WHES News
Week of September 17, 2023
Upcoming Dates to Know
September
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
October
9 – 2-hour Delayed Opening
20 – No School for Students
4th Grade Chorus A Days at 1:45-2:30
5th Grade Chorus A Days at 2:40-3:25
WHES News
📌Quick Notes of the Week📌
🎯BIRTHDAY TREATS - Due to the number of severe food allergies in our school, we ask that you DO NOT send in edible treats for birthdays. You are welcome to send in other non-edible items such as pencils, friendship bracelets, glow sticks, silly straws, etc.
🎯EMERGENCY DRILLS - This week, our staff and students practiced two drill: Shelter-in-Place/Severe Weather Drill and Lockdown/Intruder Drill. While proactive measures are in place, it is extremely important that we prepare by practicing for all possible emergencies. Drills are announced before the practice begins. Parents can help us to reinforce our safety practices by talking with your child(ren) about the importance of remaining quiet and focusing on the directions given by teachers or other staff members.
September 26: 5:30-6:30
Pre-k - Grade 2
September 27: 5:30-6:30
Grades 3-5
1. PTO will be set up in the cafeteria
2. A Food Truck will be here both evenings.
- Orders can be placed from 5:00-7:30 pm.
4. Schedule:
- 5:30-5:35 - Video (shown in first session only)
- 5:35-6:00 - Session 1
- 6:05- 6:30 - Session 2
- Announcements will be made at the start, in-between sessions, and at 6:30 when Open House ends. Families can stop by the food truck on their way out at 6:30 pm.
5. Parents who only need to visit one classroom should attend Session 1.
6. If your child's teacher cannot attend their scheduled open house, that teacher will be in contact with you.
Please keep in mind that Open House in an opportunity for families to visit their child's classroom and learn about their daily routines and curriculum. It is not an appropriate time to discuss your child's progress or behavior. If you need to speak with your child's teacher, please send him or her an email to schedule a parent-teacher conference.
Code of Conduct Reminders - Week #1, Electronics
❤️Heart F.E.L.T.❤️ (new)
Windy Hill Elementary School participates in a backpack program called Heart F.E.L.T. This program is offered through one of our community partners, St. Anthony's Catholic Church in North Beach. Eligible children will receive a backpack of food for the weekend every Friday. The food and the backpack are provided at NO cost to families. Contents of the backpack will include 6 meals with occasional supplemental items and snacks. The empty Heart F.E.L.T. backpack needs to be returned to school each Monday to be prepared for the next weekend. If you are interested in having your child(ren) be considered for this program, please scan or click on the QR code to fill out the form.
❗Lost and Found❗
If your child is missing something,
please have them check the lost and found located in the cafeteria.
The picture above is the lost and found area as of 9-22-23.
Car Rider Reminders (repeat)
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.
CCPS News
Community Flyers and Information
Harvest Festival Flyer
STEM Flyer
Treats with the Trades at CTA
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.
Here Comes the Bus (repeat)
Here Comes the Bus (HCTB) is an mobile app for parent to track the bus that your child is assigned to.
The app features:
- 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 (repeat)
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.
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.
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.
PTO Membership Contest
The class with the MOST PTO memberships (Can be a parent, grandparent, guardian, aunts, uncles, community members etc!), will win a pumpkin painting party!
Sign up and share the link with your family, friends, and community members, be sure they enter your student’s information at sign up: https://tinyurl.com/WHESPTOjoin
Fall PTO Fundraisers
Fall Mini Photo Session Fundraiser: https://whesmums.cheddarup.com
Annual Mum-raiser 2023: https://whesmums.cheddarup.com
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.
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.
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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