Wasatch Routines & Procedures

Regular attendance helps students feel connected, confident, and successful at school. Students learn best when they are present, on time, and able to participate fully in classroom learning.

Reporting an Absence
Please contact the Wasatch office if your child will be absent. Families may report an absence by calling 801-578-8564. Please include your child’s name, teacher, date of absence, and reason for the absence.

Late Arrivals

School begins at 8:40 AM. Students arriving after 8:45 AM should enter through the front doors before going to class.

Early Check-Outs
If your child needs to leave school early, a parent, guardian, or approved adult must come to the main office to check the student out. For student safety, students will only be released to adults listed in the student’s school records. Adults may be asked to show photo identification.

Changes to After-School Plans
If your child’s after-school plan changes during the day, please contact the office as early as possible so we can help get the message to your child. To protect instructional time, please avoid calling close to dismissal unless it is urgent.

Attendance Support
Wasatch follows Salt Lake City School District attendance procedures and Utah attendance requirements. When attendance concerns arise, our school team will communicate with families and work together to support consistent attendance.

Student safety is our top priority during arrival and dismissal. Families can help by following school routines, using sidewalks and crosswalks, and keeping traffic areas clear.

Morning Arrival
Students may arrive at school beginning at 8:25 AM. Breakfast is available from 8:25–8:40 AM. Students who are eating breakfast should enter through the front entrance, regardless of grade level.

School begins at 8:40 AM. Students arriving after 8:45 AM should enter through the front doors before going to class.

Drop-Off and Pick-Up Locations
To help arrival and dismissal run smoothly, families should use the following areas:

Kindergarten and First Grade
Drop-off and pick-up are on S Street.

Second through Sixth Grade
Drop-off and pick-up are on R Street or South Temple.

Many families use South Temple for pick-up because there is more available parking. Students may use the pedestrian tunnel under South Temple to safely meet their families on the south side of the street.

Dismissal
Students are dismissed at 3:15 PM Monday through Thursday and 2:15 PM on Fridays and short days. Families should make a clear plan with their child for how they will get home each day.

Students should leave campus promptly after dismissal unless they are participating in a supervised school activity. Students waiting for rides should remain in designated areas and follow adult directions.

Safe Walking and Parking Lot Safety
Please use sidewalks, crosswalks, and designated pick-up areas. Crossing guards are located near Wasatch Elementary at 1st Avenue & R Street and 1st Avenue & S Street to help students cross safely during arrival and dismissal.

For safety, students and families should not walk or bike through the faculty parking lot. Please use the sidewalks around the school instead.

School Bus Transportation
Wasatch has a school bus stop on 1st Avenue near the faculty parking lot. Families may contact the Salt Lake City School District Transportation Department to find out whether their student is eligible to ride the bus.

Students typically need to live 1.5 miles or more from the school to qualify for bus transportation. Families who live closer to a bus stop than to the school may complete a transportation exception form.

Transportation Department: 801-974-8345

Breakfast is available at Wasatch from 8:25–8:40 AM. Students who are eating breakfast should enter through the front entrance, regardless of grade level.

The current elementary breakfast price is $2.00. Families may apply for free meal benefits through SchoolCafe. Families can also use SchoolCafe to add money to student meal accounts and view school menus.

Students who qualify for free or reduced-price meals receive one breakfast and one lunch each school day at no cost. Additional meals or extra items may be charged separately.

For current menus, visit SchoolCafe Menus. For questions about meal charges or student meal accounts, contact the Salt Lake City School District Child Nutrition Department at 801-974-8380.

Students may bring lunch from home or purchase school lunch from the cafeteria. The current elementary lunch price is $2.50.

Families may apply for free meal benefits through SchoolCafe. Families can also use SchoolCafe to add money to student meal accounts and view school menus.

Students who qualify for free or reduced-price meals receive one breakfast and one lunch each school day at no cost. Additional meals, second meals, milk, or extra items may be charged separately.

For current menus, visit SchoolCafe Menus. For questions about meal charges or student meal accounts, contact the Salt Lake City School District Child Nutrition Department at 801-974-8380.

Wasatch Lunch Schedule

Kindergarten: 11:00–11:30 AM
First Grade: 11:50 AM–12:10 PM
Second Grade: 12:00–12:20 PM
Third Grade: 11:20–11:40 AM
Fourth Grade: 11:40 AM–12:00 PM
Fifth Grade: 12:10–12:30 PM
Sixth Grade: 11:30–11:50 AM

Kindergarten and first grade eat lunch before recess. Grades 2–6 have recess before lunch.

We want students at school as much as possible, and we also want to keep our school community healthy. If your child is sick, please use your best judgment and follow Salt Lake City School District illness guidance.

Please keep your child home when they are too sick to participate in school, have symptoms that may spread illness to others, or need more care than school staff can provide during the school day.

Students with symptoms of a respiratory illness should stay home until their symptoms are improving and they have been fever-free for at least 24 hours without using fever-reducing medication.

Families should also keep students home for vomiting, diarrhea, fever, or other symptoms that make it difficult for the child to participate safely and comfortably at school.

If your child will be absent, please call the Wasatch office at 801-578-8564 by 9:00 AM. If your child becomes ill during the school day, the office will contact a parent, guardian, or emergency contact.

For more detailed information, families may review the Salt Lake City School District Guidelines for Illness or contact the district Health Services Office at 801-578-8684.

Student medication must be handled through the main office so we can keep students safe and follow district procedures. Teachers should not keep medication in classrooms or give medication to students.

If a student needs medication during the school day, a parent or guardian must provide the school with a current signed medication request and a signed statement from a licensed medical provider. Forms are available in the main office.

The medical provider’s statement should include the student’s name, medication name, purpose of the medication, dosage, time schedule, possible side effects, and confirmation that the medication needs to be given during school hours.

Medication must be brought to school by a parent, guardian, or responsible adult. Please do not send medication to school with a student. Medication must be in its original, properly labeled container. Prescription medication should have the pharmacy label with the student’s name, medication name, dosage, and directions.

Over-the-counter medication, including items such as pain relievers, allergy medication, cough drops, or other non-prescription medicine, also requires written authorization before it can be given at school.

Medication will be stored securely in the office, and a medication record will be kept. If your child has a health condition that may require emergency medication or special support during the school day, please contact the office so we can work with the school nurse and family to make an appropriate plan.

Questions? Please call the Wasatch office at 801-578-8564.

We are always happy to welcome families and visitors to Wasatch Elementary. To help keep students safe and protect learning time, all visitors must check in at the main office when they arrive.

Please enter through the front entrance and stop by the office before going to any classroom, hallway, playground, cafeteria, or school activity. Visitors may be asked to show photo identification and wear a visitor badge while in the building.

Families who need to drop off an item for a student should bring it to the office. Office staff will help make sure the item gets to the student with minimal disruption to classroom learning.

If you would like to meet with a teacher, staff member, or administrator, please contact the school in advance to schedule a time. This helps us make sure the right person is available and that instruction can continue smoothly.

We value family involvement and appreciate your partnership in keeping Wasatch safe, welcoming, and focused on learning.

At Wasatch, we help students learn and practice positive school routines so everyone can feel safe, respected, and ready to learn. Students are expected to be Wasatch STARs: Smart, Thoughtful, Aware, and Respectful.

Smart
Students come prepared to learn, follow directions, use materials appropriately, and do their best work.

Thoughtful
Students use kind words, include others, solve problems peacefully, and take care of our school community.

Aware
Students move safely through the building, pay attention to their surroundings, and make choices that help everyone learn.

Respectful
Students respect classmates, adults, school spaces, equipment, and personal boundaries. Hands, feet, objects, and unkind words are kept to ourselves.

These expectations apply in classrooms, hallways, restrooms, the cafeteria, playgrounds, assemblies, and all school activities. When students need support, Wasatch staff reteach expectations, help students repair harm when needed, and work with families to support positive choices.

Students should bring only the items they need for school each day. Toys, Pokémon cards, games, stuffed animals, sports equipment, and other personal items should stay at home unless a teacher has given permission for a specific classroom activity or celebration.

In alignment with Utah law and Salt Lake City School District expectations regarding student personal electronic devices, cell phones, smart watches, earbuds, tablets, gaming devices, and other personal electronic devices should be turned off and kept in backpacks during the school day. These items should not be used during class, recess, lunch, or school activities unless a staff member gives permission.

Families who need to get an important message to a student during the school day should contact the main office at 801-578-8564. Office staff will help make sure the message gets to the student.

Students are responsible for any personal items they bring to school. Wasatch Elementary is not responsible for lost, damaged, or stolen personal items.

Items that distract from learning or create safety concerns may be held by a teacher or the office and returned to the student or family at the end of the day. Families can help by labeling personal belongings and reminding students to bring only what they need for school.

Families are encouraged to label coats, jackets, lunch boxes, water bottles, backpacks, and other personal items with the student’s name. Labeled items are much easier to return to students.

Lost and found items are kept at school and may be checked by students or families during the school day. If your child is missing an item, please encourage them to look in the lost and found or ask the office for help.

Unclaimed items are donated periodically throughout the school year. Before donation, families will be reminded to check the lost and found whenever possible.

Small or valuable items, such as glasses, jewelry, phones, keys, or wallets, should be turned in to the main office.