Student and Family Guide 2026-2027

Welcome to our Student and Family Guide—your primary resource for navigating the school year and supporting your student’s success. Inside, you will find essential campus information, including the Student Code of Conduct, drop-off and pick-up procedures, and steps for checking a student out during the school day. We encourage all families to review these guidelines together to ensure a safe, smooth, and rewarding year.

Note: Underlined headers link directly to Granite School District policies. Any site-specific guidance for Penn Elementary will be outlined directly beneath the header.”

Administrative Memorandum

You can review the full, detailed list of district policies by accessing the Administrative Memorandum link. While these guidelines apply across the entire district, policies that directly impact our daily school routines are linked under their respective headers throughout this guide. Other district policies that apply to specific situations or programs—but are not individually detailed in the Penn guide—can also be found in the Administrative Memorandum, including: Students with Disabilities, Guardians in Schools, Maturation Program Guidelines, Home Prepared Foods, etc.

Animals & Dogs on School Grounds

We know that walking pets on school grounds has been a valued routine for many neighborhood families. However, to protect student health, maintain clean play areas, and ensure campus safety, the Granite School District Board of Education updated its policy regarding animals on school property.

Key Policy Rules

• No Pets on Campus At Any Time: Dogs and other pets are no longer permitted anywhere on school property at any time—including before/after school hours, during weekends, and over the summer.
• Student Pick-Up & Walking: Parents and patrons picking up students or walking near campus must keep pets on public sidewalks/walkways outside school grounds and abide by municipal leash laws. Pets may not be brought onto school property during pick-up or drop-off.
• Service Animals Excepted: Official service animals for individuals with qualifying disabilities under the ADA remain fully permitted on school grounds.

Why This Policy Was Updated

While we deeply appreciate responsible pet owners, the district enacted this rule due to significant health and safety challenges across school grounds:

• Student Safety: Multiple students in the district have suffered dog bites during school hours.
• Health & Sanitation: Uncollected pet waste on playing fields created ongoing sanitary issues for students during recess, P.E., and outdoor activities, as well as significant cleanup burdens for custodial teams.

Enforcement Note: School administration and staff appreciate the community’s full cooperation in keeping our fields clean and safe for all children. Law enforcement partners may be contacted to assist with compliance as needed.

Attendance

Parents/guardians can excuse a student’s absence by calling the main office at 385-646-4960 or by filling out this form.

Missing instruction—even for excused reasons—can make it difficult for students to keep up and stay engaged. Under district guidelines, our school will contact families when a student accumulates 5 unexcused absences or 10 excused absences (which meets the state definition for chronic absenteeism). At either point, we will partner with you to discuss the importance of regular attendance, address any challenges, and help keep your student on track for a successful school year.

Birthdays

We love celebrating birthdays with our students! To keep the focus on learning and protect classroom time, please distribute any private party invitations outside of school hours so no students feel left out. Families are always welcome to join their student during their designated lunch time to celebrate; please note that any outside food, special meals, or treats brought in by parents may only be enjoyed during lunch and shared strictly with their own child. Throughout the year, teachers and the school will also find special, non-disruptive ways to recognize and celebrate each student’s birthday within the classroom.

Board Policies

In addition to our Administrative Memorandums, the Board Policies cover specialized situations and district standards across the district. Key Board Policies are linked and expanded upon with school-specific details throughout this guide, while all other policies can be accessed through the official district website, including: Student Code of Conduct, Prohibition of Bullying and Hazing, Student Data Privacy, School Fees, Electronic Devices, Student Head Injuries and Concussions, and Special Education Services.

Breakfast

Penn Elementary offers a daily school breakfast to help students start their day ready to learn! Please note the following schedule and arrival expectations for students eating breakfast at school:

• Breakfast Hours: Breakfast is served daily in the lunchroom from 8:05 a.m. to 8:35 a.m.
• Arrival Before 8:05 a.m.: Students who arrive prior to 8:05 a.m. must wait outside in the back playground area until breakfast doors open.
• Entering for Breakfast: At 8:05 a.m., breakfast students enter through the main front doors and head directly to the lunchroom.
• No Wandering in the Halls: Students must walk straight to the lunchroom upon entering. Wandering through the hallways before or after eating is not permitted.
• After Finishing Breakfast: As soon as students finish eating, they must exit to the back playground immediately and follow our standard morning arrival routines (playing on the playground/blacktop until the first bell rings).

Important Note: Following these procedures keeps our hallways quiet, organized, and secure for morning preparation. Students who repeatedly violate hallway or arrival rules during breakfast time may lose the privilege of eating breakfast at school for a period determined by school administration.

Bullying(PDF)

At Penn Elementary, we are committed to providing a safe, positive, and welcoming environment where every student can thrive. In accordance with district policy and state law, bullying, cyberbullying, hazing, and retaliation are strictly prohibited on school grounds, on school buses, at bus stops, and at all school-sponsored events.

Understanding Student Behavior: Peer Conflict vs. Bullying

It is important for families to understand that not all hurtful or unkind behavior meets the legal definition of bullying. True bullying involves repeated, intentional harmful behavior paired with a power imbalance, or a single severe act that creates a hostile environment.

• Lower Elementary Learning Curve (Grades K–2): Many behaviors described as “bullying”—especially among our younger students—are simply children learning how to share, manage big feelings, navigate friendships, and solve conflicts appropriately.
• Teasing & Peer Conflict: Ordinary arguments, horseplay, or disagreement between peers are natural parts of growing up and are addressed as general behavioral learning moments rather than formal bullying incidents.

How to Report & Why It Matters

We cannot address or resolve issues that go unreported. If your child experiences or witnesses unkind behavior, please encourage them—and feel empowered as a parent—to speak up right away.

• Start with the Teacher First: Classroom teachers are on the front lines and can resolve the majority of day-to-day peer conflicts quickly. Your child’s teacher can also help determine if a recurring behavior meets the definition of bullying and needs to be escalated to school administration.
• No Fear of Retaliation or “Snitching”: Some students hesitate to report issues out of fear of being called a “snitch” or facing payback. Retaliation against anyone who reports an incident is strictly prohibited by policy and will result in serious disciplinary action.
• Confidentiality: Teachers and administrators work diligently to protect the anonymity of students who report incidents to the fullest extent possible.

How the School Responds

When a formal report of bullying, cyberbullying, or hazing is made:

1. Investigation: Administration will promptly and thoroughly investigate the incident.
2. Parent Notification: Parents of both the involved students (the alleged victim and perpetrator) will be notified timely.
3. Bullying Action Plan: If an incident is verified, administration will create an official Action Plan. This plan outlines tailored supportive measures for the impacted student, age-appropriate consequences and resources for the student who caused harm, and a clear communication path for both families.

Campus Access & Student Privacy Guidelines (PDF)

To protect valuable learning time and maintain campus safety, all parents and visitors must check in at the front office upon arrival. Once the school day has begun, parents are not permitted to go directly to classrooms to speak with students, conduct business, or deliver forgotten items like lunches, homework, or water bottles.

If you drop off a forgotten item, please leave it with front office staff. We will ensure your student receives it at a time that does not interrupt their instruction. To avoid classroom disruptions, students are not called out of class simply to pick up dropped-off items or receive personal visits.

If a parent with physical custody needs to speak with their child for an urgent situation, the office will gladly bring the student to the front desk to meet briefly with you or relay your message. For all other needs, families may check their student out at the main office in accordance with standard checkout procedures.

Cell Phones and Other Devices (PDF)

Electronic devices such as cell phones and smart watches must be turned off and out of sight during school hours. Students may use their cell phones before and after school only for the purpose of contacting parents. Students should use the office phone if they need to contact their parents during the school day. Parents can call the office during the school day if they need a message delivered to their student or wish to speak to their student. Teachers may have classroom specific policies for collecting cell phones and watches during school hours such as requiring students to put their devices in a secure location. School staff may confiscate a cell phones or watches for violations of this policy. Parents may be required to retrieve the confiscated device directly from the office. 

Dress Code(PDF)

We respect students’ right to self-expression and encourage families to help children dress safely, neatly, and appropriately for the weather. Our dress code ensures a safe, focused learning environment and will always be enforced respectfully, without shaming students or removing them from class. Ultimately, everyone is responsible for their own behavior—another person’s clothing is never an excuse for misconduct.

Students must wear shoes, a shirt that covers the stomach and torso, and bottoms (pants, shorts, skirts, or dresses) that fully cover undergarments. Choice of shoe style, hair color, piercings, and bottom length belongs to the student. Hats are allowed, but faces must remain uncovered and sweatshirt hoods must stay off inside the building. Clothing may not display violence, gang affiliation, illegal substances, or offensive content. Clothing is prohibited that is likely to cause injury or major distractions such as chains, sharp objects, tails, masks, etc. If your family needs assistance obtaining appropriate school clothing, please contact our principal or school social worker.

Dropping Off & Picking Up Students

Safety and efficiency are our top goals as students are dropped off or picked up from school. Staff and student Safety Patrol members serve as traffic monitors; please respect and obey their requests, as they are here to keep everyone safe.

Be sure to follow all posted “ENTER” and “EXIT” signs on school driveways and stay alert for pedestrians crossing the parking areas. There are two drop-off and pick-up driveways in the front of the school and one in the upper parking area. All loading and unloading must take place along the designated curb drop-off zones. Please pull forward as far as possible along the curb, instruct students to enter or exit the car on the curbside only, and pull forward immediately once your student has loaded or unloaded so others can do the same.

Please note the following rules for the upper parking area:

• Pick-Up Restrictions: After-school pick-up in the upper lot is strictly reserved for kindergarten students.
• Parking Restrictions: Parking spaces in the upper lot are designated for faculty and staff only.

Parents and guardians visiting the building or conducting school business must park in the main lot near the front doors, as parking in the upper lot is reserved for faculty.

Fees(PDF)

In accordance with Utah law, elementary education in Granite School District is provided free of charge, and general fees are not assessed for regular classroom instruction, textbooks, or essential school supplies.

• Extracurricular Fees at Penn: Under district policy, fees may only be charged for optional, school-sponsored extracurricular activities. At Penn Elementary, the only programs that require a student fee are Orchestra and the School Play.
• Fee Waivers: Fee waivers are available for eligible families who qualify under state guidelines (such as income thresholds, SNAP/TANF benefits, or temporary financial hardship). Applications and confidential verification details are available in the main office. No student will be denied the opportunity to participate in orchestra or the school play due to an inability to pay.

Field Trips

Field trips are a valuable part of our curriculum. Each grade level will attend at least two academic field trips per year—one in the fall and one in the spring. Additional trips may also occur, such as visits to our feeder junior high or high schools to support network connections. All students are invited to participate regardless of their ability to contribute to voluntary donations. A signed Off-Campus Activity Form is required prior to every trip before a student may leave campus.

• Background Checks: Chaperones do not need a background check simply to attend a field trip unless they will be alone with students (unsupervised by school staff). Please refer to the Volunteer Guidelines section of this handbook for instructions on how to request a background check if needed.
• Behavior Expectations: Standard school rules apply on all field trips, including bus rides. Administration reserves the right to restrict a student from future trips if their behavior creates a safety concern.
• Students Needing Behavior Supports: Students with behavior support plans are always included! To ensure a successful trip, we will ask a parent to join as a chaperone. If a parent is unavailable, a school aide may be assigned to support the student.
• Chaperones & Capacity: Teachers determine and select the number of chaperones needed for each trip. Please note that chaperone spots are limited due to bus seating, venue size, and logistical constraints.

Fundraising(PDF)

All student fundraising activities follow district safety, ethics, and accounting standards. To protect instructional time and avoid over-solicitation, door-to-door sales and mandatory quotas are strictly prohibited, and student participation is always voluntary.

District rules limit how many active fundraisers (direct campaigns where students collect donations or sell products) a school can hold each year. However, there is no limit on passive fundraisers, which raise funds through voluntary community support without enlisting students to solicit money.

• Active Fundraisers (Limited to 2 Per Year):
  • Fall: PTA Fun Run
  • Spring: Buddy-a-Thon School Fundraiser
• Passive Fundraisers (Unlimited):
  • Dining Nights Out (e.g., Arby’s Night, Chick-fil-A Night, or local restaurant partnership nights)
  • Event Concessions (e.g., selling snacks or water at school activities)
  • Store Reward Programs (e.g., grocery store loyalty cards or Box Tops)

For full details on district requirements, financial rules, and approved vendor guidelines, please review the complete fundriains policy linked in this section’s header.

Inclement Weather and Indoor Recess

Student safety is our top priority. We plan for outdoor recess every day, but during severe weather, we keep students inside to stay warm, dry, and safe.

• When Do We Stay Inside?
  • Cold: Temperatures (or wind chill) drop to 20°F or below (measured using the local McMillan WeatherBug station).
  • Air Quality: The Air Quality Index (AQI) reaches the Red level.
  • Precipitation & Storms: Heavy rain, sleet, hail, blizzards, or any thunder and lightning. (Light rain or gently falling snow are fine for outdoor play!)
• Before-School Arrival: On severe weather mornings (20°F or below, or heavy rain/snow), students are brought inside up to 20 minutes before the bell to wait quietly in the hallway outside their classrooms.
• Health Exemptions: If your child needs to stay inside during recess due to a temporary health issue, please submit a written request to the office or teacher detailing the short-term need.

Lost and Found

Lost and found items are stored in the lunchroom, and students or parents are welcome to check there anytime for missing belongings.

• Parent Events: To give families every opportunity to reclaim misplaced items, we move the lost and found racks to the front entrance during school-wide events—such as the Halloween Parade, holiday concerts, and parent-teacher conferences—before any monthly donation is made.
• Label Everything: It is extremely helpful if parents label all coats, jackets, lunch boxes, and water bottles with a permanent marker. If an item has a student’s name on it, we will make sure it gets returned to them directly!
• Monthly Clear-Outs: Because the lost and found fills up so quickly, unclaimed items are donated to a local charitable organization at the end of every month.

Lunch

Lunchtime is an important opportunity for students to refuel and socialize. To ensure a safe, clean, and unhurried environment, we ask families to review the following lunchroom guidelines with their students:

Time to Eat & Dismissal Routine

• 30-Minute Lunch Period: Every student is given a full 30 minutes for lunch.
• Dismissal Options: Tables may begin being dismissed to recess 10 to 15 minutes after arriving in the lunchroom if students have finished eating.
• Take Your Time! Parents are strongly encouraged to remind their children that they do not have to leave when their table is dismissed. Students who are still eating are expected and encouraged to stay in the lunchroom and finish their meal, even if their friends have finished and gone outside.
• Extended Eating Tables: If a student is still eating when their table is dismissed and cleared for the next class, they will simply be asked to move to a designated “extra time” table so they can comfortably finish their lunch for the full 30 minutes.

Food & Recess Rules

• No Food Outside: Students are strictly prohibited from taking food or drinks out to the playground.
• Finish Before Leaving: If a student attempts to walk out to recess while trying to “finish their last few bites,” staff will ask them to sit back down in the lunchroom until they are completely done eating.

Behavior & Expectations

• Cleaning Up After Yourself: Accidental spills happen, but students who intentionally create messes in the cafeteria will be required to clean up their mess as well as other areas of the lunchroom. A consequence period will be determined by administration, commensurate with the level of disruption or mess created.
• Orderly Dismissal: Students must walk quietly when exiting the lunchroom. Students who run or make excessive noise on their way out will be asked to return to their seat, sit for a brief period, review dismissal expectations with staff, and attempt their dismissal again appropriately.

Morning Arrival Routines (Before 8:40 a.m.)

Punctuality and a smooth morning routine help ensure your child starts their day ready to learn!

• Where to Go: When students arrive at school, they should not loiter in the front of the building. Instead, they should proceed immediately to the back of the school, where they can play on the playground, grass, or blacktop until the bell rings.
• Lineup Routine: When the first bell rings, students should immediately line up with their homeroom class outside their designated grade-level entry doors.

Medication and Self Care (PDF)

Daily Medication at School: If your child needs to take prescription or over-the-counter medication during the school day, please inform the office. Before staff can store or administer any medication, parents and the student’s healthcare provider must complete and sign the Granite School District Medication Authorization Form. Once submitted to the office along with the medication, staff will track every dose administered in a dedicated daily log.

Carrying Emergency Medications: Students are permitted to carry and self-administer life-saving emergency medications—specifically EpiPens, inhalers, or insulin. This also requires a completed authorization form with a statement from your healthcare provider confirming that the student is trained and capable of managing their medication independently.

What Counts as “Medication”: These rules apply strictly to medical treatments. Everyday personal care items—such as lip balm, lotion, sunscreen, contact solution, and cough drops—are not considered medication under district rules and may be brought to school as needed.

Recess & Playground Policy

Recess is an important part of the school day for physical activity, social development, and a necessary break for learning. Students at Penn Elementary enjoy two 15-minute recesses each day (morning and afternoon), as well as a third recess period following their lunch.

General Playground Safety & Daily Routines

To keep our play spaces safe, clean, and organized, all students are expected to follow basic safety expectations:

• Lunch Box & Food Routine: Food and drinks are not permitted on the playground. Before going outside for lunch recess, students must place their lunch boxes inside their classroom’s designated lunch bin. Teachers will collect the bins, and students will retrieve their lunch boxes after recess to store them in their lockers or backpacks.
• Respectful Play: All equipment must be used safely and for its intended purpose. Roughhousing, tackling, fighting, and inappropriate language are strictly prohibited.
• Chasing & Tag: Active running games (like tag) must take place in open grass or blacktop areas, far away from playground equipment and hard surfaces.
• Designated Boundaries: Students must remain strictly within designated playground boundaries. Walking on loading ramps, entering parking lots, or climbing on fences, concrete walls, tetherball poles, or basketball backstops is prohibited.
• Items from Home: Personal toys and trading cards are not allowed at school. If a student brings personal sports equipment (e.g., a basketball), they must be willing to share it with peers who follow the game rules.

Equipment Rules & Safety Expectations

Safety Notice: Per district administrative standards, items that pose entanglement hazards (jump ropes, twine) must be used with extreme caution. Hardballs, baseball bats, bicycles, and skateboards are strictly prohibited on the playground without direct adult supervision.

Playground Area	Safety Expectations
Slides	• Always slide down feet-first, seated, and one student at a time. • No climbing up the slide surface. • Wait until the bottom of the slide is completely clear before going down.
Monkey Bars & Climbing Structures	• One student per rung or section at a time. • No sitting, standing, or hanging upside down on top of the bars or structure. • Pushing, grabbing, racing, or playing tag on climbing gear is prohibited.
Balls & Sports	• No hardballs (baseball/softball) or full-contact games (such as tackle football). • Basketball, soccer, and four-square are encouraged in designated areas. • Balls are kept in color-coded crates set up and stored daily by Safety Patrol.

Damaged equipment should be reported immediately to supervising staff so the office can issue a replacement.

Recess as a Behavioral Consequence

Playground time is vital for student health and focus, so withholding recess is used sparingly and intentionally.

1. Safety & Behavioral Issues at Recess

Withholding recess is a natural and immediate consequence when a student exhibits behavior on the playground that endangers themselves or others.

• Immediate Action: A student may lose recess privileges for up to 3 consecutive days.
• Extended Administrative Removal: Withholding recess beyond 3 days requires administrative consultation and prior approval.

2. Classroom Issues & Incomplete Work

Withholding recess for academic or classroom behavioral reasons is not a natural consequence and is only used as a last resort after other interventions have been tried.

• Parent Communication: Teachers will contact parents/guardians directly to discuss why this consequence is necessary.
• Maximum Limit: No more than 1 recess per day for a maximum of 3 consecutive days.

Social Skills & Disposition Curriculum: Graduate of Granite

At Penn Elementary, academic excellence goes hand-in-hand with social and emotional growth. Every school rule and expectation we have is directly connected to our core disposition characteristics—known as the Graduate of Granite traits.

These traits are not just taught as isolated topics; they form a common, shared vocabulary and value system that is embedded into daily classroom conversations, academic lessons, and school culture throughout the entire year.

Core Individual Characteristics

We explicitly teach, model, and practice five foundational traits to help students grow as individuals and community members:

1. Reliability & Attendance: Be reliable and accountable. Attend school daily, arrive on time, and follow school procedures for excusing absences.
2. Respect & Inclusion: Acknowledge differences by looking for the good in everyone, including oneself. Show due regard for the feelings, rights, cultures, and traditions of others.
3. Effective Communication & Teamwork: Communicate effectively to share and understand information in a variety of contexts. Work cooperatively in group settings, contributing to one’s own learning and the learning of others.
4. Resilience & Goal-Setting: Set personal goals, apply best effort to achieve them, and persevere through challenges and setbacks. Develop a grounded sense of confidence, optimism, and self-efficacy.
5. Integrity & Accountability: Be trustworthy, ethical, and accountable for individual choices and results. Come prepared for class, follow school/classroom policies, and demonstrate personal responsibility.

The “Big Friendly Group” (BFG) Buddy System

To build kindness, prevent bullying, and foster a connected school community, we utilize our Big Friendly Group (BFG) program.

• Monthly Buddy Meetings: Lower-grade classes (K–2) are paired with upper-grade classes (3–5). On the first Friday of each month, buddy classes meet together for joint instruction.
• Curriculum & Mentorship: Lessons are created by our school social worker and delivered by homeroom teachers. Older students act as mentors to younger students, reinforcing positive behavior while developing deep self-confidence, leadership skills, and empathy.

Iceberg Bucks & The School Store

Positive reinforcement is key to encouraging great behavior!

• Earning Iceberg Bucks: Throughout the month, students earn “Iceberg Buck Tickets” from teachers and staff when they are caught demonstrating kindness or modeling Graduate of Granite traits.
• Friday Lunch Store: Every Friday during lunch, students can spend their earned Iceberg Bucks at the school store to purchase fun school supplies, fidgets, treats, or entry into special school activities.

Student Self-Assessment & Progress Scoring

Self-reflection helps students take ownership of their personal growth and build strong relationships with their teachers.

• Regular Self-Assessment: At midterm and at the end of each quarter, students complete a self-assessment of these characteristics. Teachers use these assessments to discuss progress, resolve discrepancies, and help students set personal goals.
• Scoring Rubric: Student growth on these dispositions is evaluated using the following scale:
  • 4 – Consistently: Demonstrates characteristic the majority of the time.
  • 3 – Frequently: Demonstrates characteristic most of the time.
  • 2 – Occasionally: Demonstrates characteristic some of the time.
  • 1 – Rarely: Seldom demonstrates characteristic.
  • 0 – Unobservable: Unable to observe due to lack of attendance.

Tardy Procedures (After 8:40 a.m.)

If your child arrives after the 8:40 a.m. bell, please follow these guidelines based on their arrival time:

• Arriving Between 8:40 a.m. and 8:59 a.m.: Students should enter through the West doors (these are the doors at the back of the school closest to the playground where 1st grade enters). A school employee will monitor these doors between 8:40 and 8:59 a.m. to greet students and ensure they get inside safely. During this window, homeroom teachers will update the student’s attendance to tardy directly in the classroom.
• Arriving After 9:00 a.m.: All exterior doors will be locked for security. Students arriving at or after 9:00 a.m. must enter through the main front doors and check in at the office, where staff will mark them tardy and give them an official tardy slip to take to class.

Volunteers & Room Parents

We love and appreciate our parent volunteers! Family involvement plays a huge role in building a strong school community and supporting student success.

Room Parents & Event Coordination

Our Parent Liaison works closely with the PTA to assign a Room Parent to each classroom. Room Parents help teachers coordinate classroom celebrations, organize volunteers, and keep families informed about upcoming class events.

Volunteer Guidelines & Background Check Requirements

To ensure student safety, Granite School District maintains specific guidelines regarding background checks based on the type of volunteer activity:

• Supervised Classroom Volunteers (No Background Check Required): If you are volunteering inside a classroom alongside the teacher (e.g., helping with parties, reading with small groups in the room, or assisting during whole-class activities), a background check is not required.
• Unsupervised / One-on-One Volunteers (Background Check Required): A background check is strictly required for any volunteer who may have significant or unsupervised contact with students (e.g., individual tutoring, small group mentoring outside the classroom, or chaperoning field trips without direct teacher supervision).

Background Check Application Windows

If your volunteer role requires a background check, applications are only processed twice per school year. Please plan ahead and submit your application during one of these strict submission windows:

Application Window	Dates	Submission Deadline
Fall Window	September 11, 2026 – September 25, 2026	3:00 PM on Sept 25
Spring Window	February 5, 2027 – February 19, 2027	3:00 PM on Feb 19

How to Apply: When an application window is open, volunteers must complete and submit their background check application online before the 3:00 PM deadline via theGranite School District – Frontline Recruitmentportal. Applications submitted outside of these windows cannot be processed.