Student Handbook

You may access a complete copy of these policies online: Cache County School District Policies

Included in these policies, but not limited to, are the following:
Student Cell Phone Use, Attendance, Bullying and Hazing, Rules of Conduct, Internet Safety, Dress Code Policy, FERPA Guidelines, and Sexual Harassment policies.
If you are unable to access any of this information, please feel free to contact Summit School at (435-563-6269) or stop by the office.

Strong academic foundations are a direct result of school attendance. Please make a concentrated effort to have your student(s) at school every day on time.  We truly want to help your student(s) succeed and we can only do that if they are in school. As the school year progresses, families will be notified of absences and tardies through mail and email. These will be sent in increments of 10 (10, 20, 30, and so on). After 20 absences and/or tardies, families will be requested to meet with school administration.

The purpose and philosophy of the district attendance policy is as follows:

To empower all students to function effectively in the society in which they live, the Cache County Board of Education (Board) promotes and encourages regular school attendance of all students. This policy authorizes appropriate interventions when students are truant. Accordingly, the District expects parents and students to fully comply with the State’s compulsory attendance law.

Frequent absences of students from regular classroom learning experiences disrupt the continuity of the instructional process. The Board supports the following school attendance principles:

1. Regular interaction between students in the classroom and student participation in well-planned instructional activities under the direction of a competent teacher are essential to the learning experience;
2. The Board recognizes that Utah law requires parents or guardians to ensure the attendance of their school-age children in school;
3. It is reasonable to expect school administrators to encourage a parent or legal guardian to comply with Utah attendance laws to ensure regular student attendance and punctuality.
4. Timely communication between parents, teachers, and the school administration resolves most attendance issues.

See the full Cache County School District Policy here.

• In the interest of safety, please do not drop off your student(s) before 8:35 a.m., as there is no supervision before that time.
• Please be sure to have your child/children here on time. Students who are consistently tardy are at a clear disadvantage and usually arrive feeling frantic and unprepared.
• The first morning bell rings at 9:00 a.m.  Our school day begins at 9:05 a.m. every day.
• All students who arrive after 9:05 a.m. must sign in at the office.
• If your child is going to be absent, please call and inform our school office at 435-563-6269.

• All adults must enter through the front door and check in at the main office. When doors are locked, push the intercom button for assistance and have ID ready.
• After the second bell at 9:05 a.m., students must enter through the front doors on the east side of the school. 
• Students must stay on the school grounds from the time they arrive until they are released from school.
• To assist traffic flow coming in and out of the school, grade levels are assigned to specific doors as follows:
  • Kindergarten, 1st Grade & 2nd Grade: South West Doors
  • 3rd Grade (playground entrance): South Doors
  • 4th Grade: North East Doors
  • 5th Grade & 6th Grade: North West Doors

Drop off and pick up locations are on both the east and west side of Summit Elementary.  In order to accommodate the needs of families smoothly and efficiently, drop off and pick up zones are assigned as follows:

Grades K-3: West Drop Off (100 W)

• Use 200 South to access 100 West (no right turns will be allowed from 100 S.). The pick-up zone is clearly marked.

Grades 4-6: East Drop Off (circle drive) 

• Use Main Street to access Center Street.
• If you have multiple students, please use the drop off for your youngest child.

Drop off and pick up expectations:

• Stay in your car - your student will come to you
• Do not park in zones that are designated for buses or drop off and pick up
• Please be attentive in the car line to prevent gaps and increase efficiency for all families
• If there is a gap in the line when you arrive, still go to the end of the line using 200 South
• U-Turns are not allowed
• Cross the street only at designated crosswalks
• Be respectful of teachers on crosswalk, bus, and drop-off/pick-up duties

• Please be on time picking up children after school. Students will be escorted by teachers to pick-up zones and buses. 
• Dismissal is at 3:35 p.m. Monday through Thursday and at 2:20 p.m. on Fridays.
• When checking out your student(s), please be aware that they will remain in their classes until you arrive.
• If you need to check out your student(s) during lunch recess, please allow enough time for us to locate them on the playground and send them to the office.
• We do our best to get messages to students before the end of the day, but it would be helpful if occasional changes of how students are getting home are discussed with your child before school. 
• Please be respectful of our office employees, as the office can get quite busy at certain times of the day.

• You may apply for the  Free or Reduced lunch Program on the District website at any time.
• Payment envelopes are located in the office.  We only accept cash or checks.
• The cafeteria opens at 8:35 a.m. for breakfast. Breakfast is served from 8:35-9:05 a.m.
• Lunch menus will be sent home monthly and can also be accessed on our school website by clicking on the fork and knife icon under Popular Links.
• If your student does not eat school lunch, please make arrangements for your student to bring their lunch when they come to school. It is important to keep interruptions during classroom instruction to a minimum.

• Students are expected to follow school and classroom rules to maintain a safe and positive learning environment.
• Appropriate consequences will be implemented for students who choose not to meet these expectations.
• If, at any time, misbehavior includes injuries, threats, bullying* or property damage, parents will be notified immediately, and a conference with the student, parent, teacher, and administrator will be scheduled. These behaviors are not tolerated at Summit Elementary.

*Bullying is defined as mean, hurtful behavior that occurs repeatedly in a relationship with an imbalance of power or strength. It takes many forms — verbal, physical, relational, and cyberbullying.

Click here to see Summit's Behavior Policy.

The HERO program is a school-wide Positive Behavior and Intervention System that is designed to motivate students by looking for chances to demonstrate exemplary behavior: Helping others, being Exceptional, being Responsible, and being Optimistic. Staff watch for students who demonstrate these traits of Summit Eagles, and distribute yellow tickets that are then put into grade level boxes. When students earn a specific amount of tickets, they have the opportunity of writing their name on the corresponding letter in our Hallway of HEROs by the lunchroom. Students who earn all four letters receive a gift and recognition at our end-of-year assembly. All tickets are entered into a drawing for prizes at the same assembly. More details on our HERO program can be found here.

Cache County School District, in accordance with state and federal law,  requires an atmosphere at school which provides a safe, orderly, and distraction-free learning environment. Summit Elementary has established the following guidelines to aid parents and students in selecting proper school attire:  

Anything that distracts the student or other students from learning is prohibited.

• Students should be clean and well groomed (Example: hair, clothes, jewelry, & makeup should not be distracting).  
• Shoes or sandals must be worn at all times while on campus. Flip flops are discouraged and will be prohibited when it distracts from a student’s education or safety.
• Except for religious or medical purposes, hats, caps, and other head coverings cannot be worn or displayed inside school facilities during school hours.
• Clothing must cover undergarments at all times.
• Shirt sleeves must cover from near the neck to the edge of the shoulder and be of substantial material (not see-through or net).  
• Bare midriffs are prohibited.
• The lower body and legs must be covered by a solid material within a dollar bill width of the knee (including ripped or see through clothing).
• Clothing, jewelry, personal items (backpacks/bags, binders, bandannas, etc.), and skin must be free of writing, pictures, symbols, insignia, or color combinations which:
• Communicate crude, profane, or sexually suggestive messages
• Display drug, alcohol, or tobacco advertising, promotion, or likenesses
• Advocate racial, ethnic, or religious prejudice
• Represent or give evidence to gang membership or affiliation

See the full Cache County School District policy here.

The purpose and philosophy of the district cellular device policy is as follows:

Cellular devices have become an important communication tool in our society.  The Cache County School Board recognizes the value of these devices but also understands if used inappropriately, they can disrupt the learning environment.  As such, the school board seeks to adopt a policy of acceptable use of cellular devices at school while also creating reasonable expectations for limits. Use of a cellular device falls under the following guidelines:

1. II.  Elementary Schools K-6
   • Elementary students' cellular devices must be turned off from the first bell, and remain off until last bell during school hours.  Communication with parents/guardians will be facilitated through the teacher or the central office of the school.
   • Wearable cellular devices may be worn as long as they do not create a distraction or a disruption during school hours.
   • Students who choose to bring cellular devices to school do so at their own risk. The school district assumes NO LIABILITY for lost, stolen or damaged devices.
2. IV.  Disciplinary Measures
   • Failure to adhere to the guidelines above may result in disciplinary measures such as:
   • Verbal warning. Student may be asked to turn off their device in the presence of the teacher and may be allowed to put it away.
   • Device may be taken away until the end of the day (to be picked up by student). Offense may be logged in PowerSchool.
   • Device may be taken away from the student and must be picked up by the student’s parents during school hours or after school, after consultation with a school administrator. Offense may be logged in PowerSchool.
   • Student may lose the  privilege to use device on district property. Offense may be logged in PowerSchool.

See the full Cache County School District policy here. 

• Please do not send or bring balloons, flowers, etc. to school for individual students. These items can be disruptive to classroom instruction, can impact students with allergies, and are not appropriate to send with students on the bus. Please understand that if these items are sent to the school, the delivery may be refused.
• For the health and safety of students and staff, classroom treats are not allowed.

• Reminders and updates will be sent to families through phone, email, and text messages.
• Please check that your information and notification preferences are updated in PowerSchool (including how often you choose to receive notifications). We don’t want any families to miss important information and updates.

• Please do not send your child/children to school sick.
• Summit Elementary follows the district Illness Protocol.
• If students show symptoms of being ill, the school will use the Emergency Contact Form to have your student picked up.
• Contacts on the form need to be aware of their responsibility, be available during school hours, and willing to pick up your student in the event of an emergency or illness.

School supply lists for each grade level are posted on our school’s website: 2024-25 Supply Donation List . The items on this list will be used during the regular school day. They may be brought from home on a voluntary basis, otherwise, they will be furnished by the school.

We appreciate our volunteers!

• Volunteers will be coordinated through individual teachers.
• All volunteers must check-in at the office and receive a visitor’s badge.

The PTA works hard to support teachers, staff, and students. There are many opportunities to help/volunteer in different capacities. Feel free to contact the PTA at summitschoolpta@gmail.com to volunteer or ask any questions. Watch for future updates through email, text and Facebook.

Each month the PTA emails an Eagles Nest Newsletter telling you what’s happening at Summit Elementary. This newsletter is also be posted on the school website.