Kelso Elementary School

Parent Square is an excellent way to communicate with any of our staff. If you call the office during instructional hours, our office will take a message and teachers will respond after student hours.

Important Phone Numbers:
Kelso Elementary Office 503-668-8020
Bus Barn 503-668-8855
Student Services 503-668-4949
Nutrition Department 503-668-3377
Oregon Trail School District Office 503-668-5541

We provide many avenues of communication for our families and work very hard at keeping you posted on upcoming events and having families involved. The Oregon Trail School District website is one of those options. We encourage families who have internet access to venture onto this site. If you should have questions, be sure to let us know.
This site gives you access to all school websites as well as district departments in the Oregon Trail School District.
These websites provide:

• Calendars Newsletters Schedules
• Contact Information Announcements District Policies
• Health Information Nutrition Information Forms
• Menus Maps And more!

Communication between school and home is an important part of the education process. Oregon Trail School District is striving to provide communication through online resources and notifications. Therefore, please keep your email address and phone number current with the school office. We encourage you to become familiar with these communication tools that can be found on the Oregon Trail School District and Kelso Elementary website;

• Parent Vue (access to your child’s school data)
• Parent Square (communication from your school via text, email and phone)
• Speak Up (online site for reporting safety concerns)
• Traversa360 (app for tracking the location of your child’s school bus)
• Report Cards (1st semester reports are sent home with students in early February, 2nd semester reports are mailed to parents mid-June.)

Conferences will be held once a year where you can meet with your child’s teacher and discuss his/her progress. Watch for communication from your child’s teacher for dates. We can also communicate with you regarding your child’s progress via email and phone call, whatever your preference, and we will reach out to you more than once throughout the year. We will address concerns as needed, earlier in the fall for those that have academic gaps, and ongoing for those students that we are working with regularly.

The school year is divided into semesters. Listed below are the semester dates along with how report cards are given out throughout the school year.
1st Semester ends in February. Report cards will be sent with students the second week of February.
2nd Semester ends in June. Report cards will be mailed the last week of June.

Parents are welcome and encouraged to walk their child to class. We do ask that parents exit the building by 9:15 to ensure that the instructional day can continue as planned. After the first week of school we ask that students proceed to class independently.

ARRIVAL PROCEDURE

• 8:45 Drop off begins.
• Arriving by bus: Buses arrive and start unloading students at 8:45 am.
• Arriving by car: If you drop your child off by car in the morning, please use the drop off lanes and staging area please do not pull up through the bus zone, this is for the safety of all of our students.

DISMISSAL PROCEDURE

Buses begin boarding at 3:55 pm. If buses are leaving Kelso more than 10 minutes past their scheduled departure time the office will send a ParentSquare message notifying you of the departure time.

Parent Pick-up- Please see the map below for parent pick-up entry, staging and loading.
For the safety of our students we will be using the numbering system for parent pick up. Each family will have a number assigned to them for the school year. The number must be displayed in the window of your car during pick up. If you are picking up and do not have your number a staff member will ask for your information and verify that information with the office. If at any time your pick up number is lost or misplaced, the office will be happy to provide you with a replacement, just give us a call.

IMPORTANT

End of Day Changes:
To ensure that students make it home safely and to the correct location please call the school by 3:00 pm with any end of day changes. This ensures that the office has time to notify the student and staff members.

Buses Only:     
Drop Off and Pick up Staging:     
Loading and Unloading:     
 

Bus Information

STA operates our buses and they can be reached at 503-668-8855. Copies of the scheduled routes are available in the office and on the district website.
Each year we ask parents to complete an end-of-day form to inform us what your child’s normal routine will be at the end of the day.
Kindergartners must be met at the bus stop by a designated adult. If this designated person should change, parents must inform the school so the driver can be notified.

Every Day Matters

Regular Attendance is Important for Every Student

Your student adds a unique presence to the learning community, and the learning journey is richer and deeper when classroom peers learn together. Students with regular attendance are much more likely to do well in school and beyond. We are excited to partner with you in supporting your student's learning and attendance this year! 
Did you know that showing up regularly to school plays a big role in your child's success? It's true! Here's why attendance matters so much: 

1. Attendance and Success: Good attendance is closely linked to doing well in school. When students are in school every day, they have more opportunities to learn and grow. On the flip side, if students are often absent, it's harder for them to stay on track.
   • Elementary: Students who attend regularly in grades K-3 are more likely to read on grade level.
   • Middle School: By 6th grade, absenteeism is one of three signs that a student may drop out of high school.
   • High School: By 9th grade, attendance is a better predictor of graduation rates than 8th grade test scores.
2. Absences Add Up: Every day of school counts towards your child's journey of growth and discovery. Chronic absence is defined as 18 days a year-or just 2 days a month - even if those absences are excused! Missing this much school in kindergarten can lower achievement in 1st grade and, for some students, through 5th grade.
3. Building Confidence: Being present when informati on is delivered is critical. When your child misses one day or one lesson, that means when they return to school, they may have missed something critical to their understanding of the next several days of instruction. Consistently attending school helps students stay on track and feel confident in their progress. When students are present and they're actively engaged in their learning journey, this boosts their motivation and eagerness to return to school each day.
4. Addressing Barriers: It's important to figure out what's keeping your child away from school and address it as soon as possible. Keep in mind complaints of a stomachache or headache can be a sign of anxiety and not a reason to stay home. Frequent absences can be a sign that a student is losing interest in school, struggling with schoolwork, dealing with bullying or facing some other difficulty. Whether it's transportation issues, health problems, or something else, contact the school to support and help find solutions that can make a big difference in your child's attendance and success.

Excused and Unexcused Absences

Excused absences:

• Illness of the student
• Illness of an immediate family member when the student’s presence at home is necessary
• Emergency situations that require the student’s absence
• School field trips and school-approved activities
• Medical (dental) appointments when confirmed by the parent

Examples of unexcused absences are: haircuts, shopping, family vacations/trips, hunting or other non-critical personal business.

We will call you should your child become ill or is seriously injured at school. It is very important that we have the most up to date emergency numbers for your child.
If your child should have a fever, diarrhea or vomiting, we ask that they not return to school for 24 hours. Students must be fever-free without medication. This is helpful in not spreading the condition they may have.
All children at school are expected to participate in recess and PE unless a doctor has written them an excuse from these activities.
Please be aware that student accident/health insurance plans are offered to parents through an independent insurance company. information is available in the office.

SCHOOL NURSE
Kelso does have a school nurse on site. Her information can be found on our Kelso webpage. You may also contact the front office to connect with our building nurse. Brie Leiblein is the OTSD nurse and is based at Sandy High School. Her phone number is 503-668-8011 ext. 7802 and she is a very helpful resource to us.

Parents must obtain a medication form for distribution of ALL medicines including over the counter medicines. School personnel may not disburse any medication to students without this form being completed by a parent. The forms are available at school and also on the Oregon Trail School District webpage. This includes prescription medication as well as non-prescription medication such as cough drops, aspirin, etc. All medications must be in their original container and must be brought to and from school by the parent or guardian. Medications of any kind may not be transported on school buses. Any changes in the medication dosage must be in writing from the parent and the doctor. Staff must follow directions on the labels of all medication and medication must be age appropriate for your child.

In the event of school closure due to weather or other conditions, emergency messages and closure information are sent through Parent Square by urgent alerts. These alerts can be received by email, phone call, text and/or the Parent Square app. Please check your Pareng Square account for notification settings.

In the event of a midday closure it is critical that your emergency closure information is up to date. This can be updated through ParentVue at anytime or by calling the front office.

EMERGENCY SITUATIONS

There is always the possibility of a natural disaster. If such an event occurs procedures exist at school for caring for students. It may not be possible to run buses due to unsafe road conditions. If this occurs, listen to local news broadcasts and watch for alerts from the district on how students will be released to families. Everyone will have to follow the announced procedure so we can account for all students.

For the 2025-2026 school year breakfast and lunch will be free for all families.

As part of the educational program, students are occasionally taken on field trips. A signed permission slip from the parent is necessary to allow students to participate. Please be sure to return any permission forms promptly to the school.

Remember if you plan to chaperone on a field trip during the school year; volunteer forms MUST BE COMPLETED EACH YEAR AND AT LEAST TWO WEEKS BEFORE THE EVENT.

If you plan to bring classroom treats or food for classroom parties, it must be purchased at a store and arrive in it’s original packaging. The Clackamas County Health Department does not allow homemade food to be brought into schools.

Please mark your child’s belongings with his/her name. We encourage you to check the lost and found rack located by the office often, as all unclaimed items are given to charity twice yearly.
Lost and Found items with student names will be returned to the student on a weekly basis.

Please be aware of what your child wears to school and dress them appropriately for weather and safety conditions. Students may be directed to change if their attire interferes with the learning process, school climate, is unclean, or threatens the health or safety of the student or others.

All visitors must be buzzed in at the front door and stop at the office when entering the building. If volunteering or entering student areas you must sign-in on the Visitor/Volunteer computer located by the office and pick up a pass. This is for security reasons and to inform us who is in the building in case of an emergency. It is also important to sign-out as you leave. If visiting to meet with an individual staff member, please contact the person in advance to schedule an appointment. If you would like to visit your child’s classroom during the day, be sure to pre-arrange the visit with your child’s teacher. Please remember that children who may be visiting your home and are not enrolled at Kelso are not allowed to attend school.

All volunteers play an important part at Kelso Elementary and we encourage you to be involved. There is a volunteer orientation meeting early in the school year to inform you of the volunteer opportunities available. All volunteers including classroom helpers, room parents, and field trip chaperones must attend an orientation at Kelso and complete an application online along with the criminal history background check. Background checks are good for a full year and then must be performed again before a volunteer may continue.

The Site Council assists our school in improving student achievement, planning for staff development and implementing school improvement plans. It is composed of the principal, licensed staff, classified staff and community members. The Kelso Elementary Site Council meets monthly. Please contact the school if you are interested in being on the Site Council.

Students will have a library check out time once a week. Library books are due one week from the day they are checked out.
The library is to be used for studying, research, and reading. All materials in the school media center are organized by author, title and subject. Students are responsible for all books taken home. If a book is damaged while checked out to a student, a charge adequate to cover the cost of repair or replacement will be charged. In the case of a lost book, the charge will be the cost of replacing the book.

We are very excited about the projects and activities going on at Kelso and we encourage local newspapers to do articles about our school and our children. We post pictures of students doing classroom projects on Parent Square and at times photos of students are published in the local paper. Parents may choose to opt out on allowing this for their child. The Opt-Out form is located on the website should you wish to obtain one and must be turned into the office.

Starting in mid September, we will begin our Early Release Wednesdays when students will be dismissed 1 hour earlier than other days of the week. Check the district calendar for specific dates. This will continue every Wednesday through late Spring. This time is used for staff development, allowing us to stay current with educational practice and changes in state requirements. The Early Release Wednesday schedule also allows us to implement new practices throughout the school year, and eliminates the need to take full days for this work which is less advantageous to student learning.

We ask that toys stay at home. They are not allowed at school due to the risk that they may be broken and they may disrupt class. This includes electronic toys, trading cards, etc. The only exception is when the item is being brought for show and tell. Also, children are not allowed to trade or sell items during school hours.

Cell Phones At School With Students

Kelso students are allowed to carry a cell phone to and from school, but it must be turned off and put away in a backpack when students arrive. In order to eliminate misuse, please review the following with your child:

1. Only carry a cell phone to school if it is needed for safety reasons getting to and from home and the bus stop.
2. The bus ride is considered part of the school day. Phones are to be in backpacks and not used on the bus.
3. The only person who should have the cell phone in possession is the person it belongs to.
4. If a student’s cell phone is misused (sending inappropriate text messages, leaving inappropriate messages, etc.) the owner will be held responsible for the misuse.

According to Oregon State Law any “reasonable suspicion” of child abuse must be reported. When a school employee receives information regarding possible child abuse, either physical, sexual, or neglect, the employee is required to report it to the Department of Human Services. That agency makes an investigation and then proceeds based on their findings. Parents who are aware of situations regarding the possible abuse of children are encouraged to notify the Department of Human Services, 855-503-7233.

Safety is one of our district’s top priorities and to help safeguard our school community, we’ve taken an important step that I want to share with you. Our district is now using Speak up for Safety Alert, a tip reporting service that allows students, staff, and parents to submit safety concerns to our administration in several different ways:

1. Call or text: 971-529-0292
2. Email: SpeakUp@stu.ortrail.k12.or.us

You and your child can easily report tips on bullying, harassment, drugs, vandalism or any safety issue you're concerned about through Speak up for Safety Alert. Every tip Speak up for Safety Alert receives about our district is immediately logged in the system and our administration is notified so that they can investigate and take appropriate action. Tips may also be submitted anonymously if you prefer. Together, using Speak up for Safety Alert, we can make our district a safer place to work and learn! Thanks in advance for your support.

The Student Services Department of The Oregon Trail School District offers many services to meet the individual needs of children. Should you have questions concerning your child’s services, please contact the office at Kelso or call the Student Services Department at 503-668-4949.

In accordance with federal and state guidelines, the following procedures concerning student records are in effect in the Oregon Trail School District:

1. Upon notice from another school district in which a student has enrolled, all of his/her records will be forwarded to the new school.
2. At any time prior to transfer, a parent or guardian may inspect the student’s records.
3. A copy of any portion of the student’s records is available to parents or guardians.
4. The District has established guidelines for a parent or guardian wishing to challenge the accuracy of any records.
5. If you wish to see records, please contact the office and an appointment will be made for you to review the records.

Each family is asked to read the Oregon Trail School District Code of Conduct. The code is available online on the district website. (Go to the Families tab then Code of Conduct) We encourage parents to review these expectations with your child. Please contact the office if you or your child should have any questions relating to the Code of Conduct.

At Kelso, we follow a Positive Behavior Intervention and Support system for teaching and reinforcing expected behavior in our school community. Following is an explanation of key components of that system:

Caught Ya slips: The Kelso Staff use this award as positive behavior reinforcement. They are given to children who make positive choices and follow the expectations set for all students. Also, Caught ya’s may be used by students to purchase items from the Student Store or special privileges during the school day.

Issuing Behavioral “Oops”: An “Oops” is issued as a minor behavior infraction when a student continues to display inappropriate behaviors after redirection.

Distribution of minor infractions (Oops!): A white and yellow copy will be sent home. The parent may keep the yellow copy. The white copy is to be signed and returned to the classroom teacher. The staff member issuing the minor infraction completes the form and discusses the reason with the student. A call will come from the office or the classroom teacher to notify parents that an “Oops” slip is coming home.
Behaviors, if not corrected, that will lead to a minor infraction (Oops! slip):

• Defiance or insubordination
• Disruption or excessive talking
• Inappropriate language and/or gesture
• Misuse of property
• Not following directions
• Physical Contact
• Roughhousing
• Elopement
• Tech violation
• Inappropriate touch

Issuing a Referral: Any behavior that endangers the health or safety of others also results in a Referral.

Distribution of Referrals: If a student receives a referral the principal will meet with the student, discuss what occurred and the consequences to follow. Parents will be contacted so they know of the referral and receive a clear explanation of the circumstances.

Call us anytime. Our communication lines are always open! 503-668-8020