SPES Parent Handbook

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Springwoods Elementary School

Parent Handbook

703-590-9874

Attendance Email: [email protected]

Website: SpringwoodsES.pwcs.edu

janeene mainor, Principal,

Ken Burton and Kenneth Harkins, Assistant Principals

 

ADMINISTRATOR ASSIGNED TO YOUR CHILD’S GRADE LEVEL

Kindergarten and 1st Grade – Mr. Burton [email protected]

2nd and 3rd Grade – Mr. Harkins [email protected]

4th and 5th Grade – Ms. Mainor [email protected]

SCHOOL DAY

8:45am-3:25pm

The school day begins at 8:45am with morning announcements and ends at 3:25pm.  Students should not arrive to school before 8:25am. Students enter the building through Door 1 or Door 20 (Car Riders) starting at 8:25am. Students head to class at 8:35am. Morning bell rings at 8:45am.

LATE ARRIVAL AND EARLY DISMISSAL

If your child arrives at school after 8:45am, you must accompany him/her to the office and must sign the student in.

If your child needs to be dismissed early, please send a note with your child in the morning.  This will give the teacher an opportunity to make sure your child is ready when you arrive.  The parent/guardian must come into the office with appropriate ID and sign out the student. No early dismissals will be permitted after 2:30 PM as we prepare for afternoon dismissal.

COMMUNICATION

The school newsletter is published through School Status, please do not block this communication; it contains vital information in partnership with you. If you are not receiving school emails, please verify your contact information in ParentVue.

ATTENDANCE GUIDELINES

Parents can only excuse 10 absences per school year without providing a doctor’s note.  Unexcused absences can result in an attendance interagency conference and other truancy interventions.

To report an absence on the day of, go to ParentVue or send an email to [email protected].  Include the student's full name, grade, reason and medical note. 

More information regarding attendance can be found here:

PWCS Attendance Guidelines

For questions about attendance,

please contact Parent Liaison, Mrs. Rodriguez at [email protected] or 571.298.0340. 

Prearranged Family Trips – Parents are encouraged to schedule family trips during school holidays as these absences will likely be unexcused. Absences that extend beyond 15 school days will result in the withdrawal of the student from school.  In this situation, parents would be required to re-enroll their child.

CAR RIDERS

MORNING: Enter the Springwoods lower parking lot no earlier than 8:30am. Pull up close to the car in front. Stay in lane. DO NOT pull out of line to go around. Access to the car rider lane will be closed at 8:45am bell. After 8:45, cars will be directed to park and escort student inside.  Parent must sign in their student for the day and explain the late arrival.

AFTERNOON: Please complete a form to register. Enter the Springwoods lower parking lot no earlier than 3:20pm. Display assigned number in car window. Dismissal begins at 3:25pm.

BUS PASSES

If it is necessary for a student to ride a bus other than the one he/she is normally assigned, a bus pass is required and must be approved by the office.  A note must be sent to school indicating the bus number that the child should ride and a phone number to verify the information.

KINDERGARTEN BUS RIDERS

Kindergarten bus riders will have yellow lanyards to wear on the bus each day. Drivers will only release Kindergarten students to authorized adults or siblings on the Emergency Card in ParentVue. Adults should ALWAYS bring their ID to the bus stop for pick up in case asked by driver or by substitute driver. If any violation, student will be returned to school and parent will be called for pick up from school.

CHANGES IN TRANSPORTATION

If the situation occurs which makes it necessary for your child’s transportation home to change, please send a note with your child in the morning giving clear directions as to what your child should do at the end of the day.  Only a parent/guardian can change their child’s transportation plan for any given day.  A note or email from the parent must be received by the teacher AND office before noon that day indicating the change.  This is for the safety of the children and will alleviate confusion at the end of the day.

ILLNESS AND INJURY

Clinic Phone Number 571-298-0267

Please keep your child home if they are sick. For more information regarding student illness, please review this document: A Guide To Student Illness

Children may become ill or get injured at school.  Whenever this happens, the school will contact the parent/contact person as directed by the Emergency Contacts in ParentVue.  Your child will be released only to those individuals listed on his/her Emergency Contacts; therefore, it is very important that parents update this information throughout the year.

MEDICATION

Every effort should be made by the parent for the student to receive needed medication outside of the school day.  No child is allowed to transport any medicine to school.  Students are not allowed to keep any medication in their possession while at school.  If your child requires medication at school, an adult needs to bring the medication to the clinic in its original container with a completed Medical Authorization Form before medication will be administered.

SCHOOL VISITORS

Per PWCS Regulation 926, all visitors must check in at the office.  A photo ID is required before a visitor badge will be provided.  A visitor badge must be worn at all times while in the school.

CLASSROOM OBSERVATIONS

Parents are able to observe their child’s classroom in accordance with PWCS Regulation 926.  Please call ahead to make arrangements with the teacher and administrator.  Visits are up to 30 minutes. Additionally, because classroom instruction is in progress, please do not have a conference with the teacher during the observation. Other criteria apply.

BIRTHDAYS AND OUTSIDE FOOD

Birthday celebrations are best outside of school. For parents who choose otherwise, bring celebratory food (special lunch, cupcake, etc.) during lunchtime for your child only. This policy ensures adherence to all student and family dietary restrictions. With prior approval in coordination with the classroom teacher, parents may provide a store-bought food product to other children if meeting several guidelines. Specific guidelines will be shared by the classroom teacher.

DRESS CODE

Appropriate clothing and neatness will be required of all students to avoid interruption of the instructional process.  Student clothing must not cause disruption to the educational environment.

If a situation occurs where a student comes to school with clothing that is determined to be unsafe, inappropriate, or a distraction to the learning environment, he/she will be required to change clothing or will be sent home.

SCHOOL BREAKFAST AND LUNCH PROGRAM

Cafeteria Phone Number: 571-298-0354

Breakfast and lunch are served daily and will be free to all SPES students this year. PWCS is pork-free. The PWCS Menu is published online. Menu changes occur due to supply. Cafeteria visits for parents will begin September 1st.

 CODE OF BEHAVIOR

Springwoods is a Positive Behavior and Intervention Supports (PBIS) School.  Springwoods implements the “House Model,” with Nest assignments for all Springwoods students and staff. Each Nest has its own identity and practices “Emmett’s Essentials”, 15 life lessons or expectations that not only foster community and kindness, but also, earn points for each Nest toward a quarterly reward. 

Springwoods is also Virginia’s first World Kindness School. Springwoods students and staff practice kindness everyday.   All parents should review the PWCS Code of Behavior.

SCHOOL-ISSUED iPADS

PWCS provides a device to every student. Parents are responsible for the care of the loaner device. Parents are liable for damaged devices. Optional device insurance is available for purchase.

TOYS

Students may NOT bring fidget spinners, toys, games, electronic equipment, sports equipment, or trading cards (Pokémon, sports, etc) to school unless they have been asked to do so by their teacher.

ELECTRONIC DEVICES

If cell phones/communication devices are brought to school, they must be stored in the student’s backpack and remain off for the entire school day. Dual-purpose watches may be worn at school, but wireless/cellular features must be turned off during the school day (e.g., must be placed in airplane mode). Violators are subject to confiscation of these devices. School division staff does not assume responsibility for the security of these devices.

INCLEMENT WEATHER

Please make sure you have a plan, and your children know what to do if schools are closed, open late, or close early.  Please check your PWCS app on your device, listen to or watch one of the major radio or television news stations for announcements of changes in school schedules.

JOIN THE PTA

Email address:  [email protected]

Facebook: @PTASpringwoods

X: @SPES_Eagles

IMPORTANT WEBSITES AND PHONE NUMBERS