Lower School New Parent Glossary & A-Z Reference Guide
Welcome to Head-Royce! We are so pleased to have you as a member of our
community. As a new family, we want to familiarize you with all of the activities that take
place through the year in Lower School (LS) and some of the things you may hear
about. This glossary is intended to provide you with a brief explanation of these
activities or point you in the right direction to get more information. We hope you find it
useful!
The Basics
Review the Head-Royce Handbook, which can be found online here. It contains most
of the school policy information that you will need to know about regarding attendance,
behavioral expectations, grading standards, safety and other important issues. Please
review these school policies in the handbook — it is your best resource!
Meet your room parents and your LS liaisons. These are fellow parent volunteers
who will work with your child’s teachers and the administration to help plan events,
communicate class or division-specific news and information, solicit volunteers for
activities and more. They are a great source of information about school events and
news. Each LS class usually has two room parents who share duties. The LS liaisons
are members of the Parents’ Association Executive Board and work directly with the
administration and the room parents.
Be an active member of your community! Your participation is needed to make our
community strong and diverse. The Parents’ Association section of the website contains
a list of the PA committees and their various committees. The committees work to make
HR an exciting, effective and thriving school. Volunteer to help in the areas of your
choice — make a difference and get involved! Remember, this is the best way to meet
all the members of the community including other parents, your child’s classmates,
teachers and administrative members!
The As to Zs
*Please note that activities which offer parent volunteer opportunities are marked with a
‘V’
Affinity Groups – As part of the Parents’ Association (PA), parents and faculty have
organized affinity groups based on multi-cultural and educational themes. These groups
include: African American Family Network, Asian Parents Network, Latino Family
Network, Gender and Sexuality Diversity Network and Learning Differences Network.
For group contacts, go here.
After-School Program (ASP) – A before- and after-school care program for lower
school kids. Kindercare (no classes, just supervision) is free from 2-3:20 p.m. ASP is
fee-based and billed on an hourly, day or annual rate. Various enrichment and music
classes are offered. The ASP program runs on a trimester system during the school
year. ASP also offers complimentary care for all students before school, starting at 7:30
a.m. (a great way to drop your child off early and avoid the carpool rush).
All-School Fair – An all-school on-campus evening event, which typically occurs the
Friday before Halloween. The fair is run by Upper School students under the
supervision of admin/faculty with each LS grade responsible for operating a game
booth. Food is usually offered for sale as a fundraiser by the athletics department and
US groups. Costumes and all-family attendance is encouraged. V
All-School Picnic/Heads Up Walkathon – An all-school daytime family event that
raises funds for the Heads UP program and occurs on a weekend day in early fall on
the main athletics field. Food is provided for students who walk. This is a great event to
socialize with fellow parents and children at the start of the school year. Pledges are
made based upon the number of laps walked on the course. V
Annual Fund – The Head-Royce Annual Fund helps close the gap between tuition
revenue and the operating costs of the school. The school aims for 100% parent,
faculty and staff participation. V
Appreciation Board – A whiteboard located in both LS buildings where faculty/staff
and students can recognize others who they appreciate for lending a helping hand or
doing kind act. The students/faculty listed on the board are recognized at each Friday
assembly.
Auction – The Parents’ Association main annual fundraiser organized and run by a
committee of parent volunteers. The auction typically happens in the spring and, in the
past, has taken various formats, including an online auction followed and an evening
gala event with live and silent auctions. V
Back-to-School Coffee – A coffee social hosted by the Parents’ Association for
parents the morning of the all-school first day of school, immediately following drop-off.
A great time to meet fellow parents.
Back-to-School Night – One week in September, on different nights, each division
hosts their own Back-to-School Night (BTSN). The evening starts out with food and
socializing followed by remarks from the Head of School, Division Head and PA
President. Parents then proceed to their child’s classroom(s) for presentations by the
teachers. This is a parent-only event.
Big Ten Driving Rules – The top driving rules to ensure the HRS community is a good
neighbor in our residential area. A part of the larger Transportation Policy Guide.
Big Toy – The large play structure located on the LS playground outside of ASP.
Birthday Book Program – Around the time of your child’s birthday, the LS Library
Birthday Book Program coordinator will contact you with the opportunity to buy a book
for the HRS LS Library in honor of your child’s birthday. You have the option of
choosing the price range and the librarian will let your child choose the book. The book
is then stamped with your child’s name and remains part of the library’s inventory. V
Birthday Celebrations – In LS, the birthday celebrations are held by grade. The
celebrations are group celebrations and not individual birthday celebrations. An
accurate list of dates will be distributed at BTSN by the homeroom teacher. Parents will
be asked to bring snacks for the celebration. V
Blue Court – The fenced-in basketball court adjacent to the Big Toy.
Buddies – Each kindergartener is paired with a 4th grader who they work with on select
projects/activities throughout the year. This is a great way for kindergarteners to interact
with some of the older Lower School kids. Buddy pairings also occur between 1st and
5th graders.
Bus Service – Head-Royce subsidizes five Michael’s Transportation bus routes (cost
with the subsidy is $500 per family for the school year). Three AC Transit bus routes
also serve the campus. Go here to see the options.
Butterfly Garden – The kindergarten-only play area behind the Rotunda building.
Carpool – The school keeps a Google map of families that carpool for easy reference.
Go here for the link to the map (you will need to log into the portal to view it).
Counselor – The LS has a part-time counselor on staff, Rosemary Durousseau, who is
a resource for and assists kids with emotional and social development.
Dismissal – For the safety of the children and the faculty/staff, HRS remains a closed
campus. At the end of the school day, LS children are dismissed according to the
following:
● Kindergarten – For those children who go home at 2 p.m., their teachers will
walk them up to the gatehouse and wait with them until picked up by a
parent/guardian. The remaining kindergarteners will go to Kindercare
(kindergarten ASP).
● ASP – Children who attend ASP or ASP enrichment classes are signed out by an
ASP counselor located at the main gate who will radio down to the ASP class to
send up the child when his/her parent/caregiver arrives.
● Going Home by Bus – At 3:20 p.m. students walk up to the gatehouse steps
and those who are to depart by bus (either Michael’s Transportation or AC
Transit) are escorted to the bus by a teacher.
● Walk-up Pick-up – Parents enter through the main gate and sign their child out
on the roster. Parents are also welcome to sign in at the gatehouse, get a badge
and walk down into campus to pick-up their child.
● Carpool Pick-up – Parents queue up along the uphill side of Lincoln Avenue. A
faculty member will radio down to the gatehouse steps and the child will be sent
up the hill to their vehicle. Please note that the queue CANNOT go past the HRS
parking lot entrance and the overflow lot is located further up the hill by the
Joaquin Miller exit from Hwy 13.
eLines – The weekly all-school electronic newsletter sent out every Wednesday
afternoon and also available here.
Epicurean/Jayhawk Café – Epicurean is the vendor that HRS has contracted with to
manage and operate the on-campus Jayhawk Café, which provides the daily hot-lunch
program for Lower School. For more information on how to sign-up for the hot lunch
service, please go here.
Fall Social – A grade-specific, off-campus social event for parents or families
coordinated by the room parents in the fall. Usually held at a home with potluck-style
fare.
Families (K-5) – Each Lower School child is part of a “Lower School Family” which
includes children from each grade and LS faculty members. Children stay in the same
“Family” throughout their years in Lower School, which provides children the opportunity
to get to know students in other grades and helps foster division-wide community.
Several times throughout the year, Families will get together to participate in a school
project or event.
Fifth Grade Promotion – On the last day of school, current 5th graders are promoted
to 6th grade. All 1-4th graders attend the ceremony as audience members (appropriate
dress is recommended for attendees). The last day of school for kindergarteners is the
day before. V
Food Drive – In support of the Alameda County Community Food Bank, the LS
sponsors a food drive in the fall to collect non-perishable food items. The timing
coincides with the All-School Fair during which one canned good per person is required
for admission to the fair.
Friday Assembly – An all-Lower School assembly held each Friday morning in the
Community Room. This is a time when the entire LS comes together to enjoy music,
presentations, performances and more.
Garden – A fully operational garden located behind the Big Toy. All LS classes visit the
garden for classroom instruction throughout the school year. The garden is also the
focal point for the annual LS Harvest Festival and Earth Day. V
Grandparents & Special Friends Day – A day when Grandparents and Special
Friends are invited to visit HRS and their student’s classroom. This event occurs every
other year (and will next be held in 2016).
Halloween Parade – A favorite Lower School tradition which takes place every
Halloween. The children wear their costumes and parade around the inside of the
Gym/Chapman Pavilion by grade. Run by Upper School students, awards are given out
to classes in various costume categories. Parents are encouraged to attend.
Harvest Festival – A day in the fall when all the LS classes visit the garden in shifts for
instruction about plants as food sources. In the past, kids have ground up corn and
made handmade tortillas, churned butter and made salsa from freshly picked
vegetables. V
Heads Up – Founded in 1987 as a partnership between the Oakland Unified School
District and HRS, the program has provided educational enrichment and mentoring for
more than 1,000 low-income public school youth. Every year, HRS holds a Walkathon
fundraiser to raise money for Heads Up. V
Holiday Program – An All-School holiday choral and instrumental performance
attended by the majority of LS parents, which occurs on the last day before winter
break. Refreshments are served and all divisions (as well as some faculty and
administrative members) perform. Students are released for winter break immediately
following the program. V
Homework – In LS, official homework is not given until the 2nd grade. The general rule
of thumb is 10 minutes of homework per “grade” (i.e., 20 minutes for 2nd grade, 30
minutes for 3rd, etc.) Several times a year there may be a division-wide homework
assignment that addresses topics that the entire division has been studying (e.g., “What
is a welcoming school?”, anti-bullying, etc.)
K-4 End-of-Year Picnic – An on-campus event for K-4th graders on the second-to-last
day of school for 1-4 and last day of school for kindergarteners. Lunch is provided for
the kids along with craft tables and bounce houses supervised by parent volunteers. V
Library – The LS maintains its own library with a staff librarian. The children visit the
library once a week for story time and to check out books. The library has a LS Birthday
Book Program where you can donate funds to purchase a book – selected by your child
– for the library in your child’s honor for their birthday. V
Lice checks – A check of all LS students for head lice. HRS contracts with Nit Pixies to
conduct the checks, which happen in the morning by class, generally after a break or
long weekend. Parents are encouraged to send kids to school on these days without
complicated hair arrangements. Parents will be contacted immediately if their child is
found to have lice. V
Liaisons – Two LS parent volunteers who help coordinate the LS room parents, help
facilitate LS communications and organize LS community and parent events. The
liaisons (along with liaisons from the Middle and Upper Schools) are members of the PA
Executive Committee. V
Lost and Found – The LS maintains a lost and found area in the rotunda (K/1) building
and by the ASP room in the 2-5 building. Please label your children’s clothing! Once or
twice a year all unclaimed/ unmarked items are donated to charity.
Lunch/Snacks – Lunch and snack/recess periods vary by grade. Usually the 1st and
2nd graders eat during one period and the 3-5th graders eat together during another.
Kindergarten students eat separately. If your child is signed up for the hot lunch
program, lunch is distributed in the ASP room. Please note that HRS does maintain a
nut awareness policy.
LS Newsletter – A weekly newsletter, which lists upcoming events, volunteer
opportunities and news pertaining to LS and your class. The newsletter can be found on
the class website in the “Parent to Parent” section and updated each Friday.
May Dance – A long-standing spring Lower School tradition and rite of passage for 5th
graders. Each grade performs a grade-specific, much-rehearsed dance with 5th graders
performing a dance around the Maypole at the end. Parents are encouraged to attend.
This dance is scheduled in the beginning of May to coincide with the annual HRS
Alumni Weekend.
MEW – The Mary E. Wilson Auditorium located in the Middle School building, which is
often referred to as “the mew” or “M-E-W”.
Michaels Transportation (see Transportation)
Nut Awareness Policy – HRS has adopted a nut awareness policy, which offers
guidelines for the use of nuts on campus. It can be found on the HRS website under the
“Campus Life” section of the website under “School Policies”.
Parent/Teacher Conference – A 30-40 minute twice-yearly conference, which occurs
between the parents and the teacher to discuss their student’s progress.
Parents Association (PA) – A parent-run volunteer organization dedicated to
developing and sponsoring cultural, social and educational programs and activities for
the Head-Royce community. The PA seeks to promote voluntarism within the parent
body, enhance communication between the school and the parents, encourage
understanding and respect within the entire Head-Royce community and raise funds to
support the school’s strategic objectives. V
Parent Education Events or Coffees – Several times a year, the LS division and/or
the school will host parent education evenings or morning coffees. Often times these
include a presentation by faculty, an author or noted child-development specialist on
topics related to education and child development. These events are free for parents.
We encourage you to attend as many of these highly informative and educational
events as possible.
Parent Portal – A great online go-to resource for parents seeking information about
their child’s classes. The portal is a password-protected area found on the HRS website
that lists all of your children and their classes. You can then click on the class link to to
to the class page and read the teacher’s blog, view class calendar info, photos and
videos and found out about volunteer opportunities.
Parking – (see Transportation)
Picture Day – Kindergarteners will have their individual pictures taken on their first day
of school (orientation day). The class photos will be taken when all the other LS
students have picture day – a few weeks into the school year.
Physical Education – LS students attend regularly-scheduled PE classes throughout
the week. Please make sure that on these days your student(s) come to school with the
appropriate shoes and/or clothing (such as swim suits). On swim days, which happen
for 2nd through 5th grades only, towels will be provided; students do not need to bring
them from home.
Recess – All students have 20 minutes of recess time. The 1st and 2nd graders have
recess from 9:50 to 10:10 a.m. At this time students are expected to eat a snack and
have free play outside. The 3rd-5th graders have recess from 10:10 to 10:30 a.m. and
are also expected to eat a snack and play outside. All students are monitored by faculty
during this time. Kindergarten also has recess from 10:10 to 10:30 a.m. in the Butterfly
Garden.
Report Cards/Progress Reports – These are released three times a year and can be
found on the parent portal. The January and June report cards have skills and a
narrative written about each child. The March report cards have skills only followed by a
parent teacher conference. Kindergarten has a different reporting system in January,
where parents receive a narrative report only.
Room Parents – One or two parents from each class who volunteer to work with their
teachers to help facilitate communication with and coordinate parent volunteers. A great
resource for new parents who have questions.
Safety/Emergency Procedures – HRS maintains a closed campus. Parents and
visitors must sign in at the gatehouse and obtain a badge prior to entering campus.
HRS employs several security personnel who monitor the campus. The school follows
detailed emergency procedures that all faculty and staff follow when necessary. For
school-wide emergencies the school has in place both an automated phone and text
messaging system which will alert parents, providing information, status and instructions
if necessary.
School Supplies – LS school supplies are purchased in bulk prior to the school year
and distributed to the classrooms by parent volunteers. School supply fees are included
in your annual fees. Parents will be notified of any class-specific supplies that required
for them to purchase before the start of the school year.
Specialists – The LS has an amazing staff of specialists who instruct the children in art,
music, dance, world language, technology and physical education. These teachers work
with the students outside their homeroom class time. The LS also has a learning
specialist on staff who will work with the kids in small groups to provide further learning
opportunities or for assessment purposes.
Spirit Week – Students are encouraged to participate in the spring Spirit Week,
sponsored by the 5th grade leadership. Parents and students are notified via the
homeroom teacher and eLines. Participation is highly encouraged.
Spirit Wear – The Parents’ Association offers a wide range of spirit wear apparel and
items for sale. Sales generally occur during school-wide events and items are also
available online.
Teacher Appreciation Breakfast – An annual parent-hosted breakfast for division
faculty the morning after that division’s back-to-school night. Parents set-up and
provide breakfast for the teachers. V
Team Tuffy Days – School spirit days where kids are encouraged to wear green and
gold or their HRS spirit wear. The day culminates with a series of Middle/Upper School
athletic team events against another school. Kids and parents are encouraged to attend
and show their school spirit!
Transportation
● Michael’s Transportation – Private transportation company that HRS has hired to
provide school buses/drivers for specific daily pick-up and drop-off routes as well
as class field trips.
● AC Transit – Alameda County’s public transit system with routes serving HRS
families.
● Car Queue – Where parents can drop off/pick up students directly from their cars
in front of the school. Access is highly regulated so please follow the instructions
of staff posted outside.
● Big Ten Driving Rules – Rules which must be observed by all members of the
HRS community who drive to and/or park by campus.
Parking – For all-school events, specific parking lots will be designated for your use.
Please refrain from parking in front of neighboring residents’ homes (below the
gatehouse) during these events. If parking in the residential area during drop-off/pick-up
or for other on-campus business, please note that these are strictly enforced two-hour
zones and also observe street sweeping days/hours. Also, a portion of the curb on the
east side of Lincoln Avenue is a red zone and partly a bus zone. Authorities have
handed out citations in the past to cars parking the red areas.
Treasurer – A parent volunteer from each grade who manages a portion of the Parents’
Association dues that are provided for reimbursement for parent expenses related to
class activities and projects.
Vehicle Registration – A form that MUST be completed by parents before being
allowed to drive on any school field trips.
What’s Up In Lower School – A weekly blog written by LS faculty about current events
in that division. It can be found on the HRS website under Academics>Lower School
and there is usually a link to it in each weekly parent to parent newsletter.
World Games Days – A Lower School-only event where LS “Families” participate in
games and activities on the Upper School athletic field to develop and build ideals
around sportsmanship and teamwork. Each Family group chooses a country to
represent. World Games Days occurs every other year, coinciding with the summer and
winter Olympic games.
Yearbooks – HRS yearbooks are an Upper School student project and are distributed
at the end of the school year to each student. Yearbook cost is included in your annual
tuition.
Don’t see what you’re looking for here? Email us (info@headroyce.org) and we’ll help
you find it!