Wise Temple

Protocols

FOR A SUCCESSFUL EXPERIENCE

Attendance

Consistent attendance builds lasting friendships and establishes success in Kehillah. Curriculum builds from week to week, so when a child misses multiple sessions, he or she is at a disadvantage in terms of participating and feeling part of the class community.

The other students also miss their absent friend! Please make every effort to attend Kehillah regularly and limit absences. Students preparing for their b’nai mitzvah are expected to attend Kehillah regularly. Any student who does not meet this expectation may become ineligible to retain his or her scheduled bar or bat mitzvah date.

Regular Dismissal

Open Room: Students must be picked up directly from the classroom.

First and Second Grades: Students must be picked up directly from classrooms, unless other arrangements are made with the teacher in advance.

Third through Eighth Grades: Students are dismissed from classrooms to meet their parents in the lobby or parking lot, unless other arrangements are made with the teacher in advance.

Early Dismissal

Please make every effort for your child to attend Kehillah regularly, arrive on time and stay for the entire class. Should special circumstances require you to pick up your child before the end of Kehillah, the following policy is established with the safety of your child in mind:

For early dismissal, a written note must be turned into the education office, and it must list who will be picking up the child. At the time of early dismissal, the parent (or other adult designated in the note) must come to the office first, sign the child out and receive a card to be taken to the child’s classroom and given to the teacher. Adults may be asked to show identification. Teachers will not release a child without a card from the office.

Only custodial parents or the adult(s) indicated on the written dismissal note may pick up students for early dismissal.

Behavior Policy

Our behavior policy is based on a set of expectations that shape the way we respond to our students and help them develop into responsible Jewish adults. These expectations are consistent with the Jewish values by which we live.

  1. Students and staff are expected to behave in a way that exemplifies the values of derech eretz (good manners) and kavod (respect).
  2. All students, even when they make mistakes, deserve dignity and respect.
  3. Students learn from living with the natural consequences of their actions, which sends the message that they are capable of making decisions in their lives and learning from their successes and mistakes.
  4. Our role is to help provide appropriate, natural consequences and to help our students think through their decisions, so they will make even better choices in the future.
  5. Parents are our partners in developing appropriate natural consequences and in encouraging children to make good decisions. If at any point you feel your child has not been treated fairly or appropriately at Kehillah, you are encouraged to contact the teacher or the Director of Education.

If a student engages in unsafe behavior, or makes it difficult for the teacher to teach or for others to learn, the following steps will be taken:

  • Expectations will be clearly communicated by the classroom teacher and the child will be asked to adjust his or her behavior.
  • If inappropriate behavior persists, the teacher, Director of Education and student will discuss the student’s behavior, encouraging him or her to make different decisions. Parents may be called at this point.
  • If the meeting of the student, teacher and Director of Education does not help the student to make better choices, the parents will be called by the teacher or the Director to enlist their help. A conference of the parent, teacher and Director of Education may be held.
  • Continuing occurrences of disruptive or troubling behavior can result in the student being permitted to return to class only on the condition of a behavior contract signed by the student and parent(s).
  • Finally, if deemed necessary, the Director of Education, the Senior Rabbi and the Congregation’s President have the authority to remove the student from Kehillah.

Health and Safety

The health and safety of your child is paramount. Please help us keep your child safe by following these guidelines:

  • Every student must have up-to-date medical emergency information on file in the office. In the case of a major injury or severe illness, Kehillah staff will call the parents and also may arrange for emergency care.
  • Please inform the Director of Education of any special needs your child has (educational, physical, psychological, etc.).
  • When dropping off or picking up your child, please observe the orange cones, traffic signs and safety patrol parents, and do not exceed 5 miles per hour in the driveway or parking lot.
  • Instruct your child to proceed directly to his or her classroom upon being dropped off.
  • Students should dress appropriately for weather conditions.
  • We will conduct periodic evacuation, shelter-in-place and lockdown drills.
  • Students may not bring to Kehillah the following: toys, playground equipment, balls, skates or skateboards, electronic games or iPods. They may bring a cell phone that must remain turned off and put away during Kehillah.
  • Students are not permitted to use cell phones during Kehillah. If you urgently need to reach your child during Kehillah, please contact the education office.
  • If a student complains of feeling ill during Kehillah, parents will be called. We will not administer medicine of any kind without express permission from parents.

Security

Students and parents should enter and exit the building through the main Temple entrance facing the front parking lot. All other doors in the building will remain locked during Kehillah and must not be opened to enter or exit. These doors are for emergency purposes only.

Snacks

Kehillah never serves peanut butter or any food containing peanuts or tree nuts, including foods produced in facilities that also process nuts. Please be aware that Wise Center is not a completely nut-free facility, and nuts may be present in the building and/or served at non-Kehillah programs and events. The following is a snack program by grade:

Open Room: Snack provided each week by the school.

First and Second Grades: Snack provided by parents on a rotating basis. The classroom teacher will organize sign-up.

Third through Sixth Grades: No regular snack, but snacks may be provided for special programs or holiday celebrations.

Seventh and Eighth Grades: Bagel and cream cheese snack provided each week. Other snacks may be provided for special programs or holiday celebrations.

Permitted snacks for all grades: fresh fruit, fresh vegetables, Rold Gold pretzels, Skinny Pop popcorn, veggie straws, Nabisco graham crackers, applesauce cups, juice and water. Any food items not on this list need to be approved by the Director of Education.

It is the responsibility of the parents of students who have severe food allergies to inform the Director of Education and the classroom teacher. If a child develops a food allergy during the school year, parents must notify the school at that time.

Guests

Only students who are members of Wise Temple are eligible to attend Kehillah classes. Guests under the age of 18 are not permitted on the premises without adult supervision and are not permitted to attend classes. Prospective students are welcome to visit the facility in the company of their parents, by arrangement with the Director of Education.

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