• PARENT AND STAFF CODE OF CONDUCT

    In order to create an optimal environment for student learning, The Cove School requests all members of our community adhere to these guidelines.

    These include:

    • Morning Arrival
    • After School Pick Up
    • Email and Communication Protocol
    • Wellness Policy and Food
    • Dogs/Animals on Campus



    Morning Arrival

    The goal of the morning and afternoon routines is to get students to school and from school safely, on time, and ready to learn.

    • We encourage green routes (bus, bike, walk, scoot, carpool) to school for the health of our children and environment as well as for the reduction of morning traffic at drop off time!  

    • If you choose to drive:
      • Cars may drop off on the parking lot loop.  You may NOT park in the loop for any reason, even for a short time to sunscreen your child or tie shoes.  If your child needs assistance, please park in the neighborhood and walk in.
      • Respect our neighbors! Do not block driveways or fire hydrants or speed in neighborhoods.

    • Parents of kindergartners must walk their students onto campus, ensuring that they get to Cove in Motion.

    • Students may not be on campus unsupervised before 8:05am.  

    • Once on campus (including the blacktop), no wheels of any kind are allowed. Students may park bikes at the bike racks on the edges of campus.

    • No dogs allowed on campus.



    After School Pick Up

    • Parents of kindergartners must pick their children up at the classroom door promptly at the end of the school day (unless their child is attending an after school program).

    • 1st-5th graders will be dismissed at the end of the day.  Please be prompt in picking up your children so they are not confused or worried about where to be.

    • Students will be directed to go to the office to make a phone call if they are confused about where they are supposed to go after school.

    • There is no parking or extended waiting in the loop.  You must circulate (like the airport) to allow others to pick up their children while you wait for your child.

    • If you choose to remain on campus, please supervise your children.  Remember, no wheels allowed on campus for the safety of all!

    • No dogs allowed on campus.


    Email and Communication Protocol

    As our parent community, you deserve the best and most responsive communication we can provide. To that end, we have created a communication protocol for our parents. We believe:

    • Students and learning are the focus of our work, and communication that concerns student well-being and progress is a priority.

    • Parent communication regarding their child/ren should first and foremost occur with the child's teacher.


    The first step for a parent to communicate a concern or information about their child should be to contact the teacher.     Each teacher will provide parents with the best way to reach them (email or phone). Please contact the teacher before emailing or copying information to the principal or others. This refers to all school-related issues, including those that may occur before/after school or at recess. Teachers will return your contact within 24-48 hours (during the workweek). In emergencies, please immediately contact the office staff who will locate a site administrator if necessary.

    If there is a concern that cannot be addressed or resolved between the teacher and the parent, please follow the steps below in communicating with principals:

    1. All requests for scheduling the principal's time should be directed to their secretaries. Each principal's secretary coordinates his/her calendar. Site administrators are normally most available before and after school in order to spend time during the day in classrooms providing instructional coaching. Please do not email the administrator to set up an appointment.

    2. Email may be used to relay necessary information and should be succinct. Email cannot be used as a vehicle for sharing confidential information.

    3. Information for student records can be updated by the parent annually online via BluPods. During the school year, please give updated information to the school office.

    4. If the website does not contain the information you need regarding school activities, questions should be directed to the teacher or school secretary.

    5. Copying a site administrator is meant to inform but not to receive a response. Please include one person in the addressee line and those who are not expected to respond should be in the cc line.


    These protocols allow the principal to be more timely in responding to parent concerns. By following these protocols, you will allow us to focus our work on teaching and learning.

    Wellness and Food

    Snack and Lunch: Please send your child to school with a water bottle, a healthy snack and a healthy lunch each day.  Nutrition is an important part of helping students be ready to learn and regulate their behavior throughout the day.  We build time into the day to allow all students to eat a morning snack.

    Nuts: We have some students with severe nut allergies.  All kindergarten classes are nut free. For 1st-5th graders, if your child is in a nut-restricted classroom, you will be notified.  This requires that no nuts are consumed in the classroom. However since lunchtime is outside, nut products can be packed in lunch as long as the child does not eat them in the classroom for any reason.  Students with nut allergies may sit at nut-free tables if needed.

    Food Free Classrooms: We have some students who require a food free classroom.  This means that no food may be consumed in these classrooms including for class parties.  Sometimes parties are held outside, and often parties are food free and they make use of many other ways to celebrate together.

    Birthday Celebrations: Please respect your teachers’ way of celebrating birthdays in your child’s classroom.  We cannot allow sugary or unhealthy treats even for birthday celebrations. If you bring unhealthy treats, your teachers have been asked to send them home with your child for your family to enjoy.

    Wellness Policy: Our district has a wellness policy that specifies how often and what type of food we can have in our classrooms, specifically with regard to classroom parties.  Here are some important extracts from that policy:

    •  Snacks: Snacks served during the school day or in after-school care or enrichment programs will make a positive contribution to children's diets and health, with an emphasis on serving fruits and vegetables as the primary snacks and water as the primary beverage.

    •  Rewards: Schools will not use foods or beverages, especially those that do not meet the nutrition standards for foods and beverages in schools, as rewards for academic performance or good behavior, and will not withhold food or beverages (including food served through school meals) as a punishment.

    •  Celebrations: Schools should limit celebrations that involve food during the school day to no more than one party per class per month. Each party should include no more than one food or beverage that does not meet nutrition standards for foods and beverages sold individually (above). The district will disseminate a list of healthy party ideas to parents and teachers.


    Dogs/ Animals on Campus

    No dogs or animals are allowed on campus for a number of reasons. Please respect this policy.