WHES Updates
September 2, 2023
Welcome Back, Wizards!
📖 Dr. Townsel visits WHES & Mrs. Quade's 3rd Grade Scholars!
🪄Thank you, Carrie Pendleton for the Yard Card Donation!
First Week of School
Teachers and staff have enjoyed welcoming our students back to school! We have been practicing routines, creating art, and filling our classrooms with a spark for learning!
We are looking forward to a wonderful year ahead and appreciate the support that you have given this week. We welcomed our PK, Kindergarten, and HeadStart students into the building through a staggered start on Wednesday & Thursday. We know that sending off your littles is a big step and are so happy to have the privilege to support their growth.
In second grade, students took a dive into learning about surface level vs. deep questions by analyzing pictures, in kindergarten we enjoyed seeing all of the first day of kindergarten artwork, and all students enjoyed listening to the book, A Fine Fine School, read aloud by our Media Specialist, Mr. Angus during Resource.
We are looking forward to making this the best year, yet! We have a building of fine, fine teachers with fine, fine children and with your support, we know MAGIC will continue to happen at WHES!
Peek Ahead: September's Upcoming Dates to Know
September
4 – Schools and Offices Closed
8 - Wear Yellow in recognition of World Suicide Prevention Day (Optional)
12 - Picture Day
13 – 2-hour Late Arrival
26 – Open House for Pre-k to Grade 2 – 5:30-6:30pm
27 – Open House for Grades 3-5 – 5:30-6:30pm
28 – 2-hour Early Dismissal
29 – Schools Closed
For information about family events and youth activities taking place in our community, visit www.calvertnet.k12.md.us/flyers. Please note: These events and activities are not sponsored by the Calvert County Board of Education or Calvert County Public Schools. We provide equal opportunities to outside agencies to distribute materials that offer opportunities to students and/or their parents, but that permission should not be considered a recommendation or endorsement by the school district.
📸 Picture Day is Coming!
Windy Hill Elementary Picture Day
9/12/2023
Skip the Order Form! Click Here to PreOrder
Online Code: windyhilles23
Non-Daily Car Riders- WHES Student Note Template (NEW)
Car Rider Reminders
Our office staff and duty staff start preparing for Daily Car Riders and bus dismissal at 3:55PM (1:55PM on Early Dismissal Days).
We are able to manage Non-Daily Car Riders, but we are still not able to accommodate Drop in, Surprise Car Riders.
For Non-Daily Car Riders, you MUST send a paper note, NOT AN EMAIL, with your child, EACH day that you plan for them to be a car rider.
Please let your child know that they must dismiss with the Daily Car Riders at 4:05PM when announced.
Please do not send a note saying “every Tuesday” instead, send a note every Tuesday. We cannot expect teachers to keep up with all students’ special request schedules. If an adult is not present by 4:05 when car riders are called, the student will be sent home on their assigned bus.
🚗 Arrival/Drop Off Procedures: (REPEAT)
- There will be two (2) drop-off lanes in all three rows of the parking lot (white arrows).
- Please do not arrive in parking lot prior to 9:00 to support traffic flow.
- Staff will be out to receive students starting at 9:15. Please wait for staff/safety monitor's signal to release your students.
- Students will walk towards the school using the cross walk with the support of safety monitors.
- Once all of the cars in a row are unloaded, staff will direct each lane to exit, please look out for the stop/slow signs. Only one row at a time will be dismissed by staff.
- Any students arriving after the arrival window of 9:15 - 9:25 will be required to park in the elementary / middle school parking lot. Parents/Guardians must accompany their students safely by walking from their vehicle into the main office. Please do not park on the “downhill” at any time (red bar/ bus exit route). All parking MUST be in parking spots.
🚗 Dismissal/Pick up:(REPEAT)
- For all car riders, the arrival window for pickup is 3:55 - 4:05. Park your car in either the WHES parking lot or if all spaces are full, the overflow lot at WHMS and walk up to the cafeteria/ external side entry door, marked by the location arrow, below.
- If parking at WHMS, you may walk along the dotted lines as pictured. There is a crosswalk in the WHES parking lot that should be used for parents/guardians parking in this lot for pickup.
- Car Rider pickup will be at the side/external entry door of the cafeteria. Counselors and supporting staff will check your ID at this side door and present you with a card for the number of students you will be picking up. Parents/guardians will then wait for students to be called for dismissal. We are able to manage Non-Daily Car Riders but we are still not able to accommodate Drop in, Surprise Car Riders after 3:45 p.m.
- Parents/Guardians must support safety by accompanying their children to their cars using the cross walks and designated spaces, below. Please be mindful of safety & staff supporting to ensure this is a successful process.
❗Free and/or Reduced Meals Eligibility (repeat)
Some students may qualify for free or reduced-price meals (FARMs). Eligibility is typically determined by household size and income. Household Meal Benefit Applications are sent home with each student at the beginning of the school year and are available on the school system website. Parents need only submit one application per household if they believe their children qualify for free or reduced-price meals.
Please feel free to submit a Free and Reduced Meal Benefit Application any time during the year!
This form needs to be submitted each school year, regardless of prior eligibility.
School Breakfast and Lunch Information (repeat)
Menus, nutrition information, payment methods and information, and photos of food served are accessible online on the CCPS Website on the Child Nutrition page.
This year, student breakfast is $1.65 and lunch is $2.65. Students may purchase milk or water and funds will be deducted from a computerized account. You can deposit money online using your child’s 5-digit student ID number or you can send in cash or checks ranging from $10 on up made payable to WHES Cafeteria. Students will eat in the cafeteria. ID numbers are in HAC, but if you can't find or access it, please call the school for help.
Click HERE for information from the Child Nutrition Department
Click HERE for information about LINQ, where you can manage payments, view menus, and more!
Flu Clinics (Repeat)
WHES is partnering with the Calvert County Health Department to offer Flu Shots for families who wish to have their child or children vaccinated. The clinics will be held on:
- Monday, October 2 from 9:30-11:00am
- Monday, October 30 from 9:30-11:00 am
More information regarding the clinics will be sent home soon.
I am happy to introduce our 2023-2024 PTO Board.
President
Holly Norton
Vice President
Destiny Sweeney
Secretary
Michele Katsaris
Staff Member at Large
Theresa Flaim
Treasurer
Paul Krutsch
Click here to learn more about our PTO Board.
CCPS News
CCPS Code of Conduct (repeat)
All students (grades Pre-Kindergarten to 12th) receive the Code of Student Conduct handbook early in the beginning of the school year. School officials spend time during the first two weeks of school reviewing the information with students and highlighting major changes. Parents should also read this handbook to becomes familiar with the rules and regulations that govern student behavior.
Students are responsible for knowing and understanding the information, including policies and procedures and consequences for violating the conduct code.
Home Access Center (repeat)
Calvert County Public Schools has adopted the HAC application to allow students in grades 5-12 and parents/guardians of all grade levels to access current grades, assignments, and attendance in a real-time environment.
Please see the attachment below for more information on HAC.
❗Bus Riders (updated)
Calvert County Public Schools offers a searchable online database for schools and bus stops. Perform a simple search by visiting the transportation search website. Once there, select grade and input address information to receive your school's transportation information.
If your address search does not show a bus number or the pick-up and drop-off locations are different, please call Transportation at 443-550-8786 to confirm the location of your stop.
To request a route extension, please print the Route Extension Request Form, fill it out completely, and send it to the Transportation Department.
Other Important Information
Prior Community Newsletters
Nondiscrimination Statement
Calvert County Public Schools does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, ancestry or national origin, familial status, marital status, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, or genetic information in its programs and activities and provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups. The following persons have been designated to handle inquiries regarding the non-discrimination policies:
- Director of Student Services
- Director of Human Resources
443-550-8000
For further information on notice of non-discrimination, visit the Office for Civil Rights Complaint Assessment System at: https://ocrcas.ed.gov or call 1-800-421-3481.
************************************************************************************
Anti-sexual, Anti-racial and Anti-disability Harassment Statement
Discrimination can manifest itself in behaviors such as bullying, harassment, or intimidation of individuals.
Calvert County Public Schools does not tolerate any form of harassment including, but not limited to, sexual, racial, or disability. Any individual (student, employee, or community member) who believes that he or she has been subjected to any form of harassment is encouraged to report the allegation of harassment. Students, parents, and community members may report allegations of harassment to: Ms. Cecelia Lewis, Director of Student Services, Calvert County Public Schools, 1305 Dares Beach Road, Prince Frederick, MD 20678
Employees may report allegations of harassment to: Mr. Zachary Seawell, Director of Human Resources, Calvert County Public Schools, 1305 Dares Beach Road, Prince Frederick, MD 20678.
Calvert County Public Schools is committed to conducting a prompt investigation for any allegation of harassment. If harassment has occurred, the individual will be disciplined promptly. Disciplinary actions for students found to have engaged in any form of harassment may result in suspension or expulsion. Disciplinary actions for employees found to have engaged in any form of harassment may result in suspension or termination.
Calvert County Public Schools encourages all students, parents, employees, and community members to work together to prevent any form of harassment.
For further information on notice of non-discrimination, visit the Office for Civil Rights Complaint Assessment System at: https://ocrcas.ed.gov or call 1-800-421-3481.
************************************************************************************
Calvert County Public Schools Antiracism Statement
Calvert County Public Schools explicitly denounces racism, bullying, discrimination, white supremacy, hate, and racial inequity in any form within our school community. Furthermore, CCPS will not tolerate the values, structures, and behaviors that perpetuate systemic racism.
Each member of the district, individually and collectively, is responsible for creating and nurturing a safe, antiracist learning environment where each student, staff member, and community partner is a respected and valued member of the CCPS community.
Owings Maryland 20736
Phone 443-550-9790
Fax 410-286-4023