Mandatory permanent student records (kept indefinitely):
Legal name of student; date and place of birth, and method of verifying birth date; sex of student; name and address of parent/guardian of minor student; address of minor student if different from the above; annual verification of parent/guardian’s name and address and student’s residence; entrance and departure date of each school year and for any summer session or other extra session; subjects taken during each year, half-year, summer session or quarter, and marks for credits given; verification of or exemption from required immunizations.
· Mandatory interim student records (forwarded to another district or destroyed during the third school year following a determination that their usefulness has ceased or the student has left the district):
· Expulsion orders and the causes therefore; log identifying persons or agencies who request or receive information from the student record; health information, including child health and disability prevention program verification or waiver; information on participation in special education programs, including required test, case
studies, authorizations, and evidence of eligibility for admission or discharge; language training records; progress slips/notices; parental restrictions/stipulations regarding access to directory information; parent/guardian rejoinders to challenged records and to disciplinary action; parent/guardian authorization or denial of student participation in specific programs; results of standardized tests administered within the past three years.
· Permitted student records (may be destroyed six months after the student completes or withdraws from the educational program):
Objective counselor/teacher ratings; standardized test results older than three years; routine disciplinary data; verified reports of relevant behavioral patterns; all disciplinary notices; supplementary attendance records.
 
To inspect, review or obtain copies of student records, authorized persons shall submit a request to the Custodian of Records. Authorized persons from outside the school whose access requires consent from the parent/guardian or adult student shall submit their request, together with any required authorization, to the Superintendent or designee or the Custodian of Records. Within five days following the date of request, an authorized person shall be granted access to inspect, review and obtain copies of student records during regular school hours. The cost of the copies is five cents per sheet. Qualified certificated personnel shall be available to interpret records when requested. The Custodian of Records is responsible for the security of records and shall assure that access is limited to authorized persons. The Custodian of Records or the Superintendent or designee shall prevent the alteration, damage or loss of records during inspection. A log shall be maintained for each student’s record, which lists all persons, agencies, or organizations requesting or receiving information from the records and the legitimate educational interest of the requestor. (E.C. 49064)
 
The custodial parent/guardian of any student may submit to the Superintendent or designee a written request to correct or remove from his/her child’s records any information concerning the child which he/she alleges to
be inaccurate, an unsubstantiated personal conclusion or inference, a conclusion or inference outside of the observer’s area of competence, not based on the personal observation of a named person with the time and place of the observation noted, is misleading or is in violation of the privacy or other rights of the student. Within 30 days of receiving a request to correct or remove information from a record, the Superintendent or designee shall meet
with the parent/guardian and with the employee (if still employed) who recorded the information in question. The Superintendent shall then sustain or deny the allegations. If the parent/guardian’s allegations are sustained, the Superintendent shall order the correction or removal and destruction of the information. If the Superintendent denies the allegations, the parent/guardian may write within 30 days to appeal the decision to the Board of Trustees. Within 30 days of receiving the written appeal, the Board shall meet in closed session with the parent/guardian and the employee (if still employed) who recorded the information in question. The Board shall then decide whether or not to sustain or deny the allegations. If it sustains any or all of the allegations, the Superintendent shall immediately correct or remove and destroy the information from the student’s records. The decision of the Board shall be final. If the decision of the Superintendent or Board is unfavorable to the parent/guardian, the parent/guardian shall have the right to submit a written statement of objections, which shall become a part of the student’s record.
 
Parents/guardians have the right to file a complaint with the United States Department of Education concerning an alleged failure by the district to comply with the requirements of the General Education Provisions Act or (FERPA). The name and address of the office that administers FERPA is the Family Policy Compliance Office, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Ave., SW, Washington, DC 20202-5920.
 
(Parent-Student Handbook Pages 34-35)
Participation in the graduation ceremony will be awarded to students who have successfully met the following standards:
· Promotion requirements have been met.
· The student has met the minimum academic standard of a cumulative 2.0 GPA for his/her 8th-grade year.
· Graduation clearance requirements have been met (books returned, etc.)
· Attendance must show compliance with the Attendance and Tardy Policy, outlined below:
a) All students are required to attend school unless otherwise excused due to illness.
b) Absences of 20 days or more may exclude students from participation. All students are required to be on time for school and classes.
c) Students with absences due to extended illness may be required to provide school health staff or physician verification.
d) An extended illness is one which exceeds five (5) consecutive days. Students with extended illness may be placed on Independent Study.
e) Absences due to family vacations or other special needs must be arranged in advance so that the student(s) can be placed on Independent Study.
· Good citizenship has been demonstrated and/or shows compliance with the Discipline Policy of this guidebook, outlined below:
a) Any behavior deemed extremely serious in nature could exclude a student from graduation.
b) Excessive disciplinary referrals will exclude a student from graduation. Students who do not qualify for graduation are excluded from participating in and attending graduation or dance.
c) The Twenty-Day notice is given to students when they are suspended. This notice means that students are held out of school activities, including, but not limited to athletics, dances, assemblies, and graduation
 
 
GRADUATION CEREMONY AND DRESS
The graduation ceremony is a formal occasion for 8th-grade students. In order to conduct a dignified ceremony, while keeping clothing costs to a minimum, graduation gowns will be worn by all graduates. The District will provide the graduation gowns. No alterations of the gowns will be allowed as they are the Property of Tulare City School District. It is expected that students will follow the District dress and appearance guidelines that can be found on page 16 in this handbook. The only ornamentation to the graduation gown that will be allowed during the graduation ceremony are school-sponsored medals, pins, ribbons, cords, and medallions.
 
(Parent-Student Handbook Page 73)