Woodland Elementary School
2026-2027
The Tippecanoe School Corporation provides a comprehensive and well-rounded educational experience for all students. In support of Tippecanoe School Corporation's mission of maintaining the highest professional standards, honesty is expected at all levels. We strive to educate our students to reach their academic potential in an environment that encourages confidence, competence, and a desire for learning.
We are glad to have you as a part of our school community. We are looking forward to creating partnerships with students, families, and staff. To review our operational standards and expectations, the TSC Board Policies and Guidelines can be viewed at any time on the TSC webpage.
Woodland Elementary School
3200 E. 450 S
Lafayette, IN 47905
Telephone: (765) 269-8220
Attendance Line: (765) 269-8275
Fax: (765) 772-1624
https://wes.tsc.k12.in.us/
Lee Sweet, Principal
George Berkesch, Assistant Principal
Regular attendance is important to successful achievement in school.
Compulsory Attendance: Indiana law mandates compulsory attendance. Any student who demonstrates excessive absences/tardies is in violation of the state school attendance policy. Attendance shall be required of all School Corporation students, except those exempted under other provisions of Federal or State law, during the days and hours that the school is in session.
Reporting: Student absences must be reported to the school office by 9:30 a.m. daily. Call 765-290-9764 to report your child’s absence. If your child has a medical appointment, please obtain an excuse from the doctor to give to the school upon your child’s return.
Absences will be recorded excused if:
Illness verified by a note from the parent
Illness verified by a note from a physician
Recovery from an accident verified by a note from a physician or documented by medical records
Required court attendance by subpoena or court order
Professional appointments – Parents are encouraged to schedule medical, dental, legal, and other necessary appointments outside of school hours. When appointments are necessary during the school day, the student shall report back to school immediately after the appointment with a signed statement from the doctor, dentist, lawyer, counselor, etc., as applicable
Death in the immediate family or of a relative
Observation or celebration of a bona fide religious holiday verified by a note from the parent
Military-connected families’ absences related to deployment and return
Such other good cause as may be acceptable to the Superintendent or permitted by law
All other absences will be recorded as unexcused.
TSC Attendance Policy (Board Policy 5200): the full guidelines can be viewed at any time on the TSC webpage.
Grade Promotion: To qualify for grade promotion or course credit, a student must:
Meet all academic requirements;
Be present in class ninety percent (90%) of the class enrollment days.
If a child is ill, has a communicable disease, or is infested with parasites, the School Principal may send the child home. The Principal designee for health-related issues is the School Nurse. In the event that the School Nurse is not available, the Principal or Administrator will make the necessary decisions. A student may be referred to the school nurse by a staff member, a parent, or per self.
Immunizations:
All minimum intervals and ages for each vaccination as specified per CDC guidelines must be met for a dose to be valid. When a student enrolls for the first time in a school corporation, a statement of the student's immunizations will be supplied to the school by a parent or guardian. This record must show that the student has received at least the minimum number of immunizations at the required intervals for the student's age. Students may not attend school until required immunizations are up to date. Please refer to the TSC policy 5320 Immunization for further information.
Exclusion Criteria:
Criteria that may be used to determine if a student may return to school include:
Fever free for at least 24 hours (since last temperature over 100°), without the use of fever reducing medication. Free of vomiting and diarrhea for 24 hours (after the last episode) of vomiting or diarrhea and able to tolerate his/her normal diet. If the illness is communicable and requires medication intervention, the student has been on the medication for 24 hours, or as directed by a licensed medical provider, before returning to school.
If a student is sent home for live head lice, the student may return to school after home treatment is complete and after being cleared by school personnel.
The student is able to participate in normal school activities without fatigue, pain, headache, fever, or relapse of symptoms.
If a student will have restrictions related to PE and/or recess, a note from a licensed medical provider may be requested. The note should list the restrictions and anticipated duration of the restrictions (dates, number of days, etc).The school may request a note from a licensed medical provider verifying that the student is medically cleared to return to school.
In the event that a student is absent due to serious illness, hospitalization, accident or injury, or surgery, the note should include any restrictions or changes in care, that the student may have upon return to school and the anticipated duration of those restrictions or changes.
It is the responsibility of the parent/guardian to provide any necessary supplies, medication, or equipment that a student will need to use at school.
TSC Exclusion From School and/or Return to School is developed following TSC policy 5330: the full guidelines can be viewed at any time on the TSC webpage.
Student Medications:
All prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) medications must be FDA-approved and will be kept in the school health office. Your child may not carry any medication at school. All prescription and Over-The-Counter (OTC) medications must be in the original container with the current pharmacy or package, labeled correctly with the most current date, student’s name, dosage, frequency and match the current doctor’s orders on file with the health office. At no time will medications be transported by a student. Any change in prescription medication, dosage or time to be given must be in written form from the parent with an accompanying doctor’s order. Written permission with instructions from the parent/guardian are required for all prescription and OTC medications. Permission forms are available at your school's health office and in the button marked Health Services Forms.
Emergency Medications
Your child may not carry any medication at school, with the exception of inhalers, diabetic supplies, and epinephrine (Epipen). These emergency medications may be carried only with written permission from your child's physician and from the parent/guardian. Students will keep emergency medications in the nurse’s office unless the school receives a physician’s note indicating the medication should be carried by the student. This physician's note will need to be updated and provided to the school annually. Students administering emergency medications outside of the nurse’s office will report to the nurse that the medication was administered.
Injury
The corporation physician provides standing orders for health care for TSC students. The following medications and supplies are being used as first aid measures within TSC schools: contact lens solution, eye irritants, topical antiseptics, topical analgesics, throat lozenges, band aids, bandages, elastic wraps, heating pads, and ice packs. Diphenhydramine (an oral antihistamine) may be used for severe allergic reactions. It is the parent’s or guardian’s responsibility to notify the school if he/she prefers that these products not be used when treating his/her child.
Illness and School Participation
Students are to participate in recess and physical education, whether it is inside or outside. After an illness, a student may be excused from participating for two days with a note from a parent or guardian. A doctor’s excuse is needed for a child to be excused from recess or physical education for more than two days.
Return of Medications to Parent/Guardian
Medications must be picked up in the health office by a parent, guardian, or designee who is at least 18 years old and with written permission from the parent/guardian. Medications (with the exception of emergency medications with permit to carry) CANNOT be sent to school or sent home with a student. Failure to comply with this may result in disciplinary action for your child
Vision Screening:
Vision screenings are completed annually for all students enrolled in Kindergarten or 1st, 3rd, 5th, and 8th grades. Vision screenings may also be done for students who are referred due to possible vision concerns and for students who are new to the corporation. A Modified Clinical Technique (MCT) is a vision screening that is performed annually on Kindergarten or 1st grade students by an optometrist or ophthalmologist. If the screening indicates the need for follow-up or additional vision testing for a student, the school nurse will notify the parent/guardian by written referral. It is hoped that the parent/guardian will follow up with a provider for further evaluation and share the results with the school nurse for school medical records. If parents/guardians need assistance in finding a provider or resources for financial assistance, the school nurse may be contacted.
Hearing Screening:
Hearing screenings are completed annually for all students enrolled in 1st, 4th, 7th, and 10th grades, a student who has transferred into the school corporation, and a student who is suspected of having hearing problems. Parents/guardians will be notified by a referral letter if a concern is identified during the screening process. Further evaluation may be recommended and it is hoped that the parent/guardian will follow up with a provider and share the results with the speech clinician for school medical records. Any questions related to these screenings should be directed to the school nurse. Parents/guardians who do not wish to have this screening for their child should notify the school principal and school nurse, in writing, of their objection within the first 2 weeks of the school year on an annual basis.
Law on Missing Children (SEA 416): Schools generally require a student who initially enrolls in the school corporation in any grade to provide the name and address of the school the student last attended, if any, and a certified copy of the student's birth certificate or other reliable proof of the student's date of birth. If the birth certificate or other proof of the student's date of birth is not provided to the school within 30 days of the student's enrollment or if it appears inaccurate or fraudulent, the school must notify the Indiana Clearinghouse for Information on Missing Children, 1-800-831-9853.
Building Security: To better account for student attendance and to increase security for students, a sign-out/sign-in system will be used. Any time a parent, guardian, or other adult picks up a student or brings a student after the morning tardy bell, they must sign the sign-out/sign-in register in the school office. A student may only be picked up by someone listed in PowerSchool. The adult picking up the student must show ID and be verified in the office before collecting the child.
Fire, Tornado, Earthquake, and Security Drills: Fire, tornado, and security drills will be held periodically in order to familiarize each student with a safe and efficient exit or place of security. Every student must cooperate fully in order to ensure the safety of all students. Fire drills occur once a month. Tornado and security drills occur twice per semester.
Bullying & Cyberbullying Prevention and Response: The School Board is committed to providing a safe, positive, productive, and nurturing educational environment for all of its students. Bullying behavior toward a student, whether by other students, staff, or third parties, is strictly prohibited and will not be tolerated. The TSC provides training to school corporation employees and volunteers who have direct, ongoing contact with students. This training covers the corporation’s bullying prevention policy, plans and procedures.
Bullying as defined in State law means overt, unwanted, repeated acts or gestures, including verbal or written communications or images transmitted in any manner (including digitally or electronically), physical acts committed, aggression, or any other behaviors committed by a student or group of students against another student with the intent to harass, ridicule, humiliate, intimidate, or harm the other student and create for the targeted student an objectively hostile school environment that:
places the targeted student in reasonable fear of harm to the targeted student's person or property;
has a substantially detrimental effect on the targeted student's physical or mental health;
has the effect of substantially interfering with the targeted student's academic performance; or
has the effect of substantially interfering with the targeted student's ability to participate in or benefit from the services, activities, and privileges provided by the school.
TSC Bullying Policy (Board Policy 5517.01): The full guidelines can be viewed at any time on the TSC webpage.
Title IX: Tippecanoe School Corporation prohibits sexual harassment of and by students and employees.
Anti-Hazing: Hazing activities of any type are inconsistent with the educational process. All such activities are prohibited at any time in school facilities, on school property, and at any Corporation-sponsored event. Hazing shall be defined for purposes of this policy as performing any act or coercing another, including the victim, to perform any act of initiation into any class, group, or organization that causes or creates a risk of causing mental, emotional, or physical harm. Permission, consent, or assumption of risk by an individual subjected to hazing shall not lessen the prohibitions contained in this policy.
Administrators, faculty members, and other employees of the Corporation shall be alert particularly to possible situations, circumstances, or events which might include hazing. If hazing or planned hazing is discovered, the students involved shall be informed by the discoverer of the prohibitions contained in this policy and shall be ordered to end all hazing activities or planned activities immediately. All hazing incidents shall be reported immediately to the Superintendent. The Superintendent shall distribute this policy to all students and Corporation employees, and shall incorporate it into building, staff, and student handbooks. It shall also be the subject of discussion at employee staff meetings or in-service programs.
TSC Anti-Hazing Policy (Board Policy 5516): the full guidelines can be viewed at any time on the TSC webpage.
Seclusion & Restraint: A student will not be subject to seclusion or restraint unless the student's behavior poses an imminent risk of injury to the student or others.
Discipline:
At Woodland Elementary, we work to create an environment that supports the orderly and efficient operation of the school. This environment is built through consideration of others, self-discipline, and respect. All students at Woodland Elementary School are held to the TSC Student Rights, Rules, & Responsibilities.
Conform to reasonable standards of socially acceptable behavior
Respect the personal property of others
Preserve the degree of order necessary to the educational program in which they are engaged
Respect the rights of others
Obey constituted authority
Students who choose to break a rule at school or on the bus may serve consequences that include but are not limited to:
Conference with the teacher, counselor, or principal
Loss of privileges
Give written or verbal apologies
Clean-up duty if appropriate
Physical exercise to reduce anger or energy level
Phone parent/guardian to report incident
In-School suspension
Out-of-school suspension
Expulsion
Personal Communication Devices: Students are not permitted to have cell phones or personal electronics in their possession during instructional hours. All cell phones and personal electronics need to be placed and kept in the student's backpack. Devices are subject to confiscation by school personnel and returned to the student or the parent at the end of the school day.
Plagiarism & Academic Integrity: Plagiarism, as defined by the Random House Dictionary, is "to steal (the language, ideas, or thoughts) from (another) representing them as one's own original work.". While no official penalties exist for plagiarism offenses, it is expected that classroom teachers would use such occasions as educational opportunities for all students. Students are required to rely on their own knowledge, skills, and district-approved resources when completing school work.
Responsible AI Use: To ensure the integrity of the educational process and to promote fair and equal opportunities for all students, unauthorized use of Artificial Intelligence ("Al") tools is strictly prohibited for the completion of school work. Teachers have the discretion to authorize students to use AI tools for research assistance, data analysis, language translation, writing assistance, and accessibility. In accordance with their teacher's direction, students are required to cite/identify work generated/created with the use of Al tools and explain/demonstrate how the Al tools were used in the creation of the work.
Digital Citizenship: Any student found using Al/NLP tools to generate, distribute, or engage in cyberbullying, harassment, hate speech, or other unethical or harmful conduct will be disciplined in accordance with the Student Code of Conduct.
TSC Technology Department information can be found on the TSC Webpage under the Departments tab labeled Technology.
The Tippecanoe School Corporation conducts an annual search for all children with disabilities from birth through age 21. The purpose of this search is to ensure that every child with a disability who resides within the Tippecanoe School Corporation boundaries is receiving the special education and related services that are their right under state (Article 7) and federal (IDEA) law.
If you are aware of any child suspected of having a disability, regardless of the severity, please contact your school's building principal or designated person, or the TSC Office of Special Education (765-474-2481) for information regarding referral procedures.
TSC Office of Special Education
Elston Administration Center
20 Elston Road, Lafayette, IN 47909
School Hours: Students are allowed in the building at 9:30 a.m.. A student is considered tardy if not in the classroom by 9:50 a.m.. Dismissal begins at 4:10 p.m.
Building Security: Visitors must press the large metal box button near the handicapped door to request entrance and state their business before the secretaries unlock the door.
Enrollment Information
For a student to legally enroll in Woodland Elementary School, his/her residence must be within the Woodland Elementary School attendance area. If you have a question about which school your children should attend, please contact the Tippecanoe School Corporation Transportation Department, phone 474-2481. Parents anticipating residing within the boundary limits of Tippecanoe School Corporation and Woodland Elementary School after school begins must contact the Woodland Elementary School office. Parents having questions concerning this issue may call the school.
Your child must be five years old on or before August 1st in order to enter kindergarten. To be considered for entry to kindergarten after the August 1st birthdate deadline, parents must fill out the Early Entrance to TSC Kindergarten Request Form on the TSC Website.
Students are not allowed in the building until 9:30 a.m. The buses unload at 9:30 a.m., and a student is considered tardy if he/she is not in his/her classroom by 9:50 a.m., unless getting breakfast in the cafeteria. Please do not drop off students early, as there is no supervision prior to 9:30 a.m. Car riders must be dropped off in the back. If you arrive after the car rider line is complete, please walk your student into the building. Please use the car rider line and car rider procedures when dropping off students in the morning. It is for the safety of all students and staff to follow these procedures.
At the end of the day, buses will load at 4:10 p.m. My Ride K-12 (App) will help you know when students will be delivered home. Car riders will be picked up at the back of the building using our car rider procedures. If you are picking up your student, you must use the car rider line. Car riders will not be permitted to be picked up at the front of the office. The car rider line will begin at 3:55 and go until 4:10. If you arrive after the car rider line is complete, please park your car in the front and walk in the front doors to pick up your child.
All transportation changes must be made prior to 2:00 p.m. This allows us to safely get each student in the correct place at dismissal.
Bus Transportation Guidelines
For a smooth and safe commute, please ensure you and your child know their assigned bus number and the driver's name. Please note that students are only permitted to ride their own assigned bus; riding a friend's bus is not allowed, even with parent permission. If your regular bus rider is going to be picked up instead, please send a note to your child's teacher. Keep in mind that riding the bus is a privilege that relies on safe and appropriate behavior.
Weather Delays & School Closings: When inclement weather strikes, we want to ensure you are informed as quickly as possible. Cancellations or delays are typically announced around 6:00 a.m. on WLFI-TV 18 and local radio stations. For the fastest and most reliable updates, we strongly urge all parents to register for the TSC2Go App, which serves as our main method for communicating important school updates. Finally, please ensure your child knows exactly where to go in the rare event of an early emergency dismissal.
Lifeskills/Character Traits Framework: Expectations are centered around traits such as Integrity, Initiative, Flexibility, Perseverance, Sense of Humor, and Problem Solving.
Dress Code: Students should use good judgment in attire and grooming – simplicity, safety, neatness, and appropriateness. Students wearing clothing, sporting a hairstyle or accessories that cause a disruption to the instructional process as determined by the teacher and/or principal will be asked to change or conceal the item in question.
During cold weather, students should be dressed warmly enough to be comfortable when recess is outside. Students are expected to go outside for recess unless it is raining or bitterly cold. With warmer weather comes the desire to wear summer play clothes, which may include shorts. Muscle/tank shirts, tube tops, spandex shorts, and/or bare midriffs are prohibited. Dresses, shorts, and miniskirts must be a moderate length. Flip-flop type shoes are not appropriate for school due to safety concerns on the playground.
Cell Phones: Students are not permitted to use cell phones at school during school hours. If a cell phone is brought to school, it must be in the student’s bag and turned off. Any student in violation of this rule will have the phone confiscated, and the student will be assigned a noon detention, with consequences increasing for each additional violation. The first violation will result in the phone being held in the office until the end of the day. If any additional violations occur, the phone will only be returned to a student’s parent/guardian."
Lunch/Breakfast: A nutritious breakfast and hot lunch are offered daily for students in grades K-5. Soda pop, candy, and fast food items are not to be consumed in the school cafeteria. No fast food or food from a restaurant will be allowed. Parents are not allowed to eat in the lunchroom with their child. If you want to eat lunch with your child, you must sign them out, leave the building, and then return and sign them back into school.
Lost and Found: Jackets, hats, mittens, etc., are often turned into the school office when found. Too often, these items are not claimed. Parents are welcome to check the “Lost and Found” to claim misplaced items. Labeling easily lost items with the child’s name is highly encouraged. Unclaimed items will be donated periodically to Goodwill.
Pictures: Every fall, there is an opportunity for each student to have his/her picture taken. Students wishing to order pictures prepay for the desired pictures. A school yearbook will be available for purchase during the second semester. Spring pictures (when offered) will be available for preview prior to purchasing.
Equipment: Items brought from home are the owner’s responsibility and will remain in the classroom. Students must have prior approval from the classroom teachers before bringing items from home. The school cannot be held responsible for loss, theft, or breakage. Careful consideration needs to be taken before sending valuable merchandise to school.
Recycling: The Tippecanoe School Corporation believes good stewardship of our natural resources and our environment is an essential part of students’ civic responsibility. The school corporation is committed to establishing an educational environment for students that models active participation and teaches responsible waste reduction and recycling. The corporation’s recycling efforts will be coordinated by the Director of Buildings and Grounds.
Release of Information: Certain information, including the student’s name, date and place of birth, major field of study, participation in officially recognized activities and sports, weight and height of members of athletic teams, dates of attendance, awards received, and other similar information may be released without parental consent unless the parents notify the school district that they do not want certain designated information released without prior consent. This is also a required field in online registration where you can approve or deny consent.
Honor Roll (Grades 3-5): A student qualifies if he/she attains no less than a B- in Reading, English, Spelling, Social Studies, Mathematics, Science, and Health.
Promotion/Retention: The awarding of grades and making decisions relative to promotion or retention are the sole responsibility of teachers and the building principal. Parents are to be kept informed of their child’s progress through report cards, personal contacts, letters, and parent-teacher conferences.
Report Cards: The Tippecanoe School Corporation “Report of Student Progress” is conveyed to parents four times: each following the end of a nine-week grading period. The final “Report of Student Progress” will be sent home with the students on the last day of school.
Media Center: Checkout limits range from one book (K-1) up to five books (Grade 5). Books are called in for grades 1-3 over winter vacation.
Homework Expectations: Homework is a great tool for independent practice, and it is only assigned after successful guided practice has taken place in the classroom. The amount of homework is planned to be appropriate for your child's ability. We ask that parents help by providing a positive environment for studying at home, and we encourage students to reach out to their teachers if they ever feel confused about an assignment.
Make Up Work
1. Excused absences - the student is responsible for making up work for all absences. Time allowed for completion of make-up work is three (3) days. Administrative approval is required for any time extensions.
2. Out-of-school suspension - the student is responsible for contacting teachers to determine assignments. All work is to be done by the day the student returns to school.
Absences: The student and the parent/guardian will be contacted each semester when the student has accumulated five (5) absences in a semester, or the student's attendance pattern indicates a risk of not meeting the School Corporation's attendance requirement. This can apply to all absences from school. Please refer to the Tippecanoe School Corporation Attendance Policy for more details.
Plagiarism: Plagiarism, as defined by the Random House Dictionary, is "to steal (the language, ideas, or thoughts) from (another) representing them as one's own original work." Intentional or not, when a student fails to acknowledge the source of words and ideas that are not his or her own, the result is plagiarism, that is, theft. It is also cheating. Plagiarism is not tolerated in the Tippecanoe School Corporation. Thus, the penalties for plagiarism are both disciplinary and academic and they progress in severity.
There are several kinds of plagiarism:
Copying word for word or incompletely paraphrasing a phrase, sentence, group of phrases, group of sentences, or whole paragraphs from another source without crediting that source. This kind of plagiarism can be quantified as the copying, at a minimum, of six words or more in a row, including a, an, and the, from another source without citing the source.
1. Giving a speech or submitting a paper, poster, project, or any other assignment that has been written completely or partially by someone else.
2. Cutting and pasting material found on the Internet or in other electronic databases into one's own paper, speech, poster, project, or other assignment without crediting the source.
3. Downloading entire texts and presenting them as one's own work.
4. Presenting ideas from another source as one's own original thoughts. These can be ideas taken from textual sources or from speeches, lectures, television programs, or other forms of oral language.
5. Improperly citing sources with the intent of misleading the reader (e.g., making up citations) as to the source of the information presented.
A student who is unsure of how to cite (credit) the source of material he or she has copied has the responsibility to check with a teacher and/or consult Writer's Inc. or the MLA Handbook.
Penalties – Elementary School
While no standard penalties exist for plagiarism offenses, it is expected that classroom teachers would use such occasions as educational opportunities for all students. Time should be devoted to discussion and explanation of plagiarism. Logical consequences may take place.
Honesty: In support of Tippecanoe School Corporation’s mission of maintaining the highest professional standards, honesty will be expected at all levels. Cheating is unacceptable. Individuals violating this corporation policy will be disciplined per our school discipline plan.
Parent Advisory Committee (PAC): Woodland utilizes a PAC to keep collected dues "at home" rather than affiliating with the National PTA.
Student Activities Committee (SAC): Composed of two elected students from grades four and five who organize dollar dress/hat days.
Communication to School: Woodland Elementary values open, balanced communication. Please contact your child's teacher first regarding any academic or social-emotional questions. During school hours, call the office for urgent messages; classroom calls go to voicemail to minimize interruptions. Teachers check messages before/after school and during prep time. Emails are typically answered within 24 hours. To support teacher well-being, messages sent after hours or on weekends will be addressed on the following school day. Follow our social media for school updates, maintaining positive comments to model best behaviors.
Lunch Visits: Parents are not allowed to eat in the lunchroom. Parents wishing to eat with their child must sign them out, leave the building, and return. Fast food is not allowed.
Parent/Teacher Conferences: We will hold Parent/Teacher conferences in the fall and spring to discuss your child’s progress. Your child’s teacher will share scheduling information. Only one conference will be scheduled per child.
Volunteering at Woodland: We love our parent volunteers and encourage you to get involved! If you plan to have ongoing contact with students or supervise a field trip, an expanded criminal background check is required for everyone's safety. This check is conducted through the Background Investigation Bureau (BIB). Once approved, your TSC Volunteer identification card is valid for three years across all TSC buildings. Because processing can take several business days, we highly encourage you to plan accordingly.
Field Trips & Special Events: Field trips are an exciting and integral part of our learning program, allowing students to experience community resources firsthand. All trips will be announced well in advance. While permission for these trips is often handled during the online registration process, your child's teacher will let you know if a separate signed permission slip is needed. Classroom teachers will determine if parent volunteers are needed and manage the number of attendees. Please note that chaperones are expected to chaperone other students during the trip. To qualify as a chaperone, you must have an approved background check on file through TSC’s approved vendor.