2024-25 Family Handbook

Office Hours - 7:30 am - 4 pm - Monday - Friday
Preschool 8:45 am - 2 pm - No school on Wednesday

Entry Bell - 8:25 am
School Begins - 8:35 am
Dismissal  - 3:30 pm
Wednesday Release -2 pm

After School

Students must leave the school grounds at dismissal. Since there is no playground supervision after school, play activity is not allowed on the school grounds during this time. After school plans should be made prior to the school day, unless there are unavoidable circumstances. If your child’s regular after school plans change, please notify the office via phone message or written note an hour prior to school dismissal.  Due to supervision concerns, it is imperative that students are picked up on time.  If a student is not picked up within 30 minutes of the dismissal time, the non-emergency police number will be called.  If a student continues to be picked up late then the school will contact the Department of Human Services (DHS).   

Before & After School Supervision

Students may enter the building for breakfast at 8:10 am.  Unless they are eating breakfast, students should arrive at school no earlier than 8:15 am, when morning outside supervision begins.  Students may enter the building and go to their classrooms at 8:25 am.  Children are encouraged to go home directly after school. 

Crossing Guards

Crossing guards, hired and supplied by the City of Bettendorf, are available morning and afternoon to assist elementary students in crossing busy streets.  Students and adults are expected to follow the directions of the crossing guards.

Deliveries for Students

In an effort to maintain an educational climate and ensure the safety of students and staff, elementary buildings will not deliver food, flowers, packages, or gifts of any kind to students for individual special occasions. Parents and friends are encouraged to celebrate student accomplishments and special events through the home address of the student.  Food deliveries from food chains will not be accepted by office staff.  

Dress Code 

To create a safe and productive learning environment, students must follow a dress code that demonstrates physical cleanliness and school-appropriate attire and appearance. Students are expected to give proper attention to personal cleanliness and to wear clothes that are suitable for the school activities in which they participate. Students who need assistance with appearance/clothing should go to the school counselor. 

Some articles of clothing that are acceptable outside the school setting may not be considered appropriate for the school day, and as a result, should not be worn to school. Students are expected to wear clothing that is suitable for learning and promotes respectable student-teacher relationships, as well as student-student relationships. The responsibility for the dress and grooming of a student rests primarily with the student and his or her parents or guardians, although the school administration maintains the right to determine the appropriateness or suitability of any student attire. Additionally:

1. Attire or grooming depicting or advocating violence, criminal activity, gang-related activity, use of alcohol or drugs, vaping, pornography, or hate speech are prohibited.

2. Students must wear clothing including both a shirt with pants or skirt, or the equivalent (for example dresses, leggings, or shorts) and shoes. Clothing must cover the chest torso and lower extremities. Shorts with a minimal inseam and unreasonably short skirts are not acceptable.   

3. Clothing may not be see-through and must cover undergarments.

4. Clothing must be suitable for all scheduled classroom activities including physical education. 

5. Hats and other head coverings are not permitted except as a practice of religious beliefs or medical necessity.

6. Accessories that could be considered dangerous or could be used as a weapon are prohibited.

Parties 

At the elementary level, Winter and Valentine’s Day classroom parties are the scheduled parties for the school year.  

Parents are required to follow the BCSD Nut Aware Daily Snack and Celebration List when sending treats to school.  

Party Invitations 

      Party invitations will not be distributed on school property. 

Recess

Students should be dressed appropriately for recess every day.  The school policy is that students will go out every day for recess unless it is raining, the wind chill is below zero degrees, or the heat index is above 100 degrees.  A doctor’s excuse must be provided if requesting a student stay inside during recess.

Safe Snacks

In an effort to provide the safest environment possible for students with life threatening allergies to peanuts and tree nuts, Bettendorf Community School District has developed a Safe Snack List for district elementaries.

Bettendorf Community School District (BCSD) has developed Safe Snacks Lists to be implemented with the 2016-2017 school year. It is our utmost priority to provide those students with peanut and tree nut allergies the safest possible environment during their school day. 

In order to achieve this goal, strict adherence to the Safe Snacks Lists is expected from elementary teachers and parents in every classroom utilizing the following guidelines: 

Safe Snack List 

In an effort to provide the safest environment possible for students with life threatening allergies to peanuts and tree nuts, Bettendorf Community School District has developed a Safe Snack List. 

• The Bettendorf Community School District (BCSD) Safe Snack List (hereafter The List) is to be used by all classrooms for parties, celebrations or projects during the school day. The List is available in the main office of each building and on the BCSD website. 

• Only items on The List will be allowed to be consumed in the classroom. Items not found on The List will be returned to the student home. 

• The health and safety of each of our students is paramount. Treats must be in the original labeled container as purchased from the retailer and brand specific. These items should not contain nuts nor be manufactured in a facility that uses shared equipment. 

• Although every effort has been made to be as accurate as possible, BCSD is not responsible for errors or omissions on The List. Products, manufacturers and production plants change rapidly. Parents should check the food label to ensure nuts are not listed in the ingredients and that nuts could not have been introduced during manufacturing. 

• The List will be posted on the District website prior to the school year. This ensures sufficient time for parents/guardians to review and research the listed items and submit any concerns. 

• The List is solely for use in the classroom. Food consumed in the cafeteria does not fall under these guidelines. 

• Students in a contact allergy classroom will wash their hands when they enter the classroom in the morning and when they return from lunch. 

• Food allergies other than nuts will be managed on an individual basis with the classroom teacher.