We have an excellent safety record at CME and feel that these precautions ensure our students' continued safety. 

Arriving at School 

Your child should not arrive at school before 7:40 a.m. because there is no supervision. When your child arrives at the school, he/she should enter the building through their assigned door and go directly to their classroom. If in kindergarten, students line up on the front playground in the designated area. 

*We ring the first bell at 7:45 a.m. and the second bell to begin classes at 7:50 a.m

Dismissal 

We dismiss school at 2:50 p.m. Students are not allowed to play on the playground equipment during dismissal time from 2:50-3:05pm. Students  leave the building  go straight to the green benches for car pick-up or meet parents or siblings in the same location. All kindergarten parents are allowed to use the first pick-up lane~A-M. Please be sure to have your name card visible in your window for staff who are typing in names to notify teachers  to send that student out for pick-up. If you are running late to pick up your child, please notify the school office. CME cannot assume responsibility for students in the building or on school grounds prior to 7:40am or after 3:15pm, unless they are directly supervised by a staff member.

Early Dismissal

If you need to pick up your child before the end of the school day please enter the building and ask the office staff to call to your child's classroom. He or she will be sent up to the office with their belongings to depart for the day. As a courtesy to teachers, please send a quick morning email to alert the teachers to an early dismissal. 

Visiting the School 

Parents are an important part of our school. There are many opportunities for volunteering. Please vist the CME PTO site and see where you might be interested in helping out. I will also send a volunteer sign up in the Back to School Night packet. This form will have several opportunities for you to help where you can.

Parking Lot 

Student safety is our primary concern. We ask that drivers do not talk on their cell phones while driving on school grounds. Drop-off and pick-up times are critical times for the safety of elementary school students. You are urged to be cooperative and alert to the rules and procedures. 

1. Your child should enter your car from the curbside only, never from the driver's side. 

2. The dismissal bell rings at 2:50 p.m. Please allow approximately 5 minutes for your child to get to a pick-up area that you designate. 

3. We would like to keep the driveway as clear as possible. If you anticipate a long wait, please find a parking space in the lot. 

4. Please watch for and obey the signals of the crossing guards. 

5. Please do not leave your car unattended in either of the pick-up lanes.

6. Please instruct your child to use the marked crosswalks to cross the streets to our school. Please help us model and encourage this behavior when you drop your child off or when you walk your child to school. We realize it is not always the shortest route, but we believe it is the safest. 

7. Please do not get out of your car in the pick-up lanes to help your child. If they are not independent with seatbelting, please park and walk to pick them up and then return to the car. 

Bicycles and Scooters 

Please review the following with your child: 

1. Walk your bike or scooter on school grounds. Bikes or scooters are prohibited to be ridden on school grounds anywhere. 

2. Wear an approved safety helmet. 

3. Start early to arrive on time without rushing. 

4. Ride on the right side of the street, close to the curb. 

5. Keep both hands on the handlebars, except when signaling a turn or a stop. 

6. Be especially observant when crossing intersections, entering a street, or leaving a driveway or parking space. Use the crosswalk in front of the school. 

7. Never carry another rider. 

8. Observe and obey all traffic lights, signs and directions. 

9. Never hitch onto a moving vehicle. 

10. Lock bikes and scooters when they are on school grounds. 

11. Give pedestrians the right of way. 

12. Do not touch other children's bikes or scooters. 

13. Never leave your bike or scooter at school overnight. 

14. Stay away from the bicycle racks at recess times. 

16. Scooters are not permitted inside the school building. 

Walking to School

Please review the following with your child: 

1. Start early enough to arrive on time without rushing. 

2. Walk on the sidewalk. If there is no sidewalk, walk on the left side of the road facing on-coming traffic. 

3. Obey the crossing guard on duty. 

4. Go directly to school and go home the same way. 

5. Refuse to ride with a stranger or anyone else unless prior arrangements have been made with your parent. Report to the school office all cases of strangers attempting to give rides. 

Drills: 

Please consult the CME Homepage for the various drills we practice in the event of an emergency:

Hold: Students and Staff stay in classrooms and clear hallways.

Lockdown: Students and Staff stay in classrooms with the doors locked, lights out and students are positioned away from the doors and windows.

Secure: Students and Staff stay in the school and do not open any exterior doors.

Evacuation: Students and Staff evacuate to the park across the street from CME or in a very unusual case to Pinon Valley School. 

Shelter: Students and Staff remain in the CME gym until parents are notified and can come pick-up a student.

Pets 

We ask that parents leave dogs at home or keep them clear of school grounds. Some students are afraid, allergic or have had bad experiences with dogs. 

Weather

Please make sure to check Colorado’s ever-changing forecast often to ensure that your child has just the right attire for the day.  At CME, we try to go outside as much as possible for recess and P.E classes to ensure that students get fresh air and exercise. We will go outside when the temperature is above 20 degrees and, even at times when it is snowing. So please remind your child to layer up and be ready to enjoy our beautiful, yet sometimes cold, Colorado weather. 

Health/Medications 

Please refer to our District's Health Page found here: https://www.cmsd12.org/d12healthinfo. 

Student Discipline 

Students shall be expected to abide by the code of conduct adopted by the the Board and any other appropriate classroom rules of behavior established by the building principal and/or classroom teacher for the purpose of maintaining order and a favorable academic atmosphere. Any student who violates the code of conduct or other classroom rules may be subject to removal from class subject to BOE Policy: JKBA and/or face further disciplinary action. **Additional information may be found in BOE Policies: JK, JK-2 and JK-R. These policies and the student code of conduct are available at our district’s website at http://cme.cmsd12.org. It is important that parents review the district conduct and discipline code. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the school administration.