Chestnutwold Phoenix

8:35 a.m. - 1st Bell (students may enter the building, unpack, and prepare for the day)

8:45 a.m. - 2nd Bell (learning begins)

3:30 p.m. - Dismissal

Kindergarten:

AM: 8:45 AM – 11:25 AM

PM: 12:50 PM – 3:30 PM

Classroom instruction begins promptly at 8:45 AM. All children begin the school day with Morning Meeting, and it is a favorite part of the school day! We value every minute of the school day with our students!

Arrival for 1st-5th Grade Students

Walkers

Doors open at 8:35am for students to enter the building through any available doors, however, for consistency of arrival and dismissal please adhere to the following:

1st Grade - rear doors between the kindergarten playground and the parking lot

2nd Grade - front doors/main entrance

3rd, 4th, 5th Grades - Belmont Ave doors OR front doors/main entrance

Staff members will meet the students right inside the doors and direct students to their homerooms.

*Students with younger siblings should enter the doors at the location of the youngest sibling. For example, a 4th grader should walk in with their 1st sibling at the rear doors by the kindergarten playground/parking lot area where 1st grade enters and dismisses.

Car Riders

Parents can drop off their children in the back of the school at the ground level doors closest to the kindergarten playground.

Please stay in your car until a car line monitor asks you to unload.

Please do not pull out and around other cars in front of you.

Bus Riders

Students will exit the bus and walk directly into the building through the Belmont Avenue doors.

Dismissal for 1st- 5th Grade Students

Walkers

Grades 3-5 are dismissed at 3:28 P.M.

Third, Fourth, and Fifth grade students will exit from the Belmont Avenue Doors or front doors depending on walking route.

*Students with younger siblings should meet at the location of the youngest sibling. For example, a 4th grader should meet their 1st sibling at the rear doors by the kindergarten playground/parking lot area where 1st grade dismisses (students can walk through the building to get to their siblings locations).

Grades 1-2 are dismissed at 3:29 P.M.

First grade students exit the rear doors by the kindergarten playground/parking lot area. Parents/Guardians should meet their child at these doors.

Second grade walkers will exit the Main Entrance Doors. Parents/Guardians should meet their child at these doors.

Families are expected to be waiting for their students outside the doors promptly at 3:25pm. If you are running late, please call the office at 610-853-5900 ext. 8000. Your child will be brought to the office for pick up there. This should be an exception and not the rule.

Car Riders

All car riders will exit the rear doors by the kindergarten playground.

Bus Riders

After walkers are dismissed, bus riders are dismissed starting at 3:30pm. All bus riders will exit from Belmont Avenue toward the bus lane.

School Pass for Absence Reporting (click here)

ATTENDANCE NOTES FOR NEW STUDENTS

School starts promptly at 8:45am. Students entering the building after 8:45am require a parent to sign them in. Yellow “late arrival” slips are in the vestibule and must be filled out and handed to a secretary.

All student absences or late arrivals must be entered by our staff into PowerSchool by 9:30am. After this time, students who are marked Unexcused (U) will automatically generate the District to send a trio of alerts to parents/guardians via phone call, email and text message. If you receive these messages, please send us an email at chestnutwold-attendance@haverfordsd.net to let us know the reason for your student's absence.

Directions for Student Attendance:

If your student will be arriving late or leaving early

Please send an email to the students' teacher/s AND our attendance office at chestnutwold-attendance@haverfordsd.net. Please indicate the reason for the late arrival/early dismissal.

If your student will be sick/absent (full day only)

Please use the School Pass App for all full day absences. School Pass takes time to sync with PowerSchool, so please do this as early as possible. If entered after 9:00am, it may not sync before the 9:30am calls go out. In addition, you may also send an email to the students teacher/s and chestnutwold-attendance@haverfordsd.net with any additional information you’d like us to know.

Allotted Absences:

Students receive ten (10) Parent Excused Illness absences (PEI) per school year. After ten, you will receive a letter from the District and further action may be taken if the number continues to rise. We ask that for student illnesses, you provide a Doctor's Note either via email (chestnutwold-attendance@haverfordsd.net) or hard copy to the office. Since Covid, many offices will send you a note if you have called in for the illness but do not require an in-office visit.

It is best to always provide a note from a doctor for any appointments. These are documented as Doctor Excused Illnesses (DEI).

Allotted Absences, cont:

Pre-Planned Educational Travel (PPET) requests should be used for vacation days or when you are traveling. Students receive five (5) PPET days per year. Please complete the Pre-Planned Educational Travel request form found HERE and email it to Ronnie Moss (vmoss@haverfordsd.net). You may also email the teacher/s to let them know or if you have questions regarding school work. Please do NOT use School Pass for PPET days as it will over-ride our system and change your child's absence.

Unexcused (U) absences are marked when there is no parental communication as to a students absence. All unexcused (U) absences will generate the trio of communication to parents/guardians.

Parent Pick-Up or Change in Dismissal days should be sent in an email to your child's teacher/s AND our attendance office chestnutwold-attendance@haverfordsd.net, so we can ensure we are on the same page and your child gets home safely. Per District policy, students are not permitted to change buses to ride home with friends.

Every day of the school year is an opportunity for our children to learn and grow. It is very important that students attend school every single day.

The District’s Attendance Policy may be read here.

Whenever possible, please try to schedule doctor’s appointments after school.

Bus information/passes will be emailed to you. This email can arrive as late as the night before school starts. The bus pass will tell you where your bus stop is and the time for pick up. Check your bus drop off location and drop off time as well. If you ever have any questions about transportation, they can be called directly at 610-853-5900 ext. 5929 or emailed at transportation@haverfordsd.net.

Expected Bus Behaviors:

Our students are expected to act appropriately on their morning and afternoon bus rides. This means staying in their seats and talking quietly to the person next to them or reading a book. No technology is allowed whatsoever - no chrome books, tablets, or phones. Students are asked to sit with their grade level peers from front to back. Kindergarten is in the front with 5th grade in the back. This is done purposefully to avoid younger students from hearing conversations with content not made for their ears. Riding the bus is a privilege and students that do not follow the rules will be given an assigned seat behind the driver. If they continue to be disruptive, they may be suspended from the bus for a few days. Parents will have to provide transportation. Thank you for your help in keeping our buses safe for all!

Students in grades 1-5 may bring lunch from home or purchase lunch from the cafeteria. A selection of additional snacks are also available for purchase, and they are typically offered after the first couple of weeks of school to allow for the food services team and the students to focus on lunches at the start of the year.

Read more information from our dining services director HERE.

Lunch will be served on the first day of school. Menus are available on our district website (Sept. menu is coming soon): https://www.haverford.k12.pa.us/departments/food-services

The price of elementary lunch this year is $2.90. Families may apply for free/reduced lunch and this information is confidential. Click the link in the section below for more information.

Students purchasing lunch will use their 5 digit ID code. It will take our first graders and new students some time to learn their code, and that is okay! Our teachers are very helpful in preparing note cards for the children to practice with until they get it, and I try to help 1st graders at lunch for the first couple of weeks (practice picture included below)!

Please send your child to school with a healthy snack and reusable water bottle every day. They are encouraged to refill their water bottles throughout the day.

All students in grades 1 - 5 may bring a snack to school. Our students have breaks for an additional "snack recess" during the day.

Children need healthy meals to learn. The School District of Haverford Township offers healthy meals every school day.

• Breakfast is available at no charge to students.

• Lunch cost: High School $3.35, Middle School $3.25, Elementary $2.90

Your child(ren) may qualify for free meals or for reduced-price meals. During the 2024-2025 school year, all schools participating in the School Breakfast Program (SBP) are to provide free breakfasts for all enrolled students. Additionally, students identified as eligible for reduced-price lunches through the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) will not be charged for their meals.

Click HERE or on the photo to the right to apply. If you have any questions about the application, please contact Mrs. Lorraine Brooks, Food Services Specialist at lbrooks @haverfordsd.net or (610) 853-5900 x8050.

Recess is a very important part of the school day! Students in grades 1 - 5 have recess for 20 minutes after lunch each day. Kindergarten students have a designated time to play each day as well! Movement, play, social interaction, and brain breaks are very important for all children, and our teachers are intentional about providing these for our students every day.

All visitors to Chestnutwold Elementary School must enter through the main entrance and report directly to the office. All visitors must present a valid driver’s license that will be scanned and used to produce a visitor’s badge through the Raptor System.

Under no circumstances may parents enter the building without coming through the main entrance. Please understand that this is necessary for the safety of our students.

All students will participate in safety drills throughout the school year. Fire drills will typically be held once per month and there will be several lockdown and weather related drills during the school year. Teachers and staff will make every effort to prepare students for these drills so that all students know the procedures.

Please carefully review and update your contact information in PowerSchool to indicate your child’s dismissal plan in case of an emergency.

School Grounds

We have many families who walk and ride bikes to school. Please note that bikes should be walked once on school grounds and dogs are not permitted on school grounds while school is in session (including arrival and dismissal). Our arrival and dismissal times are very busy, so we appreciate your support in ensuring our students’ safety. We also ask that you refrain from bringing pets with you during drop off and pick up times.

Opportunities may arise this school year where you will be able to visit your child's classroom. Make sure to have your background checks and clearances completed and turned into the main office for you to attend these special events.

For those who wish to be a School Volunteer, state law now requires the Pennsylvania Criminal History Record (Act 34), Child Abuse History Clearance (Act 151) and FBI Federal Criminal History Record check, and they are updated every five (5) years in order to continue as a volunteer. Original forms must be brought to the office of the school where you will volunteer and they will be forwarded to the District‘s central administrative offices for review.

There is now an alternative to the FBI check if you have resided in Pennsylvania for the last ten years. Please see below for the link to the Affidavit you need to submit.

The process can be initiated online and produces clearances quickly. Please follow the links below for each of the three (3) clearances.
1. The Pennsylvania Criminal History Record Check (Act 34) can be done online with almost immediate confirmation. Volunteers are no longer required to pay a fee after July 25, 2015.
- Go to https://epatch.pa.gov and click on “New Volunteer Record Check” and follow the instructions. At the end of the process, please print the certification form as proof of submission.
2. The Pennsylvania Child Abuse History Clearance (Act 151) can be completed online for the quickest result.
- Go to https://www.compass.state.pa.us/CWIS You will create a login for your Keystone ID#. This includes a combination of letters and numbers you create for yourself. A credit card is required for the $10 processing fee.
3. The FBI Federal Criminal History Record requires a 2-step process including online registration and fingerprinting taken digitally at a registered site. However, if you have been a Pennsylvania resident for the past ten (10) years, and have not been convicted of enumerated offenses, you may submit the Affidavit at this link, in lieu of the FBI fingerprinting check.
- Go to https://uenroll.identogo.com/ to register. There is a fee for this clearance which includes an automatically mailed unofficial copy of the results to the applicant. The volunteer code is 1KG6ZJ
- Once you have registered, proceed to an approved fingerprinting site to be digitally fingerprinted.
- Please bring all clearance documentation in a sealed envelope with your name to the school office for review by central administration.
If you have any questions or need assistance, please contact Sheron Brown-Greene, Human Resources Office at 610-853-5900 ext.7000.

Upon completion, please be sure to print out confirmation / receipt; clearances should be submitted to Ms. Moss in the main office. Submissions can also be sent electronically to Ms. Moss @ vmoss@haverfordsd.net. For more information, visit the district website HERE.

Mrs. Pennoni is our certified school nurse and is present at Chestnutwold three days per week. You are welcome to contact her directly if needed at 610.853.5900, ext. 8213. Mrs. Gallagher, ext. 8470, is the school nurse who is present daily.

Prescription and over-the-counter medications may be administered by our school nurse only upon written order by the child’s physician. All medications must be in their original container and must be properly labeled when brought to school.

Please be sure that our school nurses are aware of your child’s medical issues, including allergies and potential reactions.

Medication Drop Off

Medication may not be sent in a backpack with students. Parents/guardians may drop off medication in the original pharmacy container with the prescription from the doctor. Please fill out this medication consent form in advance of dropoff.

The Board of School Directors supports the use of computers, the Internet, and other network resources in the District’s instructional and operational programs in order to facilitate learning, teaching, and daily operations. Please refer to School Board Policy 815 for more information and forms.

Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA)

We are required under the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) to supply parents of students under the age of 13 with our list of commonly used educational applications. This information is available on our District website under Technology - Parent Resources - COPPA Compliance.

Student Web Access

Student website access for elementary students will remain the same as it was at the end of the 23-24 school year. Elementary students have no access to streaming services or social media and can only access YouTube videos that have been requested by a teacher to be allowed. The teacher must supply the student with a link directly to the video as they cannot search YouTube.

PowerSchool Contact Information and Form Updates

If you haven't already done so, please make sure you log into your PowerSchool parent account and make sure your contact information is current and that all forms have been completed for your child. Step-by-step instructions to do this and more on PowerSchool can be found on the technology department's PowerSchool page.

Technology Assistance

If you have any questions regarding your child's school-based technology throughout the year, please submit a ticket to our IT department by emailing ithelpdesk@haverfordsd.net. We are happy to help with any questions or concerns regarding Chromebooks, PowerSchool, School Pass, ClassLink, or any other program your student uses as part of the curriculum.

Items such as cell phones, iPods, iPads, Apple/Smartwatches/Gizmo Gadget, DVD players, MP3 players, radios, tape recorders, and other electronic devices, etc. should remain at home.

Students shall be solely responsible for the safekeeping of any electronic device brought to school and each student who brings an electronic device to school or to a school function or activity shall assume the risk of loss, theft, damage, or another injury to the electronic device.

Students are not permitted to use personal devices such as watches or phones to call or text during the school day.

One of the major goals of the school district is the development of a learning environment that will help provide our students with the opportunity to receive the maximum benefit of the educational program. A major part of any successful school is the degree to which the students accept their responsibility to demonstrate the type of behavior that permits a healthy learning climate. Inappropriate behavior not only prevents a student from contributing to the educational process, but it also affects other students' ability to learn. The School Board of Directors adopted a policy to ensure the safety and well-being of all students and staff. You can view the policy on Student Discipline here.

Elementary Family Handbook (click here)

Please label your child’s personal belongings. We have a “Lost & Found” space and we will periodically post photos of the items collected so that you can help to identify your child’s lost belongings. We also display items during school events and parent conferences in the hopes that items will find their way home. We end up donating many unclaimed items each year.