Vandenberg Elementary 🦅

• School Times:

• Instructional Hours: 8:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.

• Arrival: 8:30 a.m.

• Dismissal: 3:30 p.m.

• (If you need before or after school care, please enroll in our Kids Club Program. To learn more, contact the Kids Club Office at 313-500-3953.)

Free Breakfast will be served for Grades K-5: 8:15 - 8:30 a.m. in the Cafeteria. Please drop off students at the horseshoe driveway by the new gym and students will enter the exterior cafeteria door. Preschool students will be eating family style in their classrooms.

Attendance: Please call the attendance hotline at (313) 532-0300 when your child will be absent. Please leave a message with your student’s name, dates of illness, and type of illness. If you do not call the office, your child will be marked truant. Students are expected to be in school except in cases of emergency or reasons explained below:

1. Personal Illness. Parents must provide a signed written note.

2. Communicable condition. If your child has contracted a communicable condition, he/she must have a doctor’s note in order to return to school.

3. Death of a relative.

4. Observation of a religious holiday. Any student of any religion shall be excused if his/her absence is for the purpose of observing a religious holiday consistent with his/her creed or belief.

Any other reason must be excused by the school prior to an absence. Any child who has excused or unexcused absences over 5, 10, or 15 days will receive a truancy letter from South Redford School District. Students who miss 18 days or more will be sent a certified letter and referred to the Wayne County/Redford Township Court System.

Tardiness/Early Dismissal: Tardiness/Early Dismissal is a violation of school policy. Students who arrive late or leave school early must be signed in at the office by a parent. Arriving late or leaving early prevents your child from learning and disrupts the entire classroom. Any preventable disruption that interferes with classroom learning is an infringement on the educational rights of others. You may not call ahead to have your student sent to the office prior to your arrival. If for some reason you need someone to pick up your child other than yourself, please Dojo or email your child’s teacher ahead of time, and include that person’s name on the emergency form. We will ask to see identification.

Transportation: Please review appropriate bus behavior with your child. Riding the bus is a privilege and the safety of each child is a top priority for the bus drivers.

Bus Expectations Letter

2025-2026 Bus Routes

All of our teachers will be using Classroom Dojo to communicate to families. Additional information regarding Dojo will be sent soon by the classroom teacher. Teachers may also be contacted through email as well. Staff Email Letter

For safety and security, there will be no visitors beyond the office unless by appointment.

Throughout the year, classes will be having field trips. We encourage families to attend all field trips, this a great time to connect with your child as well as families within the school. Volunteer forms must be completed each year.

Students may be removed from the trip for poor behavior at the discretion of the teacher and/or principal. We must have all students follow expectations at all times. Please complete the attached form ASAP and return to the front office.

South Redford School District has transitioned to an electronic version of the Chaperone/Volunteer Form. Please complete this form if you or any other family member 18 years or older would like to attend field trips, volunteer, attend classroom parties, etc. This is a new form and needs to be completed each year. See link

below.

In an effort to maintain an optimal learning environment for all of our students and to ensure safety and limit distractions. Students are prohibited from bringing cellphones to school.

In the event that your child must call home, a telephone will be available in the office. In the case of a family emergency, the office staff will give your child a message or have him/her return your call.

Everyday, we are judged by our appearance first and our merit or personalities second. The choices we make about what we wear and how we present ourselves to the world have a significant impact on how others treat us. The South Redford School District strongly believes that a friendly, structured atmosphere is conducive to the best learning environment. Appropriate school clothing and footwear contribute to a good learning atmosphere. The following rules will apply for grades PRE K-5:

1. No open-toed shoes.

2. No bare midriffs or tops with thin straps. (Three finger wide straps are acceptable.)

3. No shirts or pants with inappropriate writing, drawings, or symbols.

4. No hats, bandanas, hoods, or sunglasses may be worn in the building.

5. Fingertip length shorts, skirts, or dresses that are loose fitting are allowed.

6. Pants or shorts must be worn above hip bones. (No sagging allowed).

7. Pajamas, sleepwear, slippers, or any items/behaviors associated with personal grooming habits are not allowed.

8. Clothing/Items that are deemed to be a substantial disruption of the learning environment will not be tolerated.

Students who choose to wear clothing/items that are not appropriate for our school environment will be asked to change and/or will call home to have more appropriate clothing/items brought to school.