Important Information

After School Plans

Parents should provide notes when a child has ANY CHANGE in his/her after-school routine, including visits to friends. This note must be presented to your child’s teacher at the beginning of the school day. To minimize uncertainty, please make sure that your child has a clear understanding each morning of his/her after-school plans for that day.

Please avoid changing your child’s plans after he/she has left for school. A change in plans makes for a hectic “end-of-the day” for the office and causes disruptions to the classroom teacher and the child. Also, sound safety and security practices and time constraints may not permit us to honor telephone requests to change your child’s transportation routines except during an emergency.

We urge you to please adhere to these guidelines and MAKE YOUR ARRANGEMENTS PRIOR TO THE SCHOOL DAY . For the same reasons stated above, PLEASE SCHEDULE AFTER SCHOOL ACTIVITIES AND APPOINTMENTS AFTER DISMISSAL.

Bus Information

Students are picked up at designated bus stops. Parents are responsible for maintaining discipline and safety at bus stops. Inclement weather, traffic accidents, and road construction can cause delays in the bus routes, so the pick-up and drop-off times of each bus may vary somewhat from day to day. Students must follow the bus driver's rules and directions at all times. Questions regarding the buses, bus stops, or bus routes should be directed to the Field Transportation Office Supervisor at 301-469-1029.

Car Pool (click on Car Pool for the Car Pool Page.)

NEW CARPOOL PROCEDURES:

Between the hours of 9:00a.m. – 9:15a.m. the new parent drop-off will be in the school’s BACK parking lot. Parents will enter the front parking lot driveway and follow the signs to the back parking lot to the parent drop-off area.The children will enter the school building through the back doors. Once the school day begins, the back doors will be locked and drop-off will be in the front parking lot loop where the children will enter through the front doors. The afternoon dismissal at 3:30p.m. will also take place in the back of the school. Staff members will be on duty in the morning and afternoon.

This new carpool configuration will alleviate the traffic on Glen Road. We ask for your cooperation in following these new procedures. It is critical that traffic laws and parent drop-off rules are followed.

Please take note - cars are not allowed in the bus circle directly in front of the school from 8:45a.m.- 9:15a.m. and 3:00p.m. – 3:30 p.m. There is a $250 fine for PARKING in the emergency parking area , which will be strictly enforced during school hours (8:00a.m.-4:30p.m.).

Cell Phones

A student may possess a cell phone, but it must be turned off and out of sight, and used only with the principal’s authorization. This means that no cell phone should be turned on, used or seen during arrival, instructional time, recess, dismissal and before/after school activities and on the bus. The device must be turned off, in the back pack and zipped in a pocket. It may not be carried around in a coat, pants, pocket, notebook, etc. If these rules are not followed, the phone will be confiscated and returned only to the student’s parent or guardian. The school is not responsible if the phone is lost or stolen.

Class Parties

Class parties are held twice during the school year for special celebrations: 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.

Discipline Policy

A copy of the School Discipline Policy is sent home with students each year at the beginning of school. Parents are asked to read and discuss this policy with their child so that students can continue to work in a safe, comfortable school environment.

Dropping Children Off

Parents: At any time of the day, please be prepared to say good-bye to your child at the front of the school. Do not escort your child to the classroom because this is disruptive. If you wish to speak to the teacher you may write a note, send an email or call and leave a message.

Early Dismissal/Delayed Opening

School is occasionally dismissed early or closed due to adverse weather conditions or mechanical failure (electricity, water) at the school.

  • School delays, closings, and early dismissals due to inclement weather are announced on local radio and TV stations beginning at 5:30 a.m.

  • The time for early release will be 1:00p.m.

  • A two-hour delay means school will begin at 11:15a.m.

  • When we have a two-hour delay, no students can be dropped off before 11:00a.m.

  • All students eat lunch prior to going home on an early release day.

  • Students should know where they are to go without having to call home if school is dismissed early for any reason.

  • Please use the above information and do not call the school as we are unequipped to handle such a large volume of calls.

    • Electronic Devices

    Electronic devices such as iPods and video games are prohibited on school grounds and on the buses. For cell phones, please see the entry under "Cell Phones."

    Family Trips

    We encourage family trips during scheduled school vacations. Family trips during the school year with extended absences interrupt the continuity of learning. MCPS must withdraw any student from its enrollment who is absent from school for 10 consecutive days or more. Upon the student’s return, a parent must again officially enroll him or her.

    Field Trips

    When a field trip is scheduled, each student who is to participate will bring home a permission form giving the date of the trip, the cost, and the destination. The form must be signed by a parent or guardian and returned to the teacher before the student is allowed to go on the trip. No student will be excluded from field trips for financial reasons. Please contact your child’s teacher if necessary. For safety and insurance reasons, younger siblings may not accompany chaperoning parents on field trips.

    Flyer Distribution - Going Green!

    Any literature from MCPS, the community, the County and non-profit organizations will be available on the Wayside Waves system. MCPS requires each school to designate four days annually for the distribution of printed informational materials and announcements from nonprofit community organizations. These dates are as follows: August 29, 2008; November 11, 2008; February 3, 2009; April 16, 2009.

    If you have not done so already, please subscribe to Wayside Waves by sending an e-mail from your email account to waysidewaves-on@waysidepta.org. You will receive a confirmation e-mail. Once the Wayside Waves server receives your confirmation, you will be on the e-mail list.

    Going paperless will save hundreds of volunteer hours, paper, and costly copier usage. We hope you will support the school’s effort to help the environment and sign up for Wayside Waves. If no one in your house has access to a computer, please let us know so we can make sure you will receive each week’s information. A copy of each week’s postings will still be available in front of the main office.

    Forgotten Homework, Musical Instruments, Etc.

    Our teachers emphasize individual student responsibilities for coming to school prepared for each day. In the interest of supporting student responsibility, we discourage parents from bringing items to school that the child has forgotten. We will not interrupt classroom instruction for students to come to the office to receive these items. If you choose to bring in the forgotten items, they will be placed in the teacher’s mailbox. In the case of forgotten lunches, students should pick-up their lunch in the office on their way to the lunchroom.

    Grading and Reporting

    All elementary schools will continue to report grades based on grade-level expectations in Grades 1-5. Teachers in Grades 1-5 will continue to report other important information about a student's effort and behavior in the Learning Skills section of the report card. At Back-to-School Night, teachers will give you specific information about grading in their classrooms. During the year, we will continue to communicate with you about student performance in many ways. Teachers will use report cards, conferences, progress reports, e-mail, and/or notes home to keep you up-to-date on your child's performance in school.

    As we move forward with the implementation of standards-based grading, we encourage you to continue to talk to your child's teachers about any specific questions you have about your child's grades. Report cards are distributed four times a year, at the end of each of the nine-week grading periods.

    The report cards are sent home with students in November, February, and April. They are mailed home in June.

    Kindergarten students receive a report card at the end of each semester, in February and June.

    Health Room

    A health technician is on duty from 9:30 am until 3:30 pm 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 becomes too ill to remain in class, you will be contacted and asked to pick up your child.

    Homework Policy

    If a Student is Absent One or Two Days Due to Illness:

    Teachers are not responsible for sending homework home. The student is responsible for getting class work and homework from their teacher when they return to school. Parents and students may find an alternative way of getting work (contacting a classmate after school).

    If a Student is Absent Three of More Days Due to Illness:

    The parents should contact the classroom teacher on the third day of absence. The teacher will prepare homework and class work to be sent home. Parents need to call the office before 9:00AM. Teachers will have the missed assignments ready by the end of the school day. Parents will need to pick-up the work at the end of the school day or specify if the work should be sent home with another student. If teachers are to send the work with another student, we need to know the name of their homeroom teacher.

    If a Student is Absent for Vacation or an Extended Trip:

    Teachers are not required to give homework or class work assignments to students until they return to school. Students are expected to write in their journal/writer’s notebook daily and continue their independent reading.

    Lost and Found

    A lost and found area is located in the school's all-purpose room for items that have been misplaced by students. Clothing, backpacks, lunch boxes and instruments should be labeled clearly with the child's name, as many items are very similar in appearance.

    We do not assume responsibility for the personal property of students. For this reason, please carefully consider the type and value of property taken to school, especially items with monetary or sentimental value.

    Lunch Accounts

    Student SNAP accounts should eliminate the need for lunch money loans. Parents are notified when an account is running low and this should be a signal to supplement the account with additional funds. Students who forget their lunch can use their SNAP account.  If this is not possible, the student will be offered a cheese or peanut butter sandwich and a carton of milk or glass of water. No student will be expected to be in school all day without the opportunity to eat lunch. Please read the SNAP handout for the cost of school breakfast and lunch.

    Medications

    Parents are encouraged to administer medication to their children at 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 container and must be accompanied by MCPS form 525-13 (Authorization to Administer Prescribed Medication). All medication 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 physician's note and are to be administered by the health technician. Please do not send cough drops, throat drops, vitamins, aspirin, Tylenol, etc. to school with your child.

    Office Hours

    The school office is open from 8:00 am until 4:30 pm each school day. An answering machine will leave dated information when an activity or school event is scheduled during non-school hours.

    Parent Conferences

    Two half days are devoted to parent/teacher conferences each November; teachers ask that parents sign up for a conference time and call to reschedule if they are unable to make their appointment. Parents are welcome to conference with their child's teacher or observe in their child's classroom throughout the year. Conferences and observations must be arranged with the teacher a minimum of one day in advance, as all classes operate on a planned schedule each day.

    Picking Up Students During the School Day

    Once students have arrived at school, they will be released only to their parents, legal guardians, or individuals listed on the yellow emergency cards. All students leaving school before the end of the school day must be signed out in the office. If parents want their child to be 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.

    PTA Meetings

    PTA activities are scheduled periodically throughout the year and provide opportunities for families to come together at the school for information, entertainment, and/or socialization. PTA business meetings are scheduled each month. A schedule of the exact day and time of each meeting will be published by the PTA. All parents are encouraged to attend PTA meetings and activities.

    School Hours

    The school day for students is 9:15 am until 3:30 pm. Students should not be dropped off before 9:00 am., and may not enter the building before 9:00 am., as adequate supervision is notavailable. On early dismissal days, all students are dismissed at 1:00 pm.

    Student Appearance

    Students should wear clothing and shoes that are safe, do not disturb or distract others, and are appropriate for learning. Hats should be removed when in the school building. Please avoid having students wear flip flops and tank shirts. Students should dress appropriately for school and the weather. During cold weather, students should dress warmly for outdoor recess.

    Telephone Use

    The school telephones are for school business use only. Students should make all necessary plans and arrangements before leaving home each morning. After school arrangements should not be made during school hours. Students will not be allowed to use the phone to call home for homework, instruments, or materials. They cannot use the phone without permission from the main office.

    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.

    Visitors To the School

    For the safety and security of our students all visitors to the school - parents, grandparents, volunteers, everyone - must check in at the main office before going anywhere else in the building. All visitors must wear identification badges while in the school building.

    Volunteers

    Assistance from parent and grandparent volunteers is a welcomed and valuable resource at our school. Volunteers are needed in the classrooms, the media center, the cafeteria, as well as on the playground during recess. Please see your child's teacher or inquire in the office if you are interested in volunteering. Volunteers are to sign in immediately upon entering the school building and must wear a volunteer badge at all times while in the school for the safety and security of our students.

    Wayside Happenings (PTA Newsletter)

    The Wayside PTA newsletter is sent home with students at the beginning of each month.

    Wayside Waves

    The Wayside PTA has created an e-mail service to enhance communication with all PTA members. Click here for more information about Wayside Waves.

    Yellow Emergency Cards

    At the beginning of the school year, the office will be sending home emergency cards and an EMERGENCY INFORMATION sheet. Please fill out all of these documents completely. It is extremely important that cell phone numbers are included on the yellow cards as well as on the EMERGENCY INFORMATION sheet.