FAQs

Frequently asked questions about Chabot Elementary

· I live in the Chabot district. How do I go about registering my child?

Come to the Chabot office at 6686 Chabot Road with your child’s birth certificate and immunization record (be sure that your child has been immunized for hepatitis B and chicken pox). You must also present three proofs of residency, which can include your driver’s license, utility bill and phone bill. If you rent within the Chabot district, you must bring a copy of your rental agreement. When you register, you will be asked to fill out various forms including emergency contact information, so you may wish to bring your personal address book. For more information on registration, please call (510) 879-1060.

· I live outside the Chabot district but I would like my child to attend Chabot. What can I do?

Many of Chabot’s students live outside the Chabot district. At the beginning of each calendar year the Oakland public schools hold an open enrollment period, during which you can apply for an intra-district or inter-district transfer for the following school year. In other words, in January 2004 you will be able to apply for a transfer for the 2004-2005 school year. (The open enrollment period for the 2003-2004 school year ended in February 2003.) [link to “open enrollment transfer window”] All students requesting transfer admission are entered in a lottery; notification of the lottery result is given in February or March for the upcoming school year, approximately the same time as private schools notify families about admission. Spaces at Chabot occasionally occur during the school year; for more information, please contact the Department of Student, Family and Community Services at (510) 879-8111.

· Where do Chabot graduates go to middle school?

The public middle school for Chabot’s district is Claremont Middle School, located across from the Rockridge BART station. Some Chabot graduates also attend other public schools, and some attend private schools, including Head Royce, St. Paul’s, Julia Morgan School for Girls, Black Pine Circle, and NorthStar. You can read what some recent Chabot graduates have to say about Claremont or learn about Chabot’s PTA Middle School Committee.

· What programs does Chabot have for gifted and talented children?

Chabot has a state-funded GATE (“Gifted And Talented Education”) program for children in the third, fourth and fifth grades. GATE activities take place during the school day, and involve various kinds of enrichment activities or extra challenges. Children are generally identified to participate in the GATE program on the basis of standardized test scores and/or class grades.

· What languages does Chabot offer?

For the 2006-07 school year, Chabot will be offering Spanish to the K-2 grades as part of the PTA sponsored enrichment programs. Chabot offers French and Spanish after-school programs, and a before-school Spanish immersion program for upper graders. Other languages may be added to the after-school programs if there is interest.

· What after-school programs are available?

Many Chabot children attend Adventure Time on the Chabot campus. We also offer a wide range of after-school activities, coordinated by the PTA.

· Does Chabot offer Art? Music? Computer classes?

Art, music and computers are all part of the regular curriculum at Chabot. We call them enrichment programs. All children also have regular sessions at our Library, and most classes participate in the garden program. There are additional after-school enrichment programs.

· How will I find out what’s going on at Chabot?

You will get lots of information about events at Chabot. The Chabot News is our monthly newsletter, sent home with every child. The Chabot Broadcast is a weekly email newsletter with both “official” news and a “community” section. The Broadcast Summary is a monthly printed summary of major items that have appeared in the email Broadcast; it is sent home with every child. In addition, your child’s teacher will send home monthly newsletters and announcements of special events like field trips. Check your child’s backpack every day!

· What do I do if I need to talk to my child’s teacher?

You can always get in touch with a teacher by leaving a note in his or her mailbox in the school office. Some teachers have email addresses. Students in the third, fourth, and fifth grades usually have assignment notebooks in which you can write notes to the teachers (and in which the teacher can write a response). And there are regular conferences twice a year.

· What’s a minimum day?

Minimum days are school days that end at 1:45pm (for kindergarten) and 2:00pm (for first though fifth grade). These days still start at their usual time. Minimum days allow teachers to prepare for their classes and to hold important staff meetings. Generally, every Wednesday is a minimum day. During the weeks when parent-teacher conferences are held, every day is a minimum day to give teachers time for conferences. And sometimes for a special occasion school will end early on a Friday. You will receive notice of anything unusual in the schedule. Unless you hear otherwise, plan on school ending early on Wednesdays.

· How much homework will my child get?

There is no one answer to this question; it depends on what grade your child is in and what the class is working on. How long the homework takes will also vary with your child’s level of achievement and study skills, etc. In general, homework assignments are given monthly in Kindergarten; weekly in first and second grade; and daily or weekly in third, fourth and fifth grade. In addition, there may be longer-term projects. Your child’s teacher will probably discuss homework at Back to School Night near the beginning of the year, and if you have concerns at another time, you should send a note or ask to discuss them with your child’s teacher.

· My child left her homework assignment at school. What do I do?

Don’t worry. You or your child can call a classmate and get the assignment. The Chabot Directory has a class list for every class.

· Is the Chabot Directory online?

To protect the privacy of students and their families, the Directory is not online.

· What is the age cutoff for children entering kindergarten - when do they have to turn five in order to be admitted?

The birthday cutoff is December 2. In other words, a child who will be five by December 2 of the school year can start kindergarten in September (when the child will still be four).