WHES News
Week of October 23, 2023
Peek Ahead: October's Upcoming Dates to Know
October
23-27 - Red Ribbon Week
31 - Book Character Parade
4th Grade Chorus A Days at 1:45-2:30
5th Grade Chorus A Days at 2:40-3:25
WHES Trunk or Treat Event 🤗👻🎃
Falling in Love with Books
Please plan ahead to join the fall fun from 2:30 - 3:00!📚🍂
Car Rider Reminder 🚗
- Just a reminder that students dropped off after 9:25 must be signed into the main office.
- Parking in a handicap spot without a permit is illegal if you don't have a valid handicap parking permit.
Expanded: Wizard Need to Knows 📑
Lunchroom Monitor Needed!
We are in need of a lunchroom monitor. Hours are 11:30 am - 2 pm. Please apply if interested. Lunchroom Monitor - WHES
Substitute Positions at WHES!
Interested in a substitute position at Windy Hill Elementary School? Come join our team!
Apply online
♥️Volunteers♥️
We LOVE our Volunteers and couldn't do without YOU!
EVERYONE must reapply for being a volunteer. The system was cleared out and you must reapply each year. Remember, if you want to be a chaperone or work events, you must be approved. If you are an employee of CCPS, you still need to complete the volunteer process for participation in events at school.
Even if you are not sure if you will be able to attend anything, please sign up early. Here’s the CCPS link of info:
Become a Volunteer - Calvert County Public School District (calvertnet.k12.md.us)
Important! Impact Aid Survey
Kindly submit your completed form(s) no later than October 31, 2023.
Red Ribbon Week Activities
It’s not too late! Apply today for free and reduced-price meal benefits!
Did you know??
- Children in your household are eligible for free school meals if your household receives benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF). Just be sure to include your 9-digit case number when completing your application (you do not need to list your income).
- Children in your household may be eligible for free or reduced-price school meals if your household is currently receiving Medicaid or WIC benefits. Eligibility will be determined based on your household size and income.
- Children in your household may be eligible for free or reduced-price school meals even if you don’t receive any assistance benefits. Eligibility will be determined based on your household size and income.
- Children who were approved for free or reduced-price meal benefits last school year were granted a 30-day grace period this school year. That grace period ended on October 10th. If your household has not yet reapplied for meal benefits this school year and has not received a notice (dated August 28th or later) stating the children in your household are eligible for meal benefits this year, please apply as soon as possible to prevent unnecessary meal charges.
Apply online today or complete and submit a paper application. Don’t wait, apply today!
CCPS Strategic Planning Survey
The CCPS Strategic Planning survey is now open. Your input is vital as we develop a 5-year Strategic Plan for CCPS. Please complete the survey by November 5 and share your thoughts on the profile of a graduate, strengths, focus areas, and future outlook for the district. The survey is being conducted by Hazard, Young, Attea & Associates, a third-party firm, to ensure that responses are kept anonymous. The online survey can be access at: https://hyasurvey.com/SPcalvert. To change the language of the survey, use the drop-down menu within the survey. Thank you for your support!
Fall Clothing Drive
Attention 5th Grade Parents!
Students in 5th grade will participate in the family life and human sexuality component of the health curriculum. Typically, this takes place in February of each year. Parents will receive an opt-out letter outlining what is taught in Family Life and Human Sexuality. Teachers will email this letter through Home Access Center (HAC) or place it in the student’s weekly folder. Any parents who would like to excuse their child from family life and human sexuality topics, should return the letter to the teacher. We encourage parents to speak with the teacher to further understand what is being taught and to determine if there are specific elements in which you would want your child to participate. Students who are excused from family life learning objectives will receive appropriate alternative learning in health education outside of the health classroom. If you have any questions regarding the curriculum, please contact your child’s teacher. You can find the letter here: Fifth Grade Family Life Opt Out Letter (finalsite.net)
Health and Wellness
RETURNING TO SCHOOL AFTER AN ILLNESS
A student may return to school:
• 24 hours after a fever breaks (without the need/use of fever reducers)
• 24 hours after vomiting or diarrhea has ceased.
• 24 hours after starting an antibiotic (i.e., for Pink Eye, impetigo, and strep)
• Following head lice clearance by school nurse
• Following ringworm when exposed area is covered, and the nurse is notified of medication follow-up.
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.
CCPS News
CCPS Flyers and Information
Non-Daily Car Riders- WHES Student Note Template
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.
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.
Fall PTO Fundraisers
Other Important Information
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.
Here Comes the Bus (HCTB) is an app with tracking features for the bus(es) your child(ren) is assigned to ride. They include
- Showing the real-time location of your child's bus on a map
- Scheduled and actual arrival times at home and school for bus routes
- Push and email notifications when the bus is near
Click this link for more information on getting the app -
https://www.calvertnet.k12.md.us/departments/transportation/bus-status/here-comes-the-bus
To create an account, you will need to know your child's ID number and the school district activation code 87557.
❗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.
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.
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.
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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.
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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