School Policies, Procedures, and Programs

Educating your youngster is our goal. Your child’s attendance is vital for her/him to be successful. Children must arrive at school on time. The only absences that are considered Excused Absences are: illness, bereavement, the student’s appearance in court, or religious holiday. Family business and vacation are not excused.

Please note: the teacher, office assistant or principal cannot approve your vacation or your child’s absence. The school staff only records the absence and reports it back to parents at least once a trimester, either on the report card or by a letter sent via US mail. If you pre-plan to have your child out of school for more than 5 days, please let our office and the teacher know at least 5 days in advance to receive an independent study contract.

Science

Next Generation Science Standards are taught at all grade levels. Students in Grades TK-3 receive science instruction from their classroom teachers. Students in Grades 4-6 attend science lab twice a week. Additional lessons are taught by the upper grade classroom teachers. Students in 5th Grade take a California science assessment in April/May. Scores on these tests are reported to parents and become part of students’ academic records.

 

Music

Music is an important part of the IUSD experience and is heavily supported by the Irvine Public Schools Foundation. Students in Grades TK-3 receive music lessons twice a month from a district music teacher. The lessons in TK and Kindergarten are approximately 30 minutes and 40 minutes for Grades 1-3. Students in Grades 4-6 have the option to take either a choral music class or an instrumental music class. These classes are held twice a week for 50 minutes.

 

Art

Students in Grades 1-6 receive six 1-hour art lessons from a credentialed art teacher each school year. All classroom teachers integrate art as part of their regular instruction. The Turtle Rock PTA also provides funding for the Art Masters Program for students in Grades K-6. This program incorporates art history with an art studio activity, and relies heavily on the support of our parent volunteers.

 

Physical Education

At Turtle Rock we believe that developing the whole child includes a strong physical education program. Each student in Grades 1-6 receives 100 min/wk of P.E.. TK and Kindergarten students' P.E. minutes are included in their recess time. Core to the physical education program is the development of good sportsmanship, conflict resolution skills, self-regulation skills, anti-bullying/pro-kindness behaviors, as well as gross motor development. Our PTA contributes heavily to our physical education program. We are pleased that with their support we have developed a program that positively impacts all children and benefits our overall school environment.

 

1:1 Chromebook Program

At Turtle Rock we are pleased to be able to provide every child in Grades 1-6 an individual Chromebook. These computers have become as integral to our instruction as traditional pencil and paper. Basic computer skills are taught in the classroom by our teachers. Our Media Techs provide additional instruction on specific programs and applications. We provide all students who use a computer with Digital Citizenship lessons. Use of the Chromebooks is a privilege and may be revoked if a Chromebook is damaged or misused. The Chromebooks and additional technology at Turtle Rock are heavily supported by the PTA, IUSD, the City of Irvine and private donors.

 

Innovation Lab/Library

At the center of our campus is our Innovation Lab and our Library. The focus of these areas include multimedia presentations, library skillds, and Maker Space activities. Creativity, collaboration, communication and critical thinking are skills that are fostered and developed through the activities in our Innovation Lab and Library. Students in all grade levels visit the Lab and Library each week for approximately 40 minutes. Our PTA heavily supports our Innovation Lab and Library.

 

AftER CLASSROOM ENRICHMENT (ACE) 

After School Classroom Enrichment (ACE) is sponsored by the Irvine Public Schools Foundation (IPSF) and offers fun and educational after-school classes. ACE opportunities are available for students in Grades 1-6. ACE classes are conducted by independent contractors and enrollment takes place via the IPSF website. A variety of classes, ranging from art to physical education, to science/technology, take place in three 10-week sessions each year. Classes last for approximately 1 hour and are held 1-2 times a week. Families pay for the classes through the IPSF website. There is no transportation available for students who stay after school for ACE classes.

 

Gifted and Talented Education Program

The GATE Program is available to identified students in grades 4-6. The program consists of small clusters of identified students within the general education classrooms. Differentiated instruction is provided by classroom teachers. Please visit the IUSD Gifted and Advanced Learners web page for more information.

 

Alternative Program for Academically Accelerated Students (APAAS)

Turtle Rock is an IUSD magnet site for the APAAS program. This district program is intended for those students in Grades 4-6 whose capacity for intellectual achievement and need for acceleration go beyond what can be provided in a GATE clustered classroom. Please visit the APAAS web page on the IUSD website for more information about this program.

Parents must pick up their children at dismissal time. Supervision ends 10 minutes after dismissal. Students who are not picked up will be brought to the front office.

• Notify the school prior to 8:15 am if your child is going to be absent. Please contact us each morning that your child is absent, or the absence will be unexcused. If your child will be out for a planned extended time period, please contact our Office Assistant.
   
• Speaking clearly, provide the following information: 1) your name and your child's name, 2) grade level and teacher, 3) date of absence, and 4) reason for absence.
   
• All absences must be cleared within three school days or will be considered unexcused.
   
• Your child cannot return to school until he/she has been fever-free for 24 hours without medication.
   
• If your child is tardy to school (arrives any time after 7:50 am), he/she must report through the front office to allow us to change our attendance records.

Playground supervision begins at 7:35 a.m. and students are not to arrive before that time. There is no supervision after school. All students must go directly home when dismissed. Students that are dismissed early cannot wait for older siblings unless they are supervised by a parent or guardian. Please see the Bell Schedule for times of dismissal.

The following policies are established to prevent injury or loss of property:

1. Bicycles & scooters are allowed only for students in grades 3-6.
2. Parents assume full responsibility and liability for the rider’s conduct and equipment.
3. Bicycles & scooters must be locked and parked in the bike rack.
4. Students are required to wear a bicycle helmet.
5. No riding on campus grounds.
6. Bicycle area is off limits during school hours. The bicycle racks are located near the school office. Infraction of rules may result in loss of permission to have the bicycle on school grounds. The school can assume no legal responsibility or liability in connection with the child’s bicycle if it becomes lost, stolen, or damaged. We suggest that every bicycle is licensed through the Irvine Police Department. Skateboards, roller blades, and roller skates are not allowed at school.

The campus is a closed campus once school has started. Parents and visitors are not allowed to walk on campus without first speaking with someone in the front office.

• Adults must check-in with the front office and state the reason they are on campus.
   
• We have the Raptor system for visitors and volunteers. Please start online: https://iusd.org/parents/parent-involvement/volunteers, then bring your driver's license into the office to complete the application. You will be issued a badge once you are cleared through the system. If you do not have identification, you will be asked to leave campus.
• Smile! You are on camera at all times.
   
• If you bring items to the front office for your child, email your child's teacher and let them know. We do not interrupt the teacher for non-emergency calls.
   
• If you are interested in a classroom observation, please contact the principal. You may only be in the classroom if you have pre-arranged a volunteer time with the teacher.
   
• Adult restrooms are at the front of the MPR (locked). Please see our office staff if you or a non-school-aged child needs to use a restroom. Adults may not use restrooms located near playground areas.
   
• We know our lunch tables are a relaxing place to dine and our cafeteria food is awesome, but unfortunately these experiences are for students only. If you must dine with your child at lunch, please sign him/her out through the office to leave campus and return once the lunch period ends.
   
• Students must be picked up no later than 10 minutes after school dismissal. There is no supervision on campus after the 10-minute period.
   
• Primary students must wait with a parent (in car or out front) if parent is staying for Upper Grade dismissal.
   
• Please arrange alternative child care for your student if a parent/caregiver will be arriving late.

 

Emergency Drills

• Each month your child will take part in an emergency drill.
   
• We practice keeping ourselves safe in the event of an earthquake, fire or lockdown situation.
   
• Teach your child to listen to adults in charge. We practice regularly so that our behaviors are automatic in the event of an actual emergency.
   
• Please be sure your contact information is up to date. We will contact you via email, text or phone call during an emergency using the data you provide us. If you do not give us up-to-date information, contacting you in an emergency will take an extended period of time.

The on-campus Child Development Center (CDC) provides Turtle Rock families with affordable day care in a warm, encouraging environment. The CDC’s program offers children a variety of education and recreational activities which encourage social/emotional growth and development. The CDC provides daycare from 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. The CDC is an independently run child care center. The employees of the center are not employed by IUSD and the school administration is not involved in the operation of the CDC.

We promote healthy lifestyles. If you would like to celebrate your child’s birthday in the classroom, you are welcome to bring in school supplies such as pens, stickers, highlighters, bookmarks, or healthful food such as grapes or carrot sticks, for each of the students in the classroom. You are also welcome to donate a book to the classroom library in honor of your child’s birthday. There are many great ways to celebrate without using unhealthy food items. Classroom celebrations planned by the teachers should also consist of healthful foods. Fruit cups and vegetables are a good alternative. Yogurt and other low-fat products are other great options. Juices that are low in sugar and bottled water are acceptable classroom beverages.

A safe route to school should be encouraged. All students must use the crosswalk with the crossing guard at the corner of Amalfi and Turtle Rock Drive. Safety is our number one concern. Thank you for supporting us in these efforts!

Turtle Rock is a community of families from many nationalities, linguistic backgrounds, cultural/religious traditions and political perspectives. We encourage children to share their heritage, family traditions and special interests with their classmates. We also invite children and their families to share their traditions and cultural history at the PTA-sponsored Multicultural Festival each spring. Because we are such a large and diverse community, we are unable to decorate the school campus, hold school-wide festivals, or hold special day observations for individual groups or interests. Please speak with your child’s teacher if your family wishes to do a short personal heritage presentation for his or her classmates.

Children love to share sweet treats or cultural food on holidays or birthdays. Please be mindful that many children have special diets for health and allergy reasons. Please work with your child’s teacher to arrange for any special gifts or treats that your child may wish to share with his or her class. Non-food items are the best types of treats to share at school.

Appropriate school attire and closed-toe shoes are required. Appropriate dress and personal appearance at school and school-related activities shall not include clothing, attire or accessories that by its manner of appearance, arrangement, trademark, fit or any other attribute is unsafe; disruptive; unhealthful; obscene; profane; ethnically, racially or sexually degrading, libelous or slanderous; provocative or revealing; exposing of undergarments; advocating unlawful behavior or illegal substances; or suggesting or promoting any affiliation with any street gangs or other groups that commit unlawful acts.

 

Students May Not Wear the Following:

• Dangling, pierced earrings
• Makeup, jewelry, hair styles, or clothing that detracts from the educational program
• Attire that is suggestive or brief, including narrow straps or bare midriffs
• Sagging, baggy clothes or clothing that can be construed to be “gang like”
• Clothing that allows undergarments to be exposed, including baggy pants or narrow straps
• Attire that advertises any type of alcohol, drugs, or violence or is obscene
• Makeup, body glitter, or colored hair gel
• Jewelry or other accessories that pose a safety threat to the wearer or the safety of other students
• Bandanas, sweatbands, rags, or scarves (except for religious reasons)
• Hats, caps, or visors inside the building
• Sunglasses indoors
• Flip-flops, sandals, sock-like footwear, sport shoes with retractable roller blades, slides, backless shoes, high platform shoes or slippers are not safe and not allowed. Students should wear athletic shoes when PE is scheduled. Appropriate closed-toe shoes must be worn at all times.

Students shall be allowed to have in their possession a privately owned electronic signaling device (cellular phone or watch) on campus during the school day, while attending school-sponsored activities, or while under the supervision and control of a school district employee. A student may not use the electronic device to send/receive calls, texts, photographs or any other type of data during the course of the school day. Any electronic device that disrupts the learning environment may be confiscated by the school officials and returned to parents and/or banned from campus.

Click HERE to view the Turtle Rock Family Handbook.

A free hot lunch and a cold snack is available to all students daily. Students will need to enter their lunch codes into a Point of Sale reader to receive a free lunch or snack. Additional lunch or snack items may be purchased for a fee. Please see the IUSD Nutritional Services website for more information. Checks should be made payable to IUSD Nutrition Services. Students access the funds by inputting their assigned number. The cost of the lunch is deducted from their account. Please help your child to memorize his/her number. If your income meets required income eligibility guidelines, complete a free/reduced lunch application. Qualification for free/reduced lunch is confidential. Additional forms are available online from the Nutrition Services and Lunchbox website.

FREE & REDUCED PRICED MEALS

Although all meals are free, families meeting a minimum income threshold should complete a free/reduced lunch application. Students in this program help to generate extra funds to support school wide interventions and social/emotional learning programs. Our office clerks can help you to receive the form.

District nursing staff (on site one day per week ) and a part-time health clerk provide students with vision and hearing screening (grades K, 2, 5, 6), and 1st grade boys-only color vision screening, and assist students who have physical impairment and health related problems. Information and guidance is provided to staff, parents, and students when medical conditions affect academic and social growth. A complete health and developmental history of a student is obtained when considering placement in the Special Education Program. For further information, call IUSD Health Services Office at (949) 936-7920.

 

Immunizations

It is vital that our site have complete and accurate records regarding student health issues. In order to enter public education in California, the following official immunization documents are required: Polio, DTP, MMR, Hepatitis B, and Varicella. A physical examination is required for kindergarten and 1st grade. 

 

Administration of Medicine

No medications may be sent to school with a student. The school must have on file a signed authorization from the parent and physician to administer medicine to children. All medicines, including prescription and over-the-counter drugs, must be labeled and in their original containers showing diagnosis, medication, name, dose, route, and time. A new Medication Request form is required at the start of each school year. You can access the Medication Request form here or contact the Turtle Rock Health Office.

Your child will be allowed to make up missed work upon returning to school. While your child is home ill, we recommend spending the time resting and recuperating in preparation for a return to school. For typical 1-2 day absences, there is no urgent need for students to complete work at home. They will be given directions and missed work when they return to school. For absences that last 3 or more days, or if there are special circumstances, please contact your child's teacher directly via email. If you pre-plan to have your child out for more than 5 days, please let the office and teacher know at least 5 days in advance so that we may develop an Independent Learning Contract.

There are several important websites that you should Bookmark on your devices so that you can stay up-to-date on school events.

The school website: https://turtlerock.iusd.org
The Parent/Teacher Association website: http://pta.rocks/Home

Additionally, families with current email and cell phone information entered on the Parent Portal will receive a weekly Parent Square notification from the principal titled “Week at a Glance." This on-line communication provides a quick overview of upcoming school-wide events and important notifications. The Parent Square system will also be used as needed for instantaneous communication between home and school. Please open these notifications for important messages from the school.

The Conduit System is a hardcopy home/school communication envelope that each student will bring home on Thursdays.  Your student's teacher may use them. This folder may contain important hard copy information, as well as classwork. Please check the envelope on Thursdays and return it to school each Friday.

Our goal is always to reduce the amount of paper we send home, as well as to efficiently respond to your communication. Email is always the best way to reach a staff member. Please remember that we are busy working with children, so instantaneous responses are not possible for our staff. We will respond to communication requests within 24 hours or the next school day.

We urge parents to LABEL EVERYTHING that is sent to school. Our Lost and Found racks fill quickly with items that are unclaimed. The racks are located in the Multipurpose Room entry. Children and parents are encouraged to regularly check for lost articles. Unclaimed articles will be donated when the racks fill up.

The best way to get a message to your child during the day regarding an item left in the office, or regarding after-school plans, is to email your child’s teacher. We cannot guarantee that messages received after lunch will get to children but we will do our best. It’s best to make sure you have plan at the beginning of the day and then stick to that plan.

When dropping off something for a student, please leave item(s) on the table in front of the office and email the teacher to let them know it is here. Do not walk directly to the classroom or call out to your student should you see them at recess or PE.

Drop off late lunches at the front table by 11:00 a.m. They will be taken to the lunch area by a supervisor. Students know to check the table baskets for their lunch.

AERIES is a secure and private online resource which provides access to your children’s attendance, emergency contact list, medical information and trimester grades. To create a new account, all parents or guardians with an email account on file at registration will receive an emailed message with a verification pass code. Visit https://my.iusd.org and click on “Create New Account.” Parents are responsible for updating emergency information through this website whenever there are changes.

Our school office staff works very hard to provide the best possible service and information to the students and community.
 

Front Office Check in
For safety issues and so we can assist you if needed, we expect all visitors to our campus to check in with the office and get a visitor badge before proceeding to the classrooms.
 

Office Hours
The office is open from 7:30 a.m. — 3:00 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday (except for holidays). Wednesday office hours are 7:30 a.m. — 2:00 p.m. 
 

Mid Day Appointments
When taking your child from school due to an appointment in the middle of the day or dropping your child off from an appointment, you must proceed through the office, checking the student in and/or out. Please note: mid-day appointments will count towards the student's attendance record.

 

Mid Day Communication
Teachers are not to be disrupted during the instructional day. Notes from home, phone messages, or e-mail are appropriate ways of communicating with your child’s teacher during the school hours.
 

Forgotten Items
Please do not deliver forgotten items to the classroom.
 

Tardies
Students are tardy any time they arrive after 7:50 a.m., and need to check in with the front office for a tardy slip.
 

Musical Instruments
Students know it is their responsibility to arrive with their instruments. One of our priorities is to have students develop responsibility. However, parents may leave instruments on the front table and email the teacher to inform their student that the instrument is there.

parent teacher association (PTA)

The Turtle Rock PTA is composed of volunteer parents who devote their time and talents to supporting school efforts. The PTA builds bridges between home and school, integrating the efforts of parents with those of the principal and teachers. By getting involved in the PTA, parents are taking a major step towards improving their child’s school experience, developing connections within the Turtle Rock community, and participating in pro-school advocacy at the state and national levels. To become involved in our PTA, please visit the PTA website.

 

Irvine Public School foundation (IPSF)

The mission of IPSF is to enrich the educational experience of each child in every school. IPSF achieves this by providing programs, raising funds and uniting the community in support of educational excellence. IPSF believes that every student deserves an educational experience complete with access to music, art and science programs, both during the school day and outside of the classroom. With community support and investment, IPSF provides enrichment opportunities for Irvine children that will help foster the next generation of thinkers, innovators and creators. For more information about IPSF, visit their website here.

 

Parent Volunteers

We welcome and value our generous volunteer parents. Without volunteers, many programs and activities offered at our school would not be possible. If you wish to volunteer in the classroom or for various fundraising activities, please contact your child’s teacher or call the front office. All volunteers must complete an online registration at https://iusd.org/parents/parent-involvement/volunteers prior to their first day. Thank you for your support of our wonderful programs.

 

parents visiting the school

All visitors are required to register in the front office before being allowed access to school grounds. A staff member, usually the principal, will accompany you while visiting classrooms. Visitors may be asked to leave by school officials if there appears to be interference with the peaceful conduct of the school’s educational activities. Section 627.7 of the California Penal Code makes it a misdemeanor to fail or refuse to leave the school grounds promptly after the principal or principal’s designee or school security officer requests it. All visitors are asked to wear a badge obtained from the office when on school grounds. These regulations were enacted for the protection of students.

 

Volunteer/Visitor Parking

We appreciate each and every one of our volunteers. The Turtle Rock parking spaces are designated for staff only. We have staff that arrive throughout the day and need a parking spot. We ask you to please park on the street or in a spot marked visitor when you are visiting or volunteering.

 

iusd board of education

The Board of Education meets on the first and third Tuesdays of each month at 6:30 p.m. Meetings take place in the Board Room at the Irvine Unified School District Office, 5050 Barranca Parkway, Irvine. Everyone is invited to attend or you may watch Channel 39 for televised meetings.

 

IUSD on the web

You can discover detailed information about our district, our school, and general information by visiting the Irvine Unified School District web site. Our Turtle Rock school web page is located at https://turtlerock.iusd.org/ 

Remember that you may not park or wait for your child on any private streets in the Rainbow Falls community. These streets are all marked with signs that say "Private."

Arrival and dismissal times are BUSY. Follow the procedures to keep kids safe.

Morning drop off

• Grades TK and K arrival at 8:00 a.m. and wait with parents. Grades 1st -6th arrive 7:35 a.m. - 7:50 a.m.
• Drop off begins at 7:35 a.m. Children may NOT be on campus prior to 7:35 a.m.
• Have child ready with backpack, lunch, etc., before pulling into lot. Wait until the line moves forward. Adults stay in the car
• Do not pull around other cars
• Staff and valets will help exit from cars
• Students exit along the drop off curb
• Never leave your vehicle unattended in the carpool lane.
• Park on Turtle Rock Drive or Amalfi Drive and walk your child to our campus.

Afternoon pick up

• Pull forward in line and stay in your car
• When your child is safely in the car, pull forward in the line
• Do not pull around cars that are moving in the line
• Never leave your car unattended
• Supervision ends 10 minutes after dismissal. Students who are not picked up will be brought to the front office.

At Turtle Rock we believe that behaviors need to be taught, reviewed and reinforced, just like any other subject matter. Every staff member on campus recognizes and reinforces these behaviors (respect, organization, cooperation, kindness, and safety) through verbal praise and rewards.

Behavior Consequences:

• When students demonstrate difficulty following our expected behaviors, it may become necessary to communicate directly with parents via email, phone or parent conference. Students will work with their classroom teacher, the Teacher on Special Assignment (TOSA), parents, the Elementary Resource Counselor and/or the principal to develop a behavior modification and support plan until the child consistently demonstrates the desired behavior. We believe the best place for a child to learn positive behaviors is in his or her classroom at school.
   
• Certain behaviors that violate school board policy or California Education Code, such as bringing dangerous/illegal objects to school, causing serious injury to another student or staff member, bullying/sexual harassment, engaging in assault and battery, theft and causing or attempting to cause damage to school property, may result in immediate disciplinary action. We always take into consideration a child’s age and his or her previous disciplinary history when assigning disciplinary action.
   
• A child's disciplinary history is confidential information and cannot be shared or discussed with anyone other than the child's parent(s)/guardian(s), school officials and protective authorities.

 

The School Site Council (SSC) is a group of teachers, parents and classified employees that work with the principal to develop, review and evaluate school improvement programs and budgets. The members of the SSC are elected by their peers for a term up to 3 years. The Council meets 2 times a year with the principal to establish school goals and a Single Plan for Student Achievement. The Council might consider school test scores, attendance records, discipline records, parent surveys and input from students to evaluate progress on the Plan’s goals. School Site Council members don't just represent their own interests, they have an obligation to make decisions that will best serve the whole school community. 

The school district makes available a low cost accident insurance to parents for their children. Forms are distributed to parents the first week of school. Additional forms are available in the MPR entry. This type of plan can provide benefits and coverage when help is needed.

Student Council representatives are an asset to the school. Representatives from each 4, 5 and 6 grade classes are chosen to serve as members. The Student Council leadership is selected from among the representatives. Members have leadership opportunities and take part in some decision-making at our school. Student Council sponsors spirit dress-up days; recess activities; service opportunities such as valet, Super T chaperone, and holds fundraisers for useful items for the school.

eLEMENTARY rESOURCE cOUNSELOR (ERC)

Our full-time ERC  provides assistance for the behavioral and social/emotional. The ERC provides short-term school related counseling and behavioral support. The ERC can also help families needing additional services or long-term therapy with referrals to Families Forward or Care Solace. 

 

special education services

Students who demonstrate significant discrepancies between their ability and achievement, as determined through a defined battery of nationally-normed assessments, may qualify for special education services. Irvine Unified School District provides appropriate services to students who quality for, or enroll with, an Individualized Education Plan (IEP). Contact your child’s teacher or the Educational Psychologist, to inquire further about special education services for your child.

 

504 plans

Students who have medical conditions or learning needs that require accommodations within the classroom may qualify for a 504 Plan. Contact your child’s teacher to inquire about the 504 Plan process.

 

english as a second language (ESL)

The Irvine Unified School District supports students who are Newcomers to the English language by offering regional Newcomer classrooms. These rooms have clusters of students who are new to English and are taught by highly trained teachers. The designated Newcomer program for Turtle Rock is at University Park Elementary School. Students who attend this program are guaranteed a spot at Turtle Rock once they complete the program.

Typically, a child is in the Newcomer Program for one school year.  Students who have spent a year or more in a U.S. school and have an intermediate understanding of English will be placed in a general education classroom. Our teachers will support their language needs as part of their regular instruction.

 

Speech and language program

This program is designed to diagnose and provide therapy for students who demonstrate difficulty in speech, language development, and language based skills. Students who qualify for this program have an Individualized Education Program (IEP) designed for them and receive individual or small group assistance as appropriate.

The following safety rules and good citizenship standards are expected from all students:

• Travel directly from home to school and back again.
• Stay on the sidewalks and use the crosswalks with the crossing guard.
• Do not litter or destroy our neighbors’ property.
• Do not talk to strangers.
• Walk around the school parking lot. Do not walk across or through the parking lot for any reason.
• Report concerns to parents, teachers, or the school office.
• Refer to the Suggested Route to School for Turtle Rock students.