Handbook

For detailed District Attendance Policies please visit the District Attendance Department website.

Blue Hills Elementary School

Bobcat Be’s – Behavior Expectations Matrix

Click HERE to view our Behavior Matrix

The Bobcat Be’s: Be Safe, Be Responsible, Be Respectful, Be Kind
Our Positive Behavior Intervention System (PBIS) supports all students through whole-school, grade-level, and individualized structures. PBIS consists of proactive procedures and practices to prevent problem behavior for all students and improve school climate. The Bobcat Be’s are expectations that students follow at all times at Blue Hills: Be Safe, Be Responsible, Be Respectful, and Be Kind. The Bobcat Be’s Matrix (see the table below) uses the school-wide rules to identify specific behavioral expectations across all school settings and locations. 

The Bobcat Be’s: Positive Reinforcement
Students receive positive reinforcement tokens for following the Bobcat Be’s and receive “Paws for Praise” tickets, which can be cashed in for tangible and intangible rewards at our school store, “The Bobcat Den.” Schoolwide “Paws for Praise” drawings celebrate positive student behavior during weekly PBIS school-wide assemblies.  When students break the Bobcat Be’s, staff intervene and coach the student, and may provide natural/logical consequences based on our PBIS System and Restorative Practices. All Blue Hills staff, including teachers, take ownership for modeling and teaching appropriate behavior to students. Learning opportunities, growth, and reflection are a large part of all behavior conversations that take place on campus.

Closed Campus

Blue Hills provides a closed campus for the security of our students and staff. Students may not leave the school campus during school hours. The parking lot is off limits to the students after the first bell of the day.

If you need to pick up your child before the normal dismissal time, you must sign them out in the office. No child will be released without the appropriate office sign-out.

Visitors on Campus

Education Code Section 32210 states that all visitors, including parents, volunteers and district employee must sign in at the office when school is in session. This policy is to ensure safety and order on campus and to minimize disruption to the classroom instruction. Each visitor must state their business and wear a school tag at all times during the visit.

Animals on Campus

California Education Code Section 32210, California Penal Code Section 626.8 and CUSD Policy, Administrative Regulation 330, stipulate that animals (e.g. horses, dogs, cats) are NOT allowed on school grounds, as posted on the metal signs located on the school grounds. Any animal, however, that is necessary under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 will be allowed.

Please notify the office immediately of any changes in address, telephone numbers, emergency pick-up contacts, etc. District policy states change of residence must be reported to the school office within (10) days . Failure to provide current residency information could result in the withdrawal of your child. In the event of an emergency, it is imperative that the school be able to contact you quickly.

Communication & Staying Connected

At Blue Hills, we believe that consistent communication between school and home is vital to your child’s success. Your active interest shows your child that their school experience truly matters! We utilize a variety of channels to keep you informed about our programs, special events, and your child's progress.

📢 School-Wide Updates & Announcements

To stay informed about campus news, upcoming events, and district publications, please be sure to check our regular communication channels:

• Digital Platforms: Our school website, ParentSquare, and official social media accounts.

• The Friday Folder: Every Friday is set aside for sending home physical schoolwork and important school notices in your child's Bobcat Friday Folder. We highly encourage parents to review these folders together every weekend.

If you ever have questions or comments regarding the flyers or notices sent home, please feel free to reach out to the main office or your child's teacher.

💬 Discussing Your Child’s Progress

Your child's teacher is your primary partner for everything related to their academic, social-emotional, and classroom growth. Please connect directly with the teacher if you have questions about:

• Classroom assignments or curriculum.

• Social-emotional development or friendships at school.

• Personalized strategies to support your child's continued growth at home.

🗓️ How to Schedule a Meeting with a Teacher

Our teachers are always available and happy to collaborate with your family. Meetings can be scheduled to fit your schedule and can take place:

• 🧑‍🏫 In-person on campus

• 📞 Over the phone

• 💻 Virtually via Google Meet

• 📧 Via email

To schedule a conversation or conference, please reach out directly to your child's teacher via email or ParentSquare to find a mutually convenient time.

Personal Items & Electronics Policy

To help ensure a safe and focused learning environment, we ask for your parental support in managing what students bring to campus. Our goal is to keep students engaged in learning and safe during the school day. We need your family's help to ensure that only approved, safe school supplies are brought to campus. 

🚫 Prohibited Items

The following items are not permitted on campus at any time:

• Toys & Collectibles: Traditional toys, trading cards, and 3D-printed items of any kind.

• Personal Electronics: Cameras, iPads, handheld gaming devices, or any items with an on/off switch.

• Pets: For safety and allergy reasons, personal pets are not allowed.

📱 Cell Phones & Smartwatches

We understand these are important for family communication, but they must not disrupt the school day.

• During School Hours: Phones and smartwatches must be completely turned off or set to "School Mode" during the entire school day (including recess, lunch, and passing periods).

• Storage: They must remain out of sight in the student's backpack at all times.

🎒 Supporting Every Learner: Sensory & Fidget Tools

We know that some of our students with diverse learning needs require sensory tools or fidget objects to help them focus and succeed. These items are absolutely welcome on campus, provided they have prior approval from your child’s teacher or the Principal. If your child benefits from these tools, please reach out to their teacher so we can partner together on a plan that keeps them supported and distraction-free!

Important Note on Enforcement: Parents are responsible for ensuring students only bring safe, approved school supplies to campus. Items that violate this policy may be confiscated by school staff, and may result in parent communication and/or disciplinary action.

Teachers schedule field trips as extension activities to the curriculum. The admission and transportation costs of these field trips are calculated using the total number of students in a class or grade level and must be paid in advance. Refunds cannot be issued due to a student’s illness or absence on the date of the field trip. Please know that the voluntary donation is not required to participate.

Make all checks payable to Blue Hills School. Remember to write the student’s name and teacher or room number on the check. No student will be excluded due to his/her family’s inability to pay for the cost of the field trip. Contact the office for financial assistance or questions.

Please make sure your student is fully prepared for the day with all necessary items for school. Instructional time cannot be interrupted to inform students about forgotten homework, personal items, etc. Please make sure all after school arrangements are made prior to the student going to school.

The school nurse is not at school daily, but various times throughout the week, and on an on-call basis. The office staff is trained to provide first aid. Illness and injury that occurs at home should not be referred to the school for care. We will send home a notice if your child has been exposed to a contagious illness (e.g. lice, pink eye) in the classroom.

Our Approach to Homework: BBalancing Academic Growth & Well-Being

At Blue Hills, we believe that a whole-child education is essential for academic success, social-emotional development, and overall wellness. To thrive, children need a balanced lifestyle that leaves daily space for what Stanford University’s Challenge Success calls PDF: Playtime, Downtime, and Family Time.

To support this balance, Blue Hills has modified our homework practices to ensure our youngest learners have the time they need for early growth outside the classroom.

📚 Homework Guidelines by Grade Level

Grades TK through 3

• No Weekly Packets: Teachers will not send home weekly homework packets to be returned or graded.

• Nightly Reading: The core expectation is for every student to read nightly, be read to, or explore books of interest. Extensive research shows this is the most impactful habit for young learners.

• Optional Resources: Teachers will provide a bank of optional learning resources via ParentSquare, Google Classroom, or email at the start of the year. If your family chooses to utilize these for extra practice at home, they do not need to be turned in for a grade.

Grades 4 and 5

• Targeted Practice: Students may be assigned nightly homework in various content areas to support and reinforce classroom learning.

• Projects & Individual Needs: Teachers across all grades (TK-5) may occasionally assign short- or long-term projects, or recommend personalized practice tailored to your child's specific needs. Your teacher will guide you on what is most appropriate.
   

🧩 Homework Modifications & Accommodations

• Every student learns differently: In alignment with our commitment to personalized learning, we are happy to provide homework modifications and accommodations for students who need them. If your child is struggling with the volume, pacing, or type of homework assigned, we want to help. Please reach out directly to your child's teacher. Together, with our staff, you can create a personalized plan tailored to your child's unique learning needs and wellness goals. 

   

🎒 Alignment & Additional Resources

Our homework policy directly aligns with the CUSD Strategic Plan, which focuses on relevant and rigorous instruction, personalized learning, and whole-child education.

• Learn More about "PDF": To read more about the research behind prioritizing Playtime, Downtime and Family Time in this article from Stanford University's Challenge Success: Playtime, Downtime and Family Time: PDF for Elementary-Aged Kids, Common-sense Strategies for Promoting Children's Health and Well-Being.

• Learn more about our District's Plan: Check out: CUSD's Strategic Plan, which focuses on relevant and rigorous instruction, personalized learning, and whole-child education.

Please notify the office at least one week in advance if your child will be leaving Blue Hills. This allows the school to prepare placement information for your child’s new school.

Blue Hills Elementary School and the Cupertino Union School District (CUSD) cannot be held responsible for any personal property of students and visitors/volunteers.

School Library Information & Guidelines

We LOVE reading at Blue Hills, and want to help our student develop their love of literacy, too! Our library is open for research and reading exploration! Students are welcome to check out books each week based on their grade level.

📚 Weekly Checkout Limits

• Kindergarten & 1st Grade: 1 book

• 2nd Grade: 2 books

• 3rd Grade: 3 books

• 4th & 5th Grade: 4 books

🔄 Renewals & Overdue Books

• Renewals: Students may renew any library item once (single renewal allowed).

• No Fines: We do not charge late fees or fines for overdue books.

• Overdue Policy: To ensure everyone has access to our collection, students with overdue books will have their checkout privileges temporarily paused until the late items are returned.

🧩 Accommodations & Support: We know how important it is that every student has access to reading materials. If your student needs accommodations or adjustments to this checkout plan, please reach out to the Principal to discuss a personalized solution.

⚠️ Lost or Damaged Items: For information regarding lost, damaged, or destroyed library materials, please reach out to the Principal to discuss the situation.

All lost clothing and lunch boxes are kept in the Lost and Found station in front of the School Office. These items, if not claimed, are donated to charity on a periodic basis. Lost valuables such as keys, watches, glasses, jewelry, cell phones, etc. are kept in the office.

Join the Bobcat Team: Become a Yard Duty Supervisor!

Our Yard Duty Supervisors play a vital role in keeping our playground safe, positive, and fun during lunch (11:50 AM to 12:50 PM). Whether you can help out one day a week or every day, we would LOVE to have you join us!

This rewarding role is available either as a paid CUSD position or as a volunteer opportunity.

🎒 How to Get Started:

• Step 1: Get "Volunteer Cleared": To support our students on campus during the school day, all volunteers must complete the district’s clearance process. It’s a simple way to help keep our campus safe! Please reach out to our Secretaries in the Front Office for information regarding volunteer clearance.

• Step 2: Connect with the Office: Once you’re cleared, please contact the front office to let us know your availability.

Thank you for partnering with us to support our students' learning and play!

Student Nutrition, Meals, and Campus Guidelines

At Blue Hills, we are deeply committed to student wellness and nutrition. In compliance with federal and state wellness policies, all food served on campus meets strict nutritional standards. We also work diligently to accommodate food allergies and dietary restrictions. To keep all students safe, students are strictly prohibited from sharing food with one another.

🚫 No-Drop-Off Policy

To minimize classroom disruptions and maintain campus security, Blue Hills does not accept lunch or meal drop-offs during the school day. We appreciate your understanding as we work to ensure uninterrupted learning environments for all of our students.

• The Routine: Please ensure your child arrives in the morning with all necessary learning materials, snacks, and lunch items.

• Exceptions: Essential medical items (such as eyeglasses or medications) may be dropped off at the front office.

🎂 Birthdays & Classroom Celebrations

• Classroom Parties: Holiday celebrations strictly follow district health and nutritional guidelines.

• Birthdays (No Food Treats): To protect students with severe food allergies and promote wellness, outside food treats are not allowed for birthday celebrations. If you wish to celebrate your child's birthday with the class, please connect with their teacher for non-food alternative ideas (or choose to skip treats altogether).

🍽️ School Meal Program (Free to All Students!)

Blue Hills provides delicious hot snacks at recess (Brunch) and hot lunches daily at no cost to families!

• How to Order: Every morning, teachers take a headcount of students who want a school recess snack and/or lunch. Students simply raise their hand to order.

• Meal Cards & PINs: Each student is assigned a personal Meal Card and PIN to scan at the Cafe station.

🧺 Cafeteria & Playground Rules

• Where to Eat: All meals must be eaten at designated picnic table areas. No food is allowed on the playground or fields.

• Dismissal: Students must remain seated at the picnic tables until they are formally dismissed by a staff member or Yard Duty Supervisor.

• Visitor Guidelines: For campus safety and student independence, parents and visitors may not sit at the student lunch tables to eat with or feed their children.

🐾 Want to join your child at lunch? While you cannot sit at the student tables as a visitor, we would love to have you on campus! Consider becoming a paid or volunteer Yard Duty Supervisor. Once you complete your volunteer clearance, you can help monitor our students' lunch periods!

Open House is usually held in the morning, during the school day, in the Spring. It is an opportunity for you to visit your child’s classroom and see his/her work and special projects for the school year. All current parents and students are welcome to attend this event. More information about the date of this year's Open House will be shared with families later in the year via ParentSquare.

Our 5th grade students and teachers attend Outdoor Education Program each year. Students receive hands-on learning in ecology, science and conservation. The school requests a voluntary donation for this program. Please know that a voluntary donation is not required to participate, yet insufficient funding will result in a cancellation of this field trip. Also needed are parent chaperones to make this amazing learning experience possible. There will be an information session to learn how to become a volunteer and so much more!

Classroom Observation Guidelines

We welcome parent partnership and value transparency in our learning environments. To ensure that student instruction remains completely uninterrupted, we have established the following guidelines for classroom observations.

📅 Scheduling Your Visit

• Advance Requests: Observation appointments must be scheduled in advance by calling the front office or emailing the Principal.

• Duration & Limit: To protect instructional time, observations are limited to 20 minutes.

• Attendance Limits: Observations are for parents/guardians to observe their own child's classroom only. To minimize distractions, young children are not permitted to attend observations. If you have questions about scheduling classroom observations with your child's outside provider present, please contact the Principal directly to make arrangements in advance.

• Punctuality: Please arrive promptly for your scheduled time, as tardiness will shorten your 20-minute observation window.

🏫 On the Day of Your Observation

1. Check-In First: Upon arriving on campus, all visitors must first report to the front office to check in.

2. Protect Instruction: Once inside the classroom, please take a seat and refrain from engaging in conversation with the teacher, instructional assistants, or students. Instruction must continue as planned.

3. Observe Silently & Respect Privacy: We ask that you respect the privacy of all learners in the classroom and around our campus community. Because active learning is ongoing, please do not converse with staff or students during your visit. Additionally, all student records, papers, and teacher grade books are strictly confidential. Thank you for helping us protect our students' privacy and instructional time!

The Parent-teacher conference takes place in early October. The purpose of this conference is to set annual goals for the student. Please contact your child’s teacher if you feel a conversation or conference is needed at any other time, if you have a concern, or if you have information that may help the teacher work more effectively with your child. Please note that teachers are not available for conferences or phone calls during class hours. We look forward to partnering with your family to support your child's progress this year!

Report cards are issued at the end of each trimester. Report cards are standards-based and communicate student progress, measured against district and state standards. Contact the teacher if you have any questions about your child’s report card.

Our school photographer comes on campus to take student portraits each year; individual portraits and class pictures. Portrait ordering information will be sent to families via ParentSquare about a week before the scheduled portrait day.

The School Site Council provides a vehicle through which school personnel and parents work together to improve the quality of education provided at Blue Hills. SSC members review the school plan annually to see that the goals of the plan are being met, give input on new goals, review how the state school funds are spent, and discuss school-wide needs.

The SSC is typically composed of the principal, teachers, and parents. SSC meetings are held 4-5 times during the school year.

Our student Support Framework: 

🏫 Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) at Blue Hills:

At Blue Hills, we utilize the Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) framework to ensure that the needs of the whole child are met proactively, equitably, and effectively. MTSS is a comprehensive, school-wide framework that allows our staff to identify students who may need additional support early and intervene quickly.

Our MTSS approach looks at every aspect of a student’s well-being and school experience, including:

• Academic Growth: High-quality classroom instruction paired with targeted reading or math interventions when students need extra help.

• Behavioral Support: Clear, school-wide behavior expectations and positive reinforcement systems (PBIS) that foster a safe campus culture.

• Social-Emotional Wellness: Dedicated lessons, counselor check-ins, and coping strategies to help students navigate friendships and big emotions.

• Health & Wellness: Ensuring students are physically healthy, safe, and ready to learn each day.

• Attendance & Engagement: Partnering with families to encourage regular school attendance, as being present is vital to early learning success.

Through MTSS, we look at students individually. If a student is struggling in any of these areas, a team of educators will gather to design a personalized intervention plan, monitor their progress, and adjust supports as they grow.

🏫 Special Education Services & Supports Available at Blue Hills:

• Resource Specialist Program (RSP): Our Resource Specialist is an expert in assessing, identifying, and providing specially designed instruction tailored to students who qualify for special education. They work directly with students and provide consultative support to classroom teachers and parents to ensure student success.

• Speech & Language Pathologist (SLP): Our SLP provides targeted speech and language therapy based on your child's specific eligibility and needs. If you feel your child may have a speech, language, or hearing challenge, please discuss your concerns with your child’s teacher or with the Principal.

• School Psychologist: Our School Psychologist evaluates students for learning challenges that may impact their academic progress and helps develop Individualized Education Programs (IEPs). They also provide general, campus-wide support for all students navigating social, emotional, or behavioral development.

• Occupational Therapist (OT): Our Occupational Therapist helps students develop the foundational skills needed for daily school activities, fine motor tasks, and classroom independence. They support fine motor development (handwriting, scissor skills), sensory processing, regulation strategies, and motor planning.

• School-Based Counselors: Our School Counselors support the social-emotional well-being and mental health of our students, helping them navigate school life confidently. They offer social skills groups, emotional regulation tools, conflict resolution, and short-term individual counseling.

• Behavioral Interventionist: Our Behavioral Interventionist partners with staff and families to understand student behaviors and implement positive, proactive strategies. They assist with behavioral intervention plans, positive reinforcement systems, and social-emotional coaching to support classroom focus.

• Adaptive PE (APE) Coach: Our Adaptive Physical Education Coach modifies the PE curriculum and activities to ensure that students with physical or motor challenges can safely and fully participate in physical fitness, focusing on gross motor skill development and inclusive playground routines.

🚌 District-Wide Programs

• Special Day Class (SDC) Programs: For students who qualify for special education and require a more supportive, small-class environment, CUSD provides specialized Special Day Classes at designated school campuses within the district.

🧩 Additional Services & Support

Please note that this list is not exhaustive. CUSD and Blue Hills offer a wide range of additional specialized services and accommodations to meet the unique needs of our diverse learners. If you believe your child requires accommodations, testing, or a service not listed here, please reach out directly to the Principal to learn more about the full scope of available district supports and to discuss a personalized plan for your student.

📋 Important Policy Note: Eligibility for all special education services is based strictly on federal and state criteria. Formal parent permission is always required before any student testing or evaluation can begin.

You may view your child’s cumulative school records by making an appointment with the Principal to do so.

Daily Schedule, Drop-Off & Pick-Up Guidelines

Maintaining a safe, orderly campus during arrival and dismissal requires a community effort. Please review our daily protocols below to ensure a smooth transition for all our Bobcats.

🌅 Morning Arrival (8:00 AM – 8:15 AM)

• Arrival Window: Students should arrive on campus between 8:00 AM and 8:15 AM.

• Instruction Begins: Class starts promptly at 8:15 AM.

• No Early Drop-offs: Please do not drop off students before 8:00 AM, as there is no campus supervision before this time.

• Morning Routine: Upon arrival, students in grades 1-5 should walk directly to the playground and line up tat their classroom number (painted on the ground) to greet their teacher when the bell rings.

• TK & Kindergarten Rule: All TK and Kindergarten students must be walked directly to their classroom door and dropped off by an adult caregiver.

🎒 Afternoon Dismissal & Pick-Up

• Prompt Dismissal: Students must be picked up promptly at their designated dismissal times (2:20 PM or 2:50 PM, depending on grade level). Please remember that ALL students (grades TK - 5) are dismissed at 1:45 each Tuesday.

• TK & Kindergarten Rule: All TK and Kindergarten students must be picked up directly at their classroom door by an adult caregiver. (Note: TK/K students attending ELOP or Champions after-school programs will be picked up at their classroom doors by an ELOP/Champions program staff).

• Late Pick-ups: If a caregiver or driver is late, students will be safely waiting in the front office. Parents/drivers must come into the office to sign out and pick up their child. Habitual late pick-ups will result in the school contacting the family to develop a punctual pick-up plan.

🐾 After-School Campus Access

• Playground Restrictions: The picnic tables, blacktop, grass, and playgrounds are not available between 2:20 (or 1:45) - 2:50pm and must remain completely clear for upper-grade instruction and Physical Education (P.E.).

• After-School Play: For safety and after-school school program (Champions/ELOP) logistics, families and students may not play on the playgrounds or play structures until 4:00 PM.

Students are assessed throughout the year with the CAASPP common core standardized assessments (grades 3 – 5). All Blue Hills students in grades TK-5 participate in other district assessments, curriculum-related tests, and informal classroom assessments. The teachers use this information to evaluate students’ progress, plan instruction during the year, and help strengthen our academic programs. Blue Hills' educators recognize that all students learn at different rates and that each child has a unique set of strengths and areas of growth. Teachers and support staff collaborate regularly to ensure that every child is progressing and achieving their personal-best! If you have questions about your child's progress or personalized learning path, please reach out to your child's teacher to schedule a time to discuss their goals.

You may be asked to help replace library books that your child borrows if they become damaged, destroyed, or lost. We appreciate that students treat our library books with care and respect. Our school librarian will send a reminder notice home for overdue library books about two weeks prior to report card time. If your child loses or damages a school textbook, please contact the school Principal and your classroom teacher for directions on how to request a replacement. 

Community organizations may request to use our school grounds during daylight hours when school is not in session. For details, visit the District Facility Use Permits website.

Our campus playgrounds, picnic table areas, blacktop, and play structures are closed to visitors until 4:00 PM on school days. 

If there is an emergency and a student needs to communicate with his/her parent during school hours, the teacher may send the student to the office to call the parent. Forgotten band instruments/books/etc., and arranging for after-school social events are not considered emergencies, and students will not be allowed to use the school phone for such purposes.

Please note that students will not be allowed to accept any calls in class or step out of class to do so. In an emergency, the parent must contact the office, and the office staff will locate the student immediately.

Volunteer Opportunities at Blue Hills

At Blue Hills, we love our parent and caregiver volunteers! The more volunteers we have, the better we can serve and enrich the lives of our students. Volunteering is also a fantastic and fun way to connect with our strong school community.

 🐾 Ways You Can Help

There are so many ways to share your time and talents on our campus:

• In the Classroom: Assist teachers directly, help with center groups, compile scholastic book orders, or assist with Friday Folders.

• Special Programs: Serve as an Art or Clay Docent, or chaperone exciting field trips, assist in Music or STEAM class!

• Campus Support: Help out with special projects and school-wide events, or join our team as a lunchtime Yard Duty Supervisor.

• Parent Organizations: Discover our school-wide parent leadership communities! Join in on planning our school-wide events, and help support programs through the PTA and the Blue Hills Education Foundation (BHEF).

To get started with classroom-specific roles, please contact your child’s teacher directly. For school-wide roles, feel free to reach out to the main office!

🔒 Mandatory Volunteer Clearance Process

To ensure the safety of all students on campus, all volunteers must complete the district clearance process before their first day of service.

Please ensure you have completed the following steps, detailed instructions, and link to form www.cusdk8.org/volunteering:

1. (COMPLETE FIRST, after 7/1) Mandated Reporter Training: Keep our students safe by completing this important training.

2. Volunteer Form: Submit a completed Volunteer Information - Agreement - Authorization Form via PermissionClick.

3. Fingerprinting: Arrange for a California Department of Justice (DOJ) fingerprint clearance.

4. TB Testing: Provide proof of a negative TB test.

5. Mandated Reporter Training & Certification - State Required

📝 💬 Questions About Volunteering? Our wonderful school secretaries are here to help you navigate the process! Please feel free to stop by the front office, call, or email:

• Mrs. Pearce – School Secretary

• Mrs. Yamada – School Secretary

📝We can't wait to welcome you to campus and partner together to support our classrooms!