Safe Arrival

Reporting Student Absences

Student safety is of paramount importance at the Vancouver School District.  Ensuring student safety is a shared responsibility.  In order to assist schools, we ask parents to notify schools of student absences. 

If your child will be absent from school, please phone the school to report this absence as early as possible. Parents should leave a message on a dedicated answering service by calling 604-713-5159 school code 71.  Messages will be received before the office is open.  School offices are busy places: consistently notifying the school in advance of your child’s absence will significantly improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the Safe Arrival Morning Routine.

 To Report Your Child's Absence – Please Call 604-713-5159 school code 71 as soon as you know your child will be absent.

 

Student Sign In and Sign Out Procedures

If a student arrives in their classroom after their teacher has taken attendance, both in the morning or after lunch, the student must be signed in at the office and receive a yellow Welcome Slip.

 When you pick up your child during the school day, please ensure that you sign them out at the office.  If you do not sign out your child, they will be unaccounted for, and the school will identify your child as a 'missing' student and will commence a search of school grounds.  If the school staff do not locate the child, and are unable to reach a parent promptly, the school will call the Vancouver Police Department.  Therefore, clear communication is essential for ensuring the safety of your child and to prevent unnecessary searches.  Thank you for helping us keep your children safe. 

 

Regular Attendance is Important

 The Vancouver School Board believes regular school attendance supports student engagement and achievement.  School principals, in setting procedures for student absences and excuses, will accept students’ absences as excused if they are for necessary and important reasons.  Extended absences for travel are not considered excused.  Extended absences are disruptive to not only the absent student’s educational programming but to other students’ and teachers’ as well.  Teachers are not expected to provide extra work or give extra time for assignments missed due to vacation.  Families should also be aware that unauthorized absences of prolonged duration could result in forfeiture of their child’s space at school.  Please report all extended student absences to the school office.

 Communication

 Please make sure the school has all contact information up to date in case of emergency.  If you move or have new phone numbers, please inform the office.  Check the school website for current information about the school.  The website calendar can be synced with your home calendar.  Most communication is sent home via email.  the Vice Principal will email a weekly newsletter every Friday.

 Healthy Lifestyle

To promote healthy eating and healthy living, we participate in the BC School Fruit, Vegetable and Milk Nutritional Program.  Our students are given the opportunity to sample and taste different types of seasonal BC grown vegetables and fruits.

 Allergy Awareness

 In accordance with the VSB’s Administrative Procedures regarding anaphylaxis, Roberts Annex Elementary is an ‘allergy aware’ school.  The school community is encouraged to be mindful of students’, family members’ or staff members’ potentially life-threatening allergies when sending food items to school.

 Medical Alert

Parents/Guardians should ensure that the school is informed of any medical conditions which may require emergency response.  This includes allergies, asthma, seizures, etc.  This information is kept on file at the school and provided to all staff on a Medical Alert Flyer. 

 When a child needs to take medication at school, District procedures must be followed.  Parents/Guardians should contact the office if your child is required to take medication at school. 

 What to do if your child is sick at school?

 Children who become ill at school must be picked up by a parent or designate.  Please keep your list of emergency contacts up to date with the office.  If your child is sick the night before school, please keep them at home until the illness has passed.

 Visitors

 All visitors must sign in at the office and wear a Visitors badge while on school grounds.

 Parking, Drop-off and Pick-up

 Roberts Annex’s parking lot is for staff use only.  Parking is available on the streets around the school.  Students, staff and visitors are encouraged to consider Active Travel options such as walking, biking and rolling for getting to and from Roberts Annex.  Walking, cycling and rolling benefits students, the community and the environment. Those who must drive to and from school are encouraged to consider parking several blocks away and walking the remaining distance.

 Recess, Lunch and After School Play

      - Before School

Morning supervision at Roberts Annex begins at 8:40am.  Students should not arrive at the school before 8:40am unless attending a practice, club or program with a supervising teacher or coach.  When awaiting the 9:00am bell, students are expected to play and socialize outside.

 

     -At Recess

As fresh air, exercise, and play are all key to healthy development, students will play outside with their friends for the 15-minute recess break.  We are lucky to live in an area of the world where we do not experience extreme weather conditions.  Vancouver’s climate is a mixture of rain, sun and sometimes snow.  It is expected that all students come dressed for the weather in clothes and outerwear that will protect them from the elements.  Students should keep a full set of extra clothing at school at all times.  Only in the event of very heavy rain or extremely cold temperatures will students be permitted to stay indoors for recess and lunch breaks.  Students who choose to play outdoors, and are properly dressed, will be allowed to play outside even on “indoor” days.  Decisions about whether it is an “inside” or “outside” day will be made by the principal or designate.  Students who are too ill to go outside should not be at school.

      -At Lunch

At Roberts Annex, students eat from 12:00pm – 12:20pm.  Upon dismissal from eating, students will be sent outside to play on school grounds with their peers.  We strongly recommend that students stay at school for lunch as this encourages the building of healthy relationships and problem-solving strategies through play.  If you must take your child home for lunch, please ensure that an adult is signing them out and signing them back in at the office.

     -After School

Parents are to arrive on time – 3:00pm - to pick up their children or make alternate arrangements such as after school care.  If someone else is picking up your child, please let the office know.

 Mobile Phones & Other Devices at School

 Students are strongly encouraged not to bring mobile phones to school.  Families who need to contact their child are asked to call the school office.  Students can ask to use the office phone to contact their families in urgent situations.  The office phone is not for arranging play dates.

Families who would like their child to have a phone with them for the commute to and from school are reminded students are expected to turn their phones off and store them in their backpacks while at school.  Students should not have their phones or other devices on their person during school hours, including recess and lunch.

 Students and families will be reminded regularly of this policy.  Repeat contravention of this policy may lead to confiscation of a phone or device.  Confiscated phones or devices will be kept at the school office and only returned to a parent or guardian.

 

 Toys & Other Student Valuables at School

 Students are strongly encouraged not to bring toys, cards, collectibles and other valuable items to school.  School staff cannot be responsible for belongings that are lost, damaged, traded, etc.  On occasion, students may be asked to bring items to school for use in classroom or school activities. These items should remain safely in students’ backpacks when not in use for the requested activity.