Sunnyland Student and Family Handbook

Main Number: (360) 676-6446

Attendance Line: (360) 676-6470 ext. 5622

Use this number for reporting any absences. Please inform the school if your child will be / is absent.

24-hour Voice Mail: (360) 676-6470, plus extension

If you need to leave a message for your child, his/her teacher, or another staff member you may use our automated phone system by calling 676-6470 plus the extension of the person you are trying to reach. Please refer to the staff contact list in the appendix for a list of phone extensions.

Fax: (360) 647-6891

Website: www.sunnyland.bellinghamschools.org

PTA Website: https://www.sunnylandpta.org/

School Hours

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday & Fridays: 8:00 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. Thursdays: 8:00 a.m. – 12:20 p.m.

Arrival

7:30 a.m.

• Students may play outside in the covered play area beginning at 7:30 am, when recess teachers are present.

7:55 a.m.

• First bell rings, PreK-2 students enter school through front door, 3-5 students enter through the play shed and grab breakfast as needed.

8:00 a.m.

• Class begins, Promise K-2 students will get breakfast after going to class.

Dismissal

2:30 p.m. All students are dismissed at 2:30pm. Pick up is at the front of the school. Please do not park in the drive-up lane. If you need to get out of your vehicle, please find parking on a side street or in the parking lots of E Maryland St and walk to greet your student at the blacktop area.

To ensure the safety and security of our students and to help us ensure students are released to authorized adults at the end of the day, we ask that families who pick their children up at the end of the day pick up children near the front entrance, accessing from Maryland Street. Parking is available in the two lots on Maryland and on James Street and King Street. When picking up your child please drive your vehicle to the front of the school or walk to the designated family pick up location near the play shed by the playground and garden until your child is released from their classroom teacher or dismissal supervisor.

Street Areas – Designated Uses & Safety Precautions

Due to Sunnyland’s location we need to take great care during pick up and drop off. Please adhere to these safety precautions in order to assist in smooth arrival and dismissal times each day.

Illinois Street

• Our bus loop is accessed via Illinois Street; we ask that family vehicles enter the pickup/drop off loop via Maryland Street, leaving Illinois clear for our buses.

Maryland Street

• The pickup/drop off loop is accessed via Maryland Street.
• For traffic flow, please enter Maryland heading west, from the south via King Street.
• There are two parking lots on Maryland for pick up and drop off parking as needed, as well as several visitor spots in the pickup/drop off loop. King Street and James Street also have parking.

General:

• We want to be good neighbors! Thank you for taking care to keep alleys and neighbor driveways open.
• Pedestrian safety is important; please help us reinforce this important skill with our children by using crosswalks, especially on Maryland and James Streets.
• Handicap Parking spaces are available at the front entrance.

 

We believe that each of our students has the right to expect the best possible education at Sunnyland Elementary School. With this right comes the responsibility to respect the rights of others and contribute to a positive learning culture within our school community. We have school-wide behavior expectations and involve children in identifying what it means to be strong learners, kind, and leaders in all areas of our school, on buses, and on field trips. These expectations are taught, modeled, and reinforced by our entire staff. We intentionally teach and develop our students’ social skills so that each of them can be their best self. We use the Caring School Community curriculum to support our teaching of social skills, along with the Toolbox Project and the Zones of Regulation. Daily classroom meetings are a part of every Sunnyland classroom and problem-solving meetings are used to empower students to solve many of the problems that arise.

The chart on the next section gives you examples of our Sunnyland Commitments. During the first weeks of school, students and teachers spend time considering specific ways students can demonstrate that they are kind, leaders and learners in various locations and situations.

Arrival and Dismissal

We are Kind in our words and our actions

• I walk to and from class.
• I greet students and adults by name.

We are Leaders who do the right thing even when no one is watching

• I go directly where I should be.

We are Learners who can do hard things

• I can ask an adult for help if I need it.

---

Office

We are Kind in our words and our actions

• I wait my turn.
• I am quiet and polite.

We are Leaders who do the right thing even when no one is watching

• I follow adult directions.

We are Learners who can do hard things

• If being picked up, I wait in the office until an adult signs me out.

---

Assembly

We are Kind in our words and our actions

• I clap and respond appropriately.
• I sit on my pockets.

We are Leaders who do the right thing even when no one is watching

• My attention is on the speaker.
• I respond quickly to the quiet signal.

We are Learners who can do hard things

• I enter and exit quietly.
• I keep my body to myself.

---

Hallways

We are Kind in our words and our actions

• I walk quietly.
• I enjoy artwork, posters and the rainbow wall with my eyes and not my hands.

We are Leaders who do the right thing even when no one is watching

• I follow adult and staff directions.
• I go directly where I should be.

We are Learners who can do hard things

• I keep my body to myself.
• I allow others who are collaborating and working to learn.

---

Collaborative Learning Spaces

We are Kind in our words and our actions

• I work and collaborate quietly.

We are Leaders who do the right thing even when no one is watching

• I use the furniture in the right way.

We are Learners who can do hard things

• I stay focused on the learning I’m here to do.

---

Cafeteria

We are Kind in our words and our actions

• I use a quiet voice.
• I use kind words like please and thank you.
• I include others in sitting by me.

We are Leaders who do the right thing even when no one is watching

• I clean up after myself and recycle.
• I touch only my own food.
• I follow adult directions.
• I raise my hand to leave my seat.

We are Learners who can do hard things

• I keep my body to myself.
• I raise my hand to ask an adult
  for help if needed.
• I walk.

---

Playground

We are Kind in our words and our actions

• I include others.
• I keep myself and others safe.
• I share and care for equipment.

We are Leaders who do the right thing even when no one is watching

• I play fair and by the rules.
• I follow adult directions.

We are Learners who can do hard things

• I use toolbox strategies to solve problems.
• I walk calmly and directly to class at the end of afternoon recess.

---

Restrooms

We are Kind in our words and our actions

• I respect privacy.
• I always flush.

We are Leaders who do the right thing even when no one is watching

• I wash and dry my hands with 1 squirt, 1 towel.
• I make safe choices.
• I quickly return to class.

We are Learners who can do hard things

• I clean up after myself.
• I report problems to adults.

---

Guest Teacher

We are Kind in our words and our actions

•  I will help the guest teacher when they need it.
• I will follow all directions given by the guest teacher.

We are Leaders who do the right thing even when no one is watching

• I will follow all class expectations and our class promise.

We are Learners who can do hard things

• I will be flexible when things are unexpected or different.

---

Elevators

We are Kind in our words and our actions

• I use a quiet voice.
• I have a calm body.

We are Leaders who do the right thing even when no one is watching

•  I use it when I have permission.
• I go directly where I should be by only pressing the button I need to press.

We are Learners who can do hard things

• • I keep it clean.

---

Bus

We are Kind in our words and our actions

• I use a quiet voice.
• I greet our bus driver.

We are Leaders who do the right thing even when no one is watching

• • I follow our bus driver’s directions.

We are Learners who can do hard things

• • I stay sitting in my seat for the whole bus ride.

We know students will do well when they can. We strive to implement consistent practices to help our students make good decisions, act with respect and integrity, and learn to solve problems effectively. We also understand that students will occasionally make mistakes, and we see this as an opportunity for growth and guidance. Our behavior philosophy is built on this concept and our responses are geared toward learning rather than punishment. When students need reminders to follow school expectations, staff members do so in a positive, consistent manner. When necessary, a student may be separated from the problem by taking a break in another location in the classroom, another classroom, or in an alternate space. This gives the student an opportunity to regulate his/her emotions and then think through the problem with one of our staff members.

When staff or students do or say something that impacts another person in a negative way, we use Restorative Practices to understand the perspective of others and support the individual in making repairs to restore relationships. Those who have been harmed are an important, voluntary part of the process and have the opportunity to share how the harm affected them. It is an instructional method of discipline focused on learning, making things right and creating a positive school environment. A student who causes harm is held accountable and faces appropriate consequences, but the focus of Restorative Practices is on resolving conflicts in a way that builds healthy relationships versus punishment.

The continuum of restorative practices includes:

• Conversation with an adult. Depending on the severity of the harm this could be a staff member, supervisor, classroom teacher, counselor, dean, or principal, discussing what happened, what they were thinking and feeling at the time, what the impact has been and what needs to happen to make it right.
• Conversation with adults and those impacted by the harm (if they choose to participate) discussing what happened, what they were thinking and feeling at the time, what the impact has been and what needs to happen to make it right.
• Agreements for restitution made with a follow-up timeline.
• Natural/logical consequence for the situation that aids in restitution.

When we have the opportunity to support your child in solving a significant problem, we will always contact you via phone or email so that we can work together as a team to support your child in learning from their mistakes and in making good choices.

Serious misconduct is a violation of district rules of student conduct which is serious in nature and/or is serious in terms of the disruptive effect upon the operation of the school as to warrant an immediate short-term suspension, long-term suspension, or expulsion.

Examples of Serious Misconduct (School Board Policy 3200):

• Fighting and physical assault
• Significant defiance and disrespect
• Leaving school without permission
• Possession of weapons or any object used as a weapon
• Vandalism
• Criminal activity
• Possession of alcohol, tobacco, drugs.

Arrival Time
Arrival time for students is between 7:30 am and 7:55 am. The instructional day begins at 8:00 am. Between 7:30 and 7:55
students can play outside on the playground (supervision is present beginning at 7:30 am).

After School Care
Sunnyland hosts the YMCA after school program which offers on-site childcare. For more information please contact the
YMCA at (360) 733-8630, or visit their website at https://www.whatcomymca.org/bellingham-school-district-base. Gabriels’
Art has an afterschool care enrichment program that transport from Sunnyland. Each of these programs are offered and
available dependent on minimum participation numbers.

Daily Schedule
Student Arrival 7:30-8:00am
School Starts 8:00am
Dismissal on Mon, Tues, Wed, & Fri 2:30pm
Dismissal on Thurs 12:20pm

Early Dismissal Days
Bellingham Public Schools has early dismissal days during the school year for planning and staff training. All students are
dismissed at 12:20 pm every Thursday for this purpose. Please see the district’s website for the complete school year
calendar showing all early dismissal days, holidays, and teacher workdays.

Pick Up During or After School
Any person picking up a student from school during the school day must sign them out from the office. This helps ensure that
children are not released to unauthorized persons.

Families will have an opportunity to submit student dismissal plans at the beginning of the year. Consistent plans help
students remember their after-school routines and alleviate uncertainty and anxiety at dismissal time. If a student’s regular
after school plans change, please send a note documenting the change in plans or call the office before 11:30 am to request
a change in dismissal routine. Students that are picked up after school can be picked up at 2:30 pm upon dismissal.

Designated parking areas for picking up or dropping off students are provided for your safety. In order to ensure student
safety, students may not enter a car or leave with an adult until released by the classroom teacher or dismissal supervisor. If
you park in one of the lots or on the street, we appreciate you walking to the front of the school so that their teacher can
release them to you.

Conferences & Report Cards

We regularly assess your child’s progress and strive to communicate with you regarding your child’s strengths and areas for focus. You may schedule additional meetings anytime during the year by calling your child’s teacher to make an appointment.

Our school year is divided into two reporting periods each year. Report cards will be given to families at the end of each semester, in January and June, and provide one more way to communicate regarding your child’s progress.

Multi-Language Message Line

Families whose first language is not English can leave a message on our multi-language message line at 360-647-6816. Families dial 2 for Russian, dial 3 for Vietnamese, dial 4 for Punjabi or dial 5 for any other language (say name of language at beginning of message). Please call 360-676-6456 for Spanish.

Seesaw & ParentSquare

Communication between home and school is incredibly important to our staff. Seesaw is a platform for our teachers (and your child) to share learning with you. ParentSquare is used for teachers to send messages to the whole class and/or to individual families. ParentSquare also has a message feature that allows families to communicate privately with their child’s teacher. If you do not remember your Seesaw FAMILY account password, or have trouble accessing ParentSquare you can click “Forgot password?” feel free to contact our Library Media Specialist, Katy Ackerson, at Katy.ackerson@bellinghamschools.org

Skyward Family Access

Skyward Family Access is a web-based program that is accessible to families from any Internet connection. With Skyward Family Access, families can:

• update student and family information
• view attendance records, health, and behavior information
• access state and district test score data
• access student's academic history (middle and high school only)
• see high school transcripts, graduation requirements and educational milestones (high school only)

The Skyward student information system called Skylert, is connected to ParentSquare, the parent notification system we use to send you our weekly school newsletter and important emergency alerts via email, text, and phone. You can set up your preferences in Skylert which enables you to receive notification and messages from Bellingham Public Schools and your child’s school. You have control over which notifications to receive and how you would like to receive them simply by editing your preferences. Skylert is accessed via Skyward Family Access on the school district website: https://bellinghamschools.org/about/departments/communications-community/skylert/

School Closures

Any activities planned for the elementary school will be considered cancelled if school has been closed or cancelled due to an emergency or weather-related decision. When there are changes to the school or bus schedules, they are communicated immediately, usually by 6 a.m. using School Messenger. You can call 676-6400 for a recorded message.

Attendance

Daily, on-time attendance is essential for success in school and is required by state law and district policy. Your child is an important part of our Sunnyland community, and we value their contributions to our school. Although students can make up some work that is missed due to absences, much of what happens in the classroom cannot be duplicated and completed independently at home. Students participate in many activities in person such as discussions, group research and activities that can only occur during class time. We know there are a wide variety of reasons students are absent from school. There are many people at Sunnyland prepared to help you if you or your child faces challenges in getting to school regularly.

Reporting Absences

Communicating with us when you have a planned or unexpected absence can help us to better partner with you to ensure your student attends school regularly. Please call 360-676-6446 ext. 5622 to reach Theresa Adams, Attendance Secretary, to report any absences.

Absences Due to Appointments

If your child will be picked up early for an appointment, it is helpful to send a note or email their teacher so we can have him/her ready to leave when you arrive. Please come into the office to sign out your child.

On Time Arrival

We want your child to feel supported and happy here at Sunnyland and to recognize that they are an important member of their learning community. School starts at 8:00 AM; entering class after it has already started can cause anxiety in many students, making it harder for them to engage and learn with their peers. If you are having difficulty getting your child to school by 8:00, please reach out. We support many families in problem-solving on-time arrival, as we understand the wide range of challenges that families might face.

Bus Information

The phone number for the Bellingham School District transportation is (360) 676-6546. During snowy and icy conditions, our school district will activate our ParentSquare automated phone service to inform you of schedule or bus changes. If your child will be riding the bus this year, please read the bus safety rules and procedures in the Bellingham Family Calendar and Handbook. This was mailed home and can also be found on the district website.

Change of Address

Important! Please help us keep up-to-date phone numbers and addresses so that we can serve your needs better and so that we can contact you easily in the event of an emergency as well as for regular school communication. Contact the school office to update your information.

Questions or Concerns

If you have any questions or concerns about your child or about Sunnyland Elementary, please contact the appropriate staff person. The most effective way to solve problems is to contact the person who is most directly involved.

In general, you should call the teacher for information on:

• lessons taught in the classroom
• teaching techniques used in the classroom
• behaviors of students in the classrooms or on the playground
• grades or evaluations of your child's performance
• things that happened in the classroom
• class work, activities, or homework assignments

You should call the counselor with questions or concerns about:

• physical, mental, social, or emotional needs that could affect your child at school
• discipline or friendship issues that you would like support with

You should call the dean with questions or concerns about:

• safety issues in common areas (lunchroom, playground, hallways, )
• discipline or friendship issues that you would like support with
• bus behavior concerns

You should call the principal with questions or concerns about:

• rules, regulations, or procedures for the entire school
• the curriculum used throughout the school
• safety issues in common areas (lunchroom, playground, hallways, )
• an inability to communicate with your child's teacher
• any school wide activities or school facilities concerns
• unresolved discipline issues

You should call the transportation supervisor (676-6546) with questions or concerns about:

• routes
• transportation safety issues

Withdrawals

If you are planning to withdraw your child from school, please let us know at least one week in advance so that we may prepare grades, files and transfer paperwork. Personal belongings must be removed from desks and any outstanding textbook or library fines must be paid. All library books and textbooks must be returned before the student's last day of school.

Allergies & Health Concerns

Please notify your child’s teacher and/or the office staff immediately if your child has serious allergies or medical conditions. We will get you in contact with our school nurse in order to stay informed about your child and how to best keep them safe and well cared for at school.

Illness or Injury at School

If a child needs to be sent home due to illness or injury, the school will contact you, or your designated emergency contact person. If no one is available, your child will stay at school.

For your child's safety and comfort, we will continue to try to contact someone throughout the day. At the close of the school day your child will be sent home their regular way and a notice will be sent home. In case of a communicable disease, documentation from a health care provider that it is safe for your child to return to school may be required.

In case of severe medical emergencies, we will contact 911. We will also always attempt to contact you, or your designated emergency contact person. This procedure applies to all school events. Please note that our files in the school office must be kept up to date so we can quickly contact a family member should an emergency arise. It is essential that we also have an emergency name and phone number in case a family member cannot be contacted. Give us a call any time a change occurs.

Although the school staff has been trained in First Aid, emergency care, and basic assessment, and we have a school nurse present periodically, please rely on medical practitioners for the treatment of illness.

Immunizations

Immunizations are required by law (RCW 28A.31.18) for all students unless waived for medical or personal reasons. The school nurse and the school secretary have immunization information and forms. Immunization records/waivers are reviewed annually for compliance. Families/guardians are notified if immunizations status or waiver is not complete or current. Non-compliance after three family/guardian contacts may be cause for a student to be excluded from school attendance.

Lice Prevention and Guidelines

Head lice can be a fairly common occurrence in schools, so it is important to catch all cases in early stages to prevent lice from spreading. If your child contracts head lice, please be sure to treat the lice quickly. For information regarding treatment visit: http://bellinghamschools.org/department-owner/student-health/head-lice-facts

Meal Services

The Good Food Project, Bellingham Public School’s meal service program, is maintained by the school district and the same menu is served throughout the elementary schools. The school lunch and breakfast menus are published on a monthly menu on our district website https://bellinghamschools.org/families/school-day-information/school-menus/ The school lunches and breakfasts include scratch-made and locally sourced foods, and are served free for all children at Sunnyland.

Medication Administered During School Hours

If your child requires staff administered prescription or over-the-counter (OTC) medication during the school day, parents/guardians must return the completed district medication authorization form to school with written authorization and directions from a licensed healthcare provider. Medication authorization forms are available at school or on the Sunnyland and Bellingham Public Schools website. 

For further information refer to policy and procedure 3146: Medication at School. If you have questions about administering medications at school, please contact our school nurse, Matt Neisinger, at Matthew.Neisinger@bellinghamschools.org.

Nurse

The school nurse at Sunnyland, Matt Neisinger, is scheduled at Sunnyland throughout the week. The nurse monitors programs, compliance, and school wide health issues, and provides support for individual health plans. The nurse is available to answer questions. Please call the office if you need to speak to the nurse.

Sharing Food

We often celebrate significant events such as birthdays and holidays by sharing food; it's a way to come together in community and provide connection. Although we understand the reasoning behind it, we cannot honor requests from families to bring treats or other types of food to share with classmates. This is due to the significant number of students with food allergies and special diets as well as the Bellingham School District Nutrition Policy.

Bicycles, Skateboards & Scooters

Biking, skateboarding, and scootering are wonderful ways for kids to be more physically active, get to and from school quickly, and learn more about independent transportation. If riding to school, please keep the following safety tips in mind:

• Wear bright colors and a helmet, turn on your bike lights, and follow the rules of the road.
• Make sure to walk your bicycle, skateboard, or scooter from the street to the school.
• Don’t forget a lock for the bike rack; teach your child how to lock and unlock their bike independently.
• Skateboards and scooters can be carried on school grounds and safely stored in classooms.

If your child rides his or her bike, skateboard, or scooter to school instead of taking their normal bus in the morning please remember to send a note informing the office that he or she will be riding it home also, rather than taking the bus home in the afternoon.

Note: For safety, “Wheelies” and roller blades are not allowed on campus during school

Emergency Drills

Your child's safety at school is of primary importance to us and we strive to be prepared for the event of any emergency. Fire drills and other emergency drills are scheduled on a regular basis. Staff and students practice what to do in a variety of emergency situations.

Harassment

The physical, social, and emotional safety of Sunnyland students is incredibly important to our staff. We strive to develop students who have an understanding of what it means to be respectful and compassionate humans. In addition to teaching self-awareness, social awareness, responsible decision-making, self-management skills, and relationship skills to all students, our School Counselor, Kari Miller, also teaches a series of classroom lessons on harassment, intimidation, and bullying to our students. Not all unexpected behaviors fall under the description of harassment, intimidation or bullying. However, when these behaviors do occur, they can be especially harmful, so we spend time as a learning community talking about preventing, recognizing, and responding appropriately when they do occur. Students and families are encouraged to connect with our School Counselor, Kari Miller or our Principal, Dustin Heaton, any time they have questions about potential harassment, intimidation, and/or bullying.

Safety Reporting and Tip Line

Students, parents or community members who have information, tips, or concerns regarding a safety issue at Sunnyland are encouraged to call our school office directly at (360) 676-6446, or you can text or call 844-310-9560 or visit https://bellinghamschools-wa.safeschoolsalert.com/ for confidential, anonymous, two-way communication with our district safety staff.

Security

For our students’ safety as well as your own, we ask all visitors to enter our building through the front door of the school and check in at the office, where you will receive a visitor or volunteer badge. In order to maintain a secure campus for our students, all other exterior doors remain locked throughout the school day.

Visitors

We appreciate your involvement in school! If you want to visit your child’s classroom, please contact your child's classroom teacher to schedule a visit. Check in at the window upon arrival, and you will be issued a visitor tag to wear while on campus.

You are welcome to join your child for lunch anytime. Student lunches are free, and adult lunches can be paid for at the time of service with either check or cash. As always, be sure to sign in at the window upon your arrival and obtain a visitor badge.

Volunteers

Families and other adult volunteers make a huge difference at Sunnyland, and we are grateful for you! There are many ways to volunteer: help in the classrooms, lunch or recess buddy, enrichment instructor, chaperone field trips, take part in special events, join the PTA and more.

All volunteers must complete an online application process (https://bellinghamschools.org/about/volunteer-program/) that includes a background check. You can find this on our Bellingham Public Schools website. Please note that all volunteers are required by federal law to keep all student information that they obtain while working as a volunteer for the district confidential. Student information includes all academic, medical, and personal information. In addition, volunteers cannot take photos or share student work (this includes any social media) without parent/guardian written permission. Disclosure of student information by a volunteer is a violation of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA) and may subject the volunteer and the district to civil liability.

Birthdays

We know birthdays are important to many young children. On your child’s birthday, his/her teacher will facilitate special things in their classroom… if your child wants us to. We always take our lead from kids! For the health and safety of all students, families are not able to bring food to share with classmates. There are many other ways to celebrate events such as birthdays. Bringing pencils or stickers to share with the class or donating a book to your classroom library are a few examples. Thank you for honoring our food policy.

In the interest of balancing the celebration of a child on their birthday here at school while maintaining a calm, focused learning environment, we ask that you keep potentially distracting items such as balloons at home, and that invitations for parties or get-togethers are not handed out at school unless the whole class is invited.

Building and Grounds Use

Sunnyland Elementary is a community school. If you or your organization would like to use the cafeteria, gym or playfields outside school hours, applications and user-regulations are available in the office. A fee may be charged for room set-up and custodial services. Please note that use of classrooms must be cleared with the office so we can make arrangements with the classroom teacher in advance.

Cell Phones and Smart Watches

We understand that some students may bring personal cell phones or smart watches to school to communicate with family members before or after school. To maintain a positive and focused learning environment, personal cell phones must be turned off and put away in backpacks during the school day, and we ask that communication with family is done through the office during the school day.

Clothing

Clothing worn to school is at the discretion of the family, however, it is important to know that children will be outside, even in the cold and rain. Inside recesses are only held when the weather is extreme. Please be sure your child is wearing clothing (or layers) that will ensure their comfort. As the weather gets colder, coats, hats, and gloves are important. If your child is likely to get wet or is uncomfortable in wet clothes, it is helpful to put a change of clothes in his/her backpack. Appropriate footwear is needed for all students during P.E. and recess. Tennis shoes are recommended. Please label your child’s clothing with his/her name! If your child needs clothing, our counselor Ms. Miller can help! Give her a call at 360-676-6446 ext. 5616 or email her at kari.miller@bellinghamschools.org

Part of The Bellingham Promise, our strategic plan, strives to develop students and graduates who are respectful and compassionate humans. We want students to respect themselves and others. While we encourage individuality, the district’s dress code aims to foster a positive and healthy environment.

• Students should dress casually and comfortably for school, while wearing clothing that is well-suited for a school environment.
• Clothing, drawings, tattoos, and accessories that display or promote negative messages are not These could include drug, gang, weapon, alcohol or tobacco-related information, obscenities, put-downs, stereotypes, sexual innuendo, offensive words, or graphics.

Counselor

Sunnyland has a full-time school counselor who helps ensure that students are ready and able to learn. The school counselor supports all students with lessons on positive behaviors, friendship, problem-solving and conflict management. The counselor provides lessons in the classrooms, some small group lessons, and works closely with all members of the school community to support all our students. We also have a school psychologist, who assesses students for special programs and provides support to students, staff, and families in a variety of ways.

Lost and Found

We recommend that lunch boxes, backpacks, notebooks, or any removable clothing be labeled for easy identification. Our school has a "Lost and Found" area in the cafeteria. Please make sure you and your child check regularly for any missing articles. At the end of each quarter unclaimed items are donated to a charitable organization.

Pets

Due to insurance regulations and Bellingham School District’s Board Policy, animals are not allowed on school grounds. Please do not bring your pets on school grounds unless specific permission has been granted. Service animals are excluded from this restriction and can be on school property.

Toys and Personal Items

We have many activities for students to engage in during recess, and our classrooms have a variety of materials for students to use during free choice work times. We ask students to leave their personal toys and items such as pokemon cards or fidgets at home unless they have made arrangements with their classroom teacher ahead of time. If approved by their teacher, those items must stay in the classroom.

Sunnyland Elementary School has an active and supportive Parent Teacher Association whose aim is to help the children of our community and support our building goals. The PTA carries out many projects during the year and helps the school in a wide variety of ways. The Sunnyland PTA also provides financial backing for special projects, enrichment, family social events, field trips and more. Families and guardians and staff members are invited and encouraged to join PTA. Check out the PTA Corner near the front office for information, PTA meeting dates, minutes, and upcoming events. The PTA meets bi-monthly. These are open meetings, and everyone is welcome to attend. Please consider supporting the school community by joining the PTA.

If you have questions, ideas or suggestions please email PTASunnyland@gmail.com, or visit their website at: https://www.sunnylandpta.org/