Handbook
School Life
School Hours
Early Childhood: 8:00am – NOON Doors open at 7:45am
Early Childhood with Nap: 8:00am – 3:00pm Doors open at 7:45am
Grades 1-8: 8:00am – 3:00pm Doors open at 7:45am
High School: 7:55am – 3:15pm Doors open at 7:30am
After School Program: 3:00pm – 6:00pm
Unscheduled School Closings
If there is a snow day or school is unexpectedly closed, Room Parents will be notified by a member of the Management Team between 6:00am-6:30am on the day of the emergency closure. The Room Parents for your class will then call the families on their lists. Closings will be announced on all major media television and radio stations.
You may also check the Emergency Closing Center website for information. You can set up an account to receive e-mail notification by the Emergency Closing Center by visiting their website, www.emergencyclosings.com.
Attendance & Punctuality
We strive to educate the will and to cultivate a healthy respect for work and community both in deed and attitude. Punctuality and attendance express a concrete commitment to these ideals. We are ready to receive Early Childhood students into the school building at 7:45am; Grade School students at 7:45am; High School students at 7:30am. Please make sure your student arrives at school with time to settle into the classroom.
In very cold weather, students may come in and sit in the front hall of the west wing as they arrive. At 8:00am the doors to the Early Childhood and Grade School classrooms will be closed; at 7:55am the doors to the High School classrooms will be closed. Any student arriving after that time is tardy. Early Childhood teachers will welcome you and your students in the east wing of the building; a faculty or staff member will welcome the students in the main hallway of the west wing; the High School students should enter through the main hallway or the east door of the east wing by ringing the bell.
The front doors of both wings are locked at 8:00am. Early Childhood and Grade School students who arrive after 8:00am should go to the west wing’s main entrance and ring the bell for entry. The student must check in with the Main Office Manager before proceeding to their classroom. Early Childhood parents should walk their children across the connecting bridge to his/her classroom. High School students who are late should enter through the east door of the east building and check in with the High School Office Manager who will give them a tardy slip to present to the teacher.
If your student will be absent, please inform the school by 7:45am. Early Childhood parents should leave a message on the Main Office voicemail at 773-465-2662.
Grade School parents should contact the Grade School Office Manager, Ilene Warfield, at 773-465-2372. High School parents should contact the High School Office Manager, Amanda Liljewall, at 773-828-8464. As a safety measure, the school will contact parents of children with unreported absences, in order to verify their whereabouts. The school may request a doctor’s letter when a student is absent more than three consecutive days.
Attendance is mandatory at all scheduled festivals, performances, field trips and class trips, including those that take place outside of regular school hours. Any exceptions need to be approved by the class teacher or class advisors. If a student is unable to participate in any subject class (including gym) a note signed by the parent must be given to the Grade School class teacher or High School Office Manager in advance. If a student fails to participate in a class two or more consecutive times, a doctor’s written excuse is required.
Missing more than two hours of any school day constitutes an absence. All tardies and absences are part of a student’s permanent record.
The school strongly insists that family vacations be scheduled to coincide with school vacations. Doctor, dentist, therapist, tutor or other appointments should be made outside of school hours, or during school breaks, if at all possible. If a student must miss school for an appointment, a parent or guardian must notify the Grade School class teacher or the High School Office Manager in writing. Students are responsible for notifying teachers of their absence in advance and making up any assignments, quizzes or tests by an agreed-upon date. Failure to do so may result in loss of credit.
Any absences other than illness or a family emergency are strongly discouraged. The experiential nature of Waldorf instruction makes it extremely difficult to make up missed class work. If a student must be out of school for reasons other than illness or family emergency, the parent or guardian must request permission in writing from the Grade School class teacher or the High School class advisors at least two weeks in advance. The request should include all pertinent information and must include the signed consent of the parent or guardian for the requested absence. The faculty reserves the right to deny such requests.
Grade School Attendance & Tardiness Policies
Policy Profile – Grade School Attendance & Tardiness Policies
A Grade School student who misses one fourth of a Morning Lesson Block is considered significantly absent. A Grade School student who is absent 9 days from school’s opening day to January 1st or 11 days from January 1st to school’s last day is considered excessively absent. In either case, the class teacher will determine the appropriate manner for the student’s family to assist the student to make up work and skills deficits as a result of absences. This may necessitate mandatory tutoring at the family’s expense. This may also result in the student’s being placed on probation. Successful implementation of the teacher’s recommendations may be a condition for reenrollment.
A Grade School student who is tardy 9 days from school’s opening day to January 1st or 11 days from January 1st to school’s last day is considered excessively tardy. This may also result in the student’s being placed on probation. Successful implementation of the teacher’s recommendations may be a condition for re-enrollment.
High School Attendance & Tardiness Policies
High School students are expected to be present and punctual for all classes. School begins promptly at 7:55am. If a High School student is absent and a parent or guardian does not notify the school or does not excuse their student’s absence, the student may be subject to disciplinary action, such as detention, suspension or dismissal. Excessive absences will affect the student’s evaluations, grades and credits, and may lead to dismissal.
In recognition of the importance of punctuality, only three tardy incidents are allowed per quarter. High School students who exceed three tardy incidents in a quarter may not be admitted after class start times at the teacher’s discretion. If any High School student arrives after 8:15am, s/he may be excluded from morning lesson at the discretion of the teacher and will have to make up the work at a later time. High School students must obtain a tardy slip from the High School Office in order to be admitted to any class to which they are tardy. In the event that the High School Office is closed, tardy slips may be obtained in the Main Office on the first floor of the west wing.
If a High School student exceeds three tardy incidents in a quarter, the fourth, and each subsequent tardy will result in a tardy-detention to be served on Fridays from
3:15-4:15pm. Students who are scheduled for a detention may not participate in after school activities during the scheduled detention time. If a student cannot serve a scheduled Friday detention, a parent must notify the High School Office before 3:00pm on the scheduled Friday. If a student is not excused for the detention and fails to show up, they will be assigned a Saturday morning detention at a later date. If a student cannot serve a Saturday detention, a parent must notify the High School Office before 3:00pm on Friday. If a student fails to show up for a Saturday detention, s/he will be suspended until a meeting with the class advisors and parents has been scheduled. Excessive tardiness may also result in consequences including loss of credit, revocation of open campus privileges and/or suspension from school.
Drop-off, Pick-up & Parking
Some students walk or bike to school, and some use public transportation but most are driven to school by their own parents or in carpools.
Morning Drop-Off
• Drive west on Loyola Avenue, facing west in front of the school building. Line up single file and wait for your turn to drive up to the front door where a faculty or staff member will open the car door, say good morning and help your student(s) out if needed.
• Please do not cut in line, double-park, or drop off across the street.
• Please do not park in the Arthur lot or in the lot between the school and church building.
• Early Childhood parents and any other parents who wish to walk their students to school, should use the lot on the 1200 west block of Loyola, located on the north side of the street just east of Lakewood. We have permission from Loyola University to use this lot for short periods of time only. Please register your car with the Main Office and please do not leave your car in this lot for more than 15 minutes and or you risk your car being towed by Loyola University.
• For safety reasons, parents should not unload equipment for class trips until at least 8:30am, after the morning drop-off traffic has subsided.
Afternoon Pick-Up
The Early Childhood morning program ends at noon, and children should be picked up from the classroom. Children who stay for the extended day should be picked up from the classroom promptly at 3:00pm.
Grade School students are dismissed at 3:00pm. Teachers are on duty outside the building until 3:15pm to assist with dismissal and pick up activities. At that time, students who are not picked up are brought inside the building to wait for their parents under a teacher’s supervision. Early Childhood through Grade 6 students who are not picked up by 3:30pm will be taken to the After Care Program. Parents will be billed at the After Care Program drop-in rate by the Business Office.
High school students are dismissed at 3:15pm. Please keep this in mind when making carpool arrangements. Grade 7-12 students are responsible for departing school on their own.
For everyone’s safety please adhere to the following after school rules:
• Parents drive in front of the school facing west to pick-up as in the morning.
• Circle around the block until your student is dismissed.
• Do not park (and especially do not double or triple park) while waiting for your child.
• No one is allowed to play in the side yard after school
• While waiting for parents, children should not play ball or ‘play fight’
• Skateboards, roller blades or scooters may never be used on school property.
Student Drivers
High School students with a valid driver’s license may drive themselves to school, but parking is limited. Faculty, staff and visitors to the school have priority to use the lot at Arthur and Glenwood. A W sticker must be displayed in the rear window of the vehicle in order to park legally in this lot if spaces are available. Stickers are available in the Main Office or High School Office. Students may not use their cars during the school day.
Class Trip Drop-Off, Loading & Return
Due to safety concerns at morning drop-off, parents and teachers going on class trips must observe the following:
• Student packs, bags and other personal camping gear may be placed in the main entry hall on the benches.
• Do not enter the school parking lot (in front of auditorium) to offload gear or equipment until after 8:30am.
• Do not offload gear/equipment in the morning drop-off traffic lane as it impedes the flow of traffic.
• After 8:30am, feel free to park in the lot or in front of the school to offload equipment and see your student(s) off.
Returning equipment and supplies from class trips should be coordinated to arrive well before 2:50pm or after 3:20pm. Classes who return during this time will unload in front of St. Ignatius Church.
Snacks & Lunches – Early Childhood & Elementary School
All students have morning snack time as well as a lunch break. In the Early Childhood program, morning snack is provided, but lunch for those who stay for the extended day is not. Students in Grades 1-8 bring snacks and lunches from home. These should be brought in cloth, wicker or plastic containers that are not decorated with violent scenes or media characters. Carbonated soft drinks, gum or candy should not be included in snacks or lunches. Also, during the winter, parents can check with the class teacher concerning hot water for soups and drinks.
Snacks & Lunches – High School
With written parental permission, High School students may go off-campus for snack and/or lunch Monday through Friday.
• Students may leave campus only during their scheduled lunch or snack break periods and must be on time for subsequent classes.
• Students must be in a public setting within four blocks of the school. They may not enter alleys, cars or private homes.
• Excessive tardiness in classes following the snack and/or lunch break will result in the loss of open campus privileges.
• Students may eat lunch at school in designated areas. All students are responsible for keeping the designated areas in order. Sitting in the stairwells with food is prohibited.
• Students who choose to go to the Loyola Park Beach may not swim in Lake Michigan during school hours, as there are no lifeguards on duty.
• Students who are not in good academic standing for any class during the course of the semester or who are placed on probation may lose open campus privileges for a specified period of time.
Open campus privileges may be revoked by faculty or parents at their discretion. A breach of trust through disregard for school policy or procedures, excessive tardiness or poor academic standing may result in loss of open campus privileges. Students who are off-campus while under a revocation of privileges will be subject to consequences, which may include suspension or dismissal.
Outside Recess
• The Grade School students have a supervised snack-time recess from 10:05-10:25am and a supervised lunch-time recess from 12:20-12:55pm. Some Grades 5-8 lunch recesses extend from12:20-12:40pm. When all eight grades are on the playground at one time, there are five scheduled recess supervisors wearing designated yellow jackets: two in the side yard and three in the front.
• If a recess supervisor is not outside within five minutes of the recess starting, one of the other recess supervisors will notify the Main Office Manager who will arrange for a replacement.
• Supervisors in the front of the building will walk up and down their designated areas.
• Before the end of recess, a bell is rung and children in grades 1-6 line up in front of the building by class. Grades 7 and 8 line up by the side door in the parking lot. Classes are let into the building one class at a time.
• One recess supervisor stands inside the building to ensure an orderly entry.
• The side yard teachers have a cell phone and first aid kit.
Outdoor Rules
The following rules apply to recess in front of the building, the time before and after school as well as at the parks off-campus:
• Stay out of the streets and off of the sidewalks (so pedestrians can pass).
• The dumpsters, alley and courtyard are also off limits.
• Get permission before re-entering the school. Use the right-hand door.
• Respect our building. Students may not write or climb on the walls.
• Respect our young trees. Students may not climb them.
• Respect your playmates. Students may not take each other’s hats or other pieces of clothing.
• Students may not throw snow or ice, and may not jump or wrestle on concrete.
• Ropes are for jumping.
• Balls are for throwing (not kicking).
• Balls may be taken from the courtyard shed with the supervising teacher’s permission and must be returned to the shed at the conclusion of recess.
• The parking lot and the area between the buildings is for ball playing.
• Touch football is for fifth graders and up.
• Line up by grade when the bell is rung, enter the building quietly and walk slowly.
Side Yard Rules
• The Side Yard is for 1st and 2nd graders.
• Respect the gardens and planting beds. Do not trample the plants.
• Keep the sand inside the sand box. Children may not throw sand or dig down to dirt.
• Children may not climb on or hang from the shed, playhouse roof or fire escape.
• Jump rope is only allowed in the chalk area on the sidewalk.
• The space is too small for ball playing.
• Sandbox tools may be taken from the playground toolbox with the supervising teacher’s permission, and must be returned to the box at the conclusion of recess.
Athletic Department Guidelines
Gym Rules:
• Students may not be in the gym without adult supervision.
• Gum chewing is not allowed in the gym.
• No outside food or drink is permitted in the gym.
• If food and drink are served in the gym, they must be consumed on the tile area at the west end of the gym.
Behavior at Sports Events:
• Students who leave the school building during athletic events will not be allowed to re-enter.
• Students may not wait unsupervised in the school building before a sports event. Only team members and team personnel are allowed to be in the school building during this time.
• Attendance at after-school athletic events is a privilege and students who misbehave may be barred from these events.
Participation on Teams:
• All past athletic fees must be paid in full before a student will be allowed to participate in another extracurricular sport.
• All students wishing to participate in after-school sports must have a record of a physical ex taken within the last 12 months on file with the school.
• Participation on athletic teams is contingent upon good academic standing. Students may be deemed academically ineligible at any time.
• Students participating in after-school athletics are representatives of the Chicago Waldorf School and must comport themselves as such at all home and away athletic contests.