School Hours
- School Hours: 7:50am - 2:50pm (Wednesday bell times are 8:50am - 2:50pm)
- Office Hours: 7:35am - 3:05pm
Absence and Tardiness
Consistent, on-time attendance is important and relates directly to academic success. Please call the school attendance line, (720) 561-3002, before 8:00am if your child will be absent or tardy to school. Children who arrive late to school are considered tardy and must sign in at the office before going to class. Excessive absences or tardies (more than 5) will result in a notification letter.
BVSD ATTENDANCE POLICY - Student Absences (File: JH-R)
School Closure
Occasionally, bad weather forces the school district to cancel school for the day because of unsafe road conditions caused by snow, ice, or other weather problems. Immediately after the decision to cancel school has been made, announcements will be available on local radio and television stations. Parents may also check the BVSD home page for school closure information.
Mesa's Health Room
The Health Room is staffed twenty hours per week by a paraprofessional trained in First Aid/CPR. We rely on volunteer help to keep the Health Room staffed at other times. There is also an Emergency Response Team (First Aid/CPR trained staff) to handle severe injuries.
Each year, vision and hearing screenings are conducted. We keep track of all immunizations and physicals. If your child has a significant health issue (e.g., asthma or allergies), please inform the Health Room so that we can avoid any complications. Kindergartners are not allowed to attend school until they have presented complete immunization information, or a parent has signed a plan of intent to complete the immunizations, or a parent has signed an exemption form.
If your child has been ill, please give him/her adequate time to recuperate before returning to school. Rushing a child back only makes it difficult on your child and increases the chances of infecting other children. If your child is on antibiotics, please do not send him/her to school until he/she has been on medication a full 24 hours.
State law requires that health room staff have a Medication Administration Authorization form signed by both parent and physician to dispense prescription and nonprescription medication at school.
Field Trips
A permission form (a legal document) will be sent home prior to every field trip. The form must be signed by a parent or legal guardian and returned to the teacher in order for the student to participate (handwritten notes or phone calls will not be accepted). Teachers notify parents about other specific needs such as volunteers, sack lunches, or donations.
Hot Lunches
Hot lunch is available daily in the school cafeteria.
Lunch and Recess
Classes are scheduled to eat lunch in the lunchroom and have outside recess between 11:00am and 1:00pm.
Students should dress for the weather conditions and be prepared to be outdoors every day. Recess will be held inside only under the most extreme conditions. Even a brief outdoor recess is better than none at all!
Student Drop-off / Pick-up / Parking
To ensure student safety, students are to be dropped off or picked up in front of school on the west side of Lehigh. Parking is not allowed in these curbside spaces during drop-off (7:40-8:05am) and pick-up (2:35-3:05pm).
- Parents must stay with their vehicles when using curbside spaces at the beginning and at the end of the school day.
- Between 8:05am and 2:35pm, and after 3:05pm, curbside spaces are available for parking.
- The parking lot on the south side of the building is provided for faculty and staff and is available to parents for short-term parking only.
- The parking lot should not be used for picking up your child after school. Please use the designated curbside area in front of the building on Lehigh Street.
- If you need to pick up your children during school hours, please park in the parking lot and walk your students to your vehicle.
Dogs
Dogs should not be on campus during school hours, and if they are, they should be leashed at all times.
Bus Conduct
- Please review the Rules for Safe Bus Riding
- Consequence: Students who choose not to follow the bus rules or interfere with the safety of others receive a misconduct report from the bus driver for inappropriate behavior. This report will go to the Principal for further action that could result in suspension from the bus and/or from school.
Arrival / Dismissal
Coming to and from school, students will:
- cross streets only at the cross light or in painted crosswalks
- always obey the instructions of adult supervisors
- use caution when walking across the Mesa parking lot
- need permission from an adult to be in the school parking lot during school hours
- wait near the front entrance or inside the parking lot fence for a ride (there is no adult supervision after school)
- students should NOT arrive at school before 7:40am
- students should NOT be in the building before 7:45am
- students are expected to use sidewalks and stairways in front of school at all times
Bicycles
Fourth and fifth grade students are permitted to ride their bicycles to school. Students should walk their bikes when on school property and lock them in bike racks.
Class Parties / Birthdays
Each class usually has two parties during the school year: Halloween and Valentine’s Day. Room parents coordinate and plan these activities.
Mesa teachers will promote recognition activities that celebrate student birthdays; however, families are not to bring snacks for birthday celebrations. Also, please do not use the classroom to distribute invitations for birthday parties unless every child in the class is invited.
Homework Expectations at the Elementary Level
The term “homework” refers to tasks assigned to students by teachers to be completed during non-school hours. When thoughtfully designed by teachers and carefully done by students, it is an effective instructional activity that should have a positive effect on student achievement. Homework is not, however, a substitute for in-class instruction.
In addition to independent and or family reading, general guidelines for homework (when assigned) at the elementary level are:
- Grades KG-3: an average of 10-30 minutes per night
- Grades 4-5: an average of 30-50 minutes per night
Positive Behavior Support: Respect, Responsibility, Safety, and Kindness
At Mesa, we believe in clear, simple, positive expectations for behavior. Students and staff who meet these expectations will be acknowledged and rewarded. Students who do not meet these expectations may receive disciplinary consequences.
Discipline at Mesa
Teachers may assign classroom consequences to students. Staff members may send a student to the office with an office discipline form. The Principal and staff members will work together to determine appropriate office consequences.
If a behavior problem is serious enough, the Principal may assign an I.S.S. (In School Separation). This is a major consequence. Parents will be notified, and the student will serve time in the Principal’s office. The student will not be allowed to return to class until he/she completes various tasks (apologies, additional assignments, work detail, etc.).
Students are also held to all of the district policies, expectations, and consequences (as noted in the BVSD Student Rights and Responsibilities Guide, up to and including suspension and expulsion).
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