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General Information
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School is a very important place for our community. These procedures are designed to ensure that our school's climate is safe and orderly and that students and staff are able to be as productive as possible. You can assist with creating the climate by being informed and following regular procedures.
ATTENDANCE AND ABSENCES
School attendance is very important. Please make sure that your child arrives to school on time and is in school regularly. The school calendar will help you plan vacations and medical and dental appointments. Excused absences include illness and death in the family.
If your child is absent for any reason, please call the school office [(301) 279 - 4988] between 8:00 and 9:00 a.m. This enables us to account for each child's absence. Parents may leave messages about absent students on the school's answering machine when the school office is closed. Please leave your child's name, his/her teacher, and the reason for the absence when you call to report an absence. When children are absent, Maryland State law requires a note to the teacher when the child returns to school. The note should include the child's first and last name, the date of absence, and the reason for the absence. Absences without a parent's note will be coded unexcused.
Students should come to school between 8:40 and 8:50. If you wish for your child to eat breakfast, please have your child at school at 8:40. Students who report to school after 9:00 a.m. must bring a note of explanation and sign in at the office so that attendance records can be corrected. Students who report after 9:30 a.m. must have a bagged lunch as lunches are ordered by food services staff by 9:30.
When a child needs to leave early during the school day, please send a note to the teacher which provides information about the early departure. A child must be picked up in the office by the parent or guardian and signed out so we can ensure your child is with whom he/she should be. When a relative or day care provider picks up a child, please notify the office. These people will be asked for picture identification and will also be asked to sign the child out. These procedures are here to ensure the safety of all children.
Students will be recorded as either A.M. Absent or P.M. Absent if they are absent from sschool for more than one hour during the school day.
Students will now be recorded as absent for a full day if they are present for one hour or less of the school day.
BACK TO SCHOOL NIGHT
This event is usually scheduled for two evenings in late September or Early October. Keep your eyes open for dates and times as posted in The Principal's Page . We hope all of our parents come.
BUSES
Meadow Hall children are transported by Montgomery County Public School bus. Transportation schedules are provided to parents in the letter sent home in August. If a student is provided transportation for special education, parents will be notified in a separate mailing from Department of Transportation. If changes in schedule or routes occur during the year, parents will be notified by the school prior to the change. Inclement weather, traffic accidents, and road construction may cause delays in the bus routes, so the pick-up and drop-off times of each bus may vary somewhat from day to day. Buses are coded with a four digit Route number. To help our children, each bus is color coded.
Students are expected to ride the bus to which they are assigned. Students will not be allowed to ride any bus other than their regularly assigned bus without a written request from their parents. The written request should be sent to the child's teacher. The principal reviews and signs each request. This note is provided to the bus driver. Sometimes the buses are filled to capacity and cannot take extra riders. If the bus is filled to capacity with regularly assigned riders, the principal will be unable to approve the requests.
Students must follow the bus driver's rules and directions at all times. When students do not follow behavior expectations, parents will be notified and involved in helping students. Inappropriate behavior that is on-going or causes safety concerns can result in the suspension of transportation services.
Questions about the buses, bus stops, or bus routes should be directed to the Field Office Transportation Office. The route supervisor assigned to Meadow Hall is Ms. Jean Rosser and her phone number is 301-840-4736. Parents of special education students should call Special Education Transportation at 301-353-0982.
CHECK IN AT OFFICE
All visitors to the school, including parents, grandparents, volunteers, and MCPS employees, must check in at the office before going anywhere else in the building. All visitors and volunteers must sign in and wear identification badges while in the school building. This procedure is defined by MCPS Policy COA-RA, Administrative Regulation School Visitors, and designed to ensure security for our students and staff.
CLASS PARTIES
Class parties are held twice during the school year. A class party is provided for Halloween and Valentine's Day. Parents who do not wish their child to participate in these or other celebrations, including birthday observances, should notify the classroom teacher of their preference.
The instructional program is full and we try to have the children involved in learning activities for the whole day. Therefore it is best for birthday parties be held at home. Parents who wish to send in light refreshments to observe a child's birthday should contact the teacher to make arrangements. Entertainment such as clowns, pony rides, and other birthday festivities are better for home parties.
Invitations for individual parties outside of school should be distributed at home.
PARENT CONFERENCES
Two half days are devoted to parent/teacher conferences each November. Teachers ask that parents sign up for a conference time at Back To School Night and call to reschedule if they are unable to make their appointment. Parents are welcome to set up a conference with their child's teacher, the principal, or to observe in their child's classroom throughout the year. Conferences and observations must be arranged with the teacher one day in advance so that teachers are prepared to meet with you and to operate on the planned schedule - please call to schedule a time.
In addition, teachers and the principal are also available to answer your questions on the phone before or after school. Parents may request either a phone conference or personal conference at any time during the year.
CUSTODY CONCERNS
Parents or guardians with custody arrangements should notify the school, and copies of the official agreement of custody should be provided so that we can honor these arrangements.
DAY CARE
Day care is provided at Meadow Hall by Kids After Hours. Parents who wish to enrole their children should call Kids After Hours at 301- 933-6888.
The Child Care Subsidy InfoLink can be reached at 240-777-1155.
The Park Street Children's Center's phone number is 301-424-8952.
There are several members of our community who provide day care services, but school staff are not able to recommend day care providers.
DISCIPLINE POLICY
A Student Discipline Policy is sent home with students each September. Parents are asked to read and discuss this policy with their child so that students can continue to work in a safe, and comfortable school environment. A sheet will be provided for you to sign, and return to school so that we know you have received this document . This policy was reviewed and updated during the summer of 2000 . The development of the policy included the review of other school policies and MCPS policies and regulations. The process included staff, student and principal input.
DISMISSAL
Dismissal begins at 3:05 p.m. Students who are picked up by parents will be dismissed first. Walkers will be dismissed next. Each bus will be called as they come into the school. Patrols and staff members will be available to help assist our students.
Parents who walk home with their children at the end of the day may wait for them in the All Purpose Room.
Parents must pick up students at 3:05 p.m.
Please keep the halls and entrances open for the movement of students. Please do not park in the areas of the driveway marked with no parking signs.
DRESS AND GROOMING
As stated in the Students Rights and Responsibility document dated 1991, dress and grooming are the responsibility of the student and parents. Students should dress appropriately for the weather and the activities provided in school. We rely on parents' good judgment as to what students should wear to school. In general, students should wear clothes that are safe, do not disturb or distract others, and are appropriate for learning. The building is air conditioned in the fall and spring. During the winter, students should dress with clothing that protects them from cold and rain.
Headwear is not permitted to be worn inside the school building except for health or religious reasons.
Students have physical education classes once a week, and outdoor recess when weather permits. Shoes and clothing that allow students to actively participate in physical activities should be worn.
DROPPING STUDENTS OFF AND PICKING STUDENTS UP AT SCHOOL
Parents who drop their child off at school while it is in session or need to pick up their child during school, must come into school to sign their child in or out. Once students have arrived at school, they will be released only to their parents or legal guardians. If parents want their child picked up at school at any time by anyone else, including siblings and grandparents, the parents must send a note to the school stating their wishes and the name of the person who will pick up the child. The person picking up the child should bring picture identification with them to the school office. This practice will ensure the safety of our children.
EARLY RELEASE DAYS AND DELAYED OPENINGS
Students will be dismissed at 12:30 p.m. for the Early Release Days scheduled on the school calendar. Lunch will be provided but there will be no recess schedule on these days so that we can maximize the instructional time. The afternoons are used by staff for a variety of tasks which include staff development, report card preparation, parent conferences, and school planning. Children should not return to school once they are dismissed as staff will be involved in activities. Please make a note of these dates early and make appropriate plans for your children. These dates are indicated on the school calendar.
A Delayed Opening means that schools open two hours later than usual. Meadow Hall will open at 10:35. All buses will operate on the same delayed schedule. Add two hours to tshe normal pick-up time. All field trips scheduled to occure before 12:00 noon will be canceled. Parents should continue to check radio, television, or internet announcements in case, at 7:00 AM, the county decides to close schools.
EMERGENCY CLOSING OF SCHOOLS
School is occasionally dismissed early due to adverse weather conditions or mechanical failure (electricity, water) at the school. Students should know where they are to go without having to call home if school is dismissed early for any reason. Emergency forms will be sent home during the first week of school so parents can notify us about plans for emergency closing. It is important that parents make these plans prior to an emergency, prepare the child, and keep these plans current. If these plans change during the year, please notify the school. Please remember that when schools are closed for emergencies, all staff except for emergency staff are released.
If schools are closed all day for emergency reasons, radio and television stations will be notified no later than 6:00 a.m. If schools are open late or dismissed early, specific instructions regarding time and lunch will be announced promptly on television and radio. Parents are urged not to call school about emergency closing information.
It is very important for children to know the arrangements you have made for them for emergency closings. Please talk with your child about these arrangements so they feel secure about what they are to do. Students may not come to school or remain at school when there are emergency delays or closings. Only emergency staff members are available during these times and will not be able to supervise students.
HEALTH SERVICES
A health technician is on duty in the Meadow Hall health room from 9:00 to 3:00 each school day. It is important for us to have every child's emergency information on file so that we may contact parents quickly if necessary. If your child suffers an injury during school hours, you will be notified.
All student records, including health records will be reviewed by staff. Please keep us informed of any health changes.
The health room is designed to provide short term care for our students. When your child requires more intense attention, we will notify you. Children that are sick feel better when they are home receiving the special attention that all of us need when we aren't feeling well. This also helps to prevent other children getting sick. Important signs that warrant a child staying at home include a temperature higher than 100o, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, sore throat, and earache.
IMMUNIZATIONS
All students new to Montgomery County, including kindergarten students, must be in compliance with immunization requirements. Students may not attend school until proof of immunization is provided. Please check with the school health technician if you have questions about immunizations or health records.
LOST AND FOUND
We keep a lost and found box for items that have been misplaced by students. Ask in the office for the specific location. Clothing and lunch boxes should be labeled clearly with the child's name, as many items are very similar in appearance. Unclaimed articles are turned over to a social services agency at the end of the school year.
MEALS AND RECESS
Breakfast
Nutrition is an important factor that contributes to a child's well being and academic achievement. Students may purchase breakfast and lunch at Meadow Hall. Students who wish to have a school breakfast should arrive to school and go immediately to the cafeteria. Students who decide to eat breakfast will be dismissed from the cafeteria directly to their classroom.
Breakfast $1.30/day - $6.50/week
Reduced priced breakfast $.30/day - $1.50/week
Milk $.60
Lunch
All children should plan to eat a lunch. If a student arrives late, he/she goes directly to the cafeteria after signing in at the office. If a child arrives after 9:30, please provide a bagged lunch as the lunches for that day will have already been ordered. Students who choose to bring a bagged lunch should bring it with them. If children do not have plans for lunch and are without a lunch, you will be notified so that you are informed, and can make the best arrangements for your child. Please do not pack lunch in glass containers or include knives to cut food. A school menu will be provided each month.
Lunch $2.40/day - $12.00/week
Reduced Priced lunch $.40/day - $2.00/week
Milk $.60
When available - Chips are $.60 -- Cookies are $.25 -- Ice Cream is $.50
Students have 30 minute lunch periods and 30 minute recess periods each day except when early dismissal is scheduled. Students will have recess outdoors unless it is raining, the temperature and wind chill factor is below 32 degrees, or the playground area is too wet or is covered with snow. Children should dress appropriately for outdoor recess as all children are expected to go outside on "outdoor recess" days. An indoor recess period will be provided in the classrooms when conditions do not permit outside play.
The times for lunch and recess are:
Lunch Times |
Class | Recess Times |
11:20 - 11:45 |
Kindergarten, Harris, Turk | 10:55 - 11:205 |
| 11:35 - 12:00 | Grade 1 | 12:00 - 12:25 |
11:50 - 12:15 |
Grade 4, Brown |
12:15 - 12:40 |
12:15 - 12:40 |
Grade 5 |
11:50 - 12:15 |
12:30 - 12:55 |
Grade 3, |
12:55 - 1:20 |
11:45 - 1:10 |
Grade 2 |
12:20 - - 12:45 |
MEDICATIONS
Parents are encouraged to administer medications to their children t home whenever possible. No medication will be administered in school or during school-sponsored activities without written authorization from the parent/guardian and a physician's written order . Any prescribed medication that needs to be administered at school must be in the original bottle and must be accompanied by MCPS form 525-13 (Authorization to Administer Prescribed Medication). All medications must be hand delivered to the school by the parent.
Under no circumstances will school personnel administer medication brought to school by a student. Over the counter medications must be accompanied by a physicians note so the medication can be administered by the health technician. Please do not send cough drops, throat lozenges, vitamins, aspirin, Tylenol, etc. to school with your child.
MESSAGES
Emergency messages only may be delivered to students at school so that instructional time is not interrupted. During school hours, if a parent needs to bring something to their child such as a forgotten lunch, please check into the school office. Your child will be called to the office to pick up the item.
MORNING LINE-UP
Students should arrive to school between 8:40 and 8:50, and either go to the cafeteria for breakfast or to their assigned line-up areas. Students in grades 1 & 2 line up on the primary blacktop located at the rear of the building. It is best for these students to enter the building through the front entrance and walk out to the walkway which leads to this area. Kindergarten students line up outside their classrooms. Students in grades 3, 4, &5 should line up on the blacktop that is located on the right of the building. Staff members and safety patrols will be on duty from 8:35 to assist and to supervise our students. These line-up procedures will begin the first day of school.
When the weather does not permit outdoor line-up, students will line-up outside their assigned classrooms. A sign will be posted on the front doors to indicate either "Inside" or "Outside" line-up. Again, staff and safety patrols will be available to assist and to supervise our students beginning at 8:40. Please do not leave your child at school before 8:35 as there is no staff to supervise.
OFFICE HOURS
The school office hours are 7:30-4:00 daily. The administrative secretary is Mrs. McCord and the attendance secretary is Mrs. Trueblood. Both secretaries are prepared to answer your questions and to provide you with the information that you need. The school phone is (301) 279-4988. Conferences with teachers and/or me can be scheduled by calling the office and requesting a conference. Ms. McCord maintains the Principal's personal calendar and is able to provide you information about his availability. Please call prior to arriving at school so that the people that you need to see are available and prepared to serve you in the best way possible.
PARKING
Please observe handicapped parking, no parking signs, the loading zone, and labeled staff parking. Parking in a fire lane or no parking zone can result in a fine issued by Montgomery County Police or Rockville City Police. No parking is allowed in the semi-circle bus lane at any time.
PRINCIPAL'S PAGE
A one page message from the principal will be provided regularaly to keep parents informed about Meadow Hall. This will start the first week of school and will continue throughout the year. The Principal's Page will alternate weekly with the PTA Refrigerator Page. This is a parent's quick reference to what is happening at school. The full version(and the program to read it) is downloadable from our web page. For those with older machines, we also offer a current, text only, version on our home page.
PTA
PTA activities are scheduled periodically throughout the year and provide opportunities for families to come together at the school for information, entertainment, and socialization. PTA planning meetings and business meetings are scheduled each month on the first Tuesday of the month. They start at 7:00 p.m. and are held in the Meadow Hall Media Center. All parents are welcome to attend PTA meetings and activities. A bi-weekly PTA newsletter (The Refrigerator Page) is sent home and also appears on our website alternating with the Principal's Page.
go to the Meadow Hall PTA Home Page
REPORT CARDS
Report cards for students in grades 1-5 are sent home with students four times a year, at the end of each nine-week grading period. The fourth and final card is mailed to parents. Kindergarten students will receive a report card twice a year. The dates of each marking term and the dates for report card distribution are listed.
Marking Period - Date Marking Period Ends -- Date of Report Card Distribution
1 - October 31, 2008 -- November 11, 2008
2 - January 23, 2009 -- February 3, 2009
3 - March 27, 2009 - April 16, 2009
4 - June 16, 2009 - June 23, 2009--report cards mailed home
End of the year report cards are mailed home from the Board of Education. It is very important that we have your correct address.
SCHOOL HOURS AND DATES
The first official day of school is Tuesday, August 27, 2007. School hours are 8:50 a.m. until 3:05 p.m.
Many of our children walk to school or are transported to school in private vehicles. It is important that students arrive no earlier than 8:40 a. am. and are picked up promptly at 3:05 p.m. Staff members are engaged in planning activities prior to 8:40 and after dismissal and are not available to provide the adequate supervision necessary for elementary students. If you bring your child to school, please make the transition from home to school smooth by allowing your child to go to his/her assigned line-up area.
SUGGESTIONS AND COMPLIMENTS
If you see ways that we can improve our school, please share your suggestions with me by speaking with or writing to me so they can be considered. Also, when you see that things are done well, please take time to put a compliment in writing to the teacher or to me. A compliment goes a long way in motivating staff and students.
SUPPLIES TO BRING TO SCHOOL
Meadow Hall will provide most of the supplies a student needs to be successful, but students will need supplies at home to complete assignments. In addition, many students like having their own equipment and supplies. The staff generated the list of suggested materials that was sent with the parent letter in August. The supply list is also posted on our web page. Please check on your child's supplies throughout the year and replenish as needed.
SUPPLIES NOT TO BRING TO SCHOOL
The instructional day will be full. Children should not bring radios, CD players, computers, sport equipment, comic books, cards, and toys. Weapons, such as knives, guns, sling shots, firearms, etc., beepers, pagers, drugs, alcohol, and tobacco are not allowed on MCPS property. Also, do not send knives to cut fruit or other food in lunches or at class parties. Money is only needed for lunch and field trips. When students are asked to bring items from home, parents will be notified by teachers.
TEXTBOOKS
Textbooks are furnished to students free of charge with the expectation that all textbooks will be treated with care and returned in good condition. Parents will be charged a replacement fee for any textbook that is lost or damaged beyond reasonable use.
VISITING THE SCHOOL
Parents are always welcome to Meadow Hall. You are invited to visit your child's classroom, the cafeteria, or the playground at any time you wish. Please call the office prior to the visit so we can make sure the teacher is informed. Upon arrival to the school, please check in at the office and you will be given a "Visitors" badge, asked to sign the Visitors Book, and given directions to the classroom.
VOLUNTEERS
There is a lot of work to do in an elementary school. Volunteers can help in the office, the classrooms, the media center, the cafeteria, the computer lab, on the playground, or at home. If you are interested in volunteering, you may call our PTA Volunteer Coordinators, Mrs. Moffett at (301) 738-1351, or Mrs. Langsanm at (301) 610-5460. You may also talk with your child's teacher or inquire in the office if you are interested in volunteering. All volunteers should sign in immediately upon entering the school building and should wear a volunteer badge at all times while in the school.
WALKING TO SCHOOL
If your child is a walker, please assist him/her in selecting a safe, regular route for walking to and from school. Be sure you know the route your child takes each day. Students are asked to report home before going to other friend's homes. This will enable you to know that your child arrives home from school safely each day. Your cooperation in teaching your child correct procedures for crossing streets safely will help us maintain a good school safety record. Please advise children to cross where there are crossing guards.