West End Elementary School Handbook

West End Elementary School

4483 NC-211

West End, NC 27376

910-673-6691

https://wees.ncmcs.org/

This handbook contains information that will facilitate a safe and orderly learning environment. It provides guidelines that are designed to maximize instructional time. Please read the handbook carefully and, where appropriate, review it with your child. Our goal for West End Elementary is to successfully implement strategies that will address the unique needs of each of our students.

Thank you for all you do to make West End Elementary a place where all children learn. We encourage your input and suggestions. Our goal at West End Elementary is to establish a family-like atmosphere where children know they are valued.

The staff of West End Elementary is committed to making a difference for our students. This will be accomplished by providing engaging work for your child, which will foster a love of learning. In order for us to accomplish this, a partnership for learning between the school, the home, and the student is vital. The staff of West End Elementary takes pride in our core beliefs, which, along with our school mission and vision, will result in responsible and respectful students who are prepared for the future.

WEE are respectful, responsible, and ready to learn.

WEE value:

• Building relationships with students and staff.
• Reaching each student and meeting their needs.
• Student growth
• Collaboration with all stakeholders.
• Safe learning environment.
• Supporting each other.

WEE believe WEE can, so WEE will!

Principal: Katie Lockamy; klockamy@ncmcs.org

Assistant Principal: Jamie Harris-Smith,: jhsmith@ncmcs.org

Data Manager: Lori Brewer; labrewer@ncmcs.org

Bookkeeper: Jordyn Robinson; jrobinson@ncmcs.org

School Counselor: Amanda Toner; atoner@ncmcs.org

School Social Worker: Tara Kelly; tkelly@ncmcs.org

School Nurse: Misty Spivey; mspivey@ncmcs.org

If you need to contact either Mrs. Lockamy or Ms. Harris-Smith, please email or call the school to leave a message. Thank you!

Mrs. Lockamy and Ms. Harris-Smith do not use the chat function on Class Dojo.

The School Improvement Team will serve as a representative voice for staff and parents in the decision-making process at the school level. The team will exercise specific responsibilities in the following areas as provided by law or board policy:

1. To develop a school improvement plan, including appropriate instructional strategies based on data.

2. To monitor implementation of the school improvement plan, including evaluation of teaching strategies and analysis of test data, and to make such modifications as may be required to meet the individual needs of the students.

3. To make requests for waivers of policies and regulations that may impede the instructional program.

4. To develop a safe school plan, including procedures for identifying students who are at risk of becoming disruptive and disorderly.

5. To identify staff development needs, plan school-level staff development activities, and allocate staff development funds.

6. To develop, with the cooperation and approval of the principal, a framework for school and student schedules and a plan for effective use of instructional positions.

7. To advise the principal on the appropriate use of any days scheduled in the school calendar for discretionary use at the school.

8. To advise the principal in developing a budget for expenditures of any unrestricted instructional funds allocated to the school.

9. To plan and implement a program to foster a positive school climate, including parental involvement, public relations, and positive discipline.

10. To perform other such duties as may be established by law or policy.

The School Improvement Team will consist of no fewer than eight and no more than 15 members representing certified staff, instructional support personnel, teacher assistants, parents, the assistant principal, and the principal. All members of the School Improvement Team, except the assistant principal and the principal, will be elected by their colleagues through a secret ballot for a term of two years. Members of the School Improvement Team will nominate not less than two or more than five parents of students attending the school to serve on the team. Parent members will serve two-year terms.

Kindergarten: Crystal Whitaker

1st Grade: Lori Wachter

2nd Grade: Miriam Deberry

3rd Grade: Tammy Elliott (Co-Chair)

4th Grade: Ashley Crisp

5th Grade: Sara Wooley (Chair)

Student Support: Talia Cieri

Classified: Jordyn Robinson

EC: Mary Kathryn Doll

Admin: Katie Lockamy

Parents: Stephanie Ciabotti

The West End Elementary PTA is committed to building strong partnerships between families, teachers, staff, and the community to support the success of every student.

Our goal is to foster a welcoming, engaged school community by supporting our teachers, creating meaningful opportunities for family involvement, and enriching the student experience through programs, events, and volunteerism. We believe every family can make a difference, whether they have five minutes or five hours to give.

Our Priorities

Create meaningful, inclusive experiences for students and families.
Encourage family involvement through flexible volunteer opportunities.
Enhance learning by providing programs, resources, and classroom support.
Build strong partnerships between home, school, and the community.
Operate with transparency, collaboration, and responsible stewardship of PTA resources.

If you would like to join or have questions please contact WEE PTA at weewarriorspta@gmail.com .

7:05 (bell) Student arrival

7:05-7:30 Breakfast served

7:25 (warning bell) Students should be headed to classrooms

7:30 (tardy bell) All students should be in classrooms

2:25 (bell) K-2 students move to dismissal; 3-5 students pack up

2:30 p.m. (bell) Dismissal to car line, buses, and WEE ASDC

Our school day will begin with the Pledge of Allegiance and a moment of silence. Daily announcements will be made at this time.

Instruction begins promptly at 7:30 a.m. each day. Please make sure your child is here and ready to begin the day at this time. Students arriving after 7:30 a.m. miss valuable instruction as well as interrupt the learning process for others. We appreciate your cooperation and understanding in protecting our instructional time.

Student arrival begins at 7:05 am and all students are expected to be on campus by 7:25 am. Students arriving after 7:30 am will be considered tardy. To ensure accurate attendance records when arriving after 7:30, parents must accompany their children to the front door of the main building to get a tardy note for the student’s teacher. Please do not drop your child off or call the office. You must walk them to the door and wait for a staff member to receive your child from you. Dropping your student off without staff supervision is a safety concern.

Students who ride the bus are dropped off in the front parking lot. A staff member will be on duty to supervise students and see that they get to their assigned destination.

If your child is a car rider, please make plans to have him/her on campus between 7:05- 7:25 a.m. Student supervision in the cafeteria begins at 7:05, so students CANNOT be dropped off before this time. This creates a major safety issue for your child. Students will enter the campus through the cafeteria and proceed to their classrooms.

All students should be dropped off and picked up in the car rider line on the side of the building. Increased safety measures do not permit parents to walk their children to class in the mornings or “pull” them from the class line in the afternoons. If you have an appointment with your child’s teacher after school, we ask that you park in the visitor spots in front of the main building or park in the old tennis court parking lot.

Take special precautions when entering the car line during drop-off and pickup. This is a NO PASSING area, and the speed limit is 5 MPH. Cell phone use is also prohibited. Watch for pedestrians walking from the parking area. Please do not cut out of line when leaving the drop-off area. Be patient with the others in front of you and stay in line. The traffic flows more smoothly and efficiently if these rules are followed.

******STUDENTS SHOULD NEVER BE DROPPED OFF IN FRONT OF THE SCHOOL********

The school buses use the front of the school for loading and unloading passengers. This area is CLOSED TO ALL TRAFFIC from 7:00 – 7:30 a.m. and 2:00 – 2:50 p.m. It is against North Carolina law to pass a stopped school bus. This also applies to buses parked in front of the school, waiting to load or unload passengers. School personnel will be on duty to monitor this area.

There are occasions when students need to be picked up early from school. Classroom instruction continues until 2:30 each day, so limiting early dismissals prevents students from missing valuable classroom time. Students who are checked out early must be signed out through the front office before 2 p.m. Students will not be released from the front office after 2 p.m. All vehicles must be cleared from the front parking/bus lot by 2 p.m. Any person picking up students must be approved on the student information card. IDs will be checked for student safety. We are not allowed to release your child to any unauthorized person.

School is dismissed at 2:30 p.m. Please plan to have your child picked up on time. If you must change your child’s mode of transportation for the day, please put this in writing by sending a note or email to your child’s teacher. If a last-minute change needs to be made, please call the front office and email your child’s teacher. Please do not use Class Dojo for transportation changes. Changes in student transportation will only occur with prior written notice by a parent. Students who are currently on a bus roster may ride an MCS school bus.

All parents must use the car line to pick up students during afternoon dismissal. Parking in the pine tree area for afternoon pick-up is prohibited. The following procedures have been established to make our afternoon car rider line move safely and as quickly as possible. SAFETY IS OUR MAIN OBJECTIVE! Please read and follow these rules closely to ensure the safety of our students.

• Once you enter the car rider pick-up area, please refrain from using your cell phone. This takes your attention away from children and traffic.

• To increase the safety of our students and staff, students will remain in the building until they are called to wait at their designated cone.

• Each family will receive a name hanger to be placed on the rearview mirror of their vehicle. Families will receive 1 name hanger. In the event you are not able to pick up your student, please ensure the adult who will be in the car line has the name hanger appropriately placed in their vehicle. This signifies the person in the car line has permission to pick up your child.

• A staff member will be assigned to call students' names and direct them to the appropriate cone.

• Cars will enter the pick-up area and follow the designated traffic flow. Please move up to the closest empty cone. There will be cones numbered 1-7. This is the designated area where students will stand once they are called by the staff member on duty.

• Each student will remain with their homeroom teacher. Older siblings will not move to their younger siblings' classes.

• Please do not use this time to talk with your child’s teacher or assistant.

• Parents will not be allowed to “walk up” and get their children from the car line OR from off the bus. You must use the car line. Again, this is a safety precaution for your child as well as for others.

Please understand these procedures are for your child’s safety and are not designed to be an inconvenience. Your cooperation is appreciated.

To ensure the safety of students, any student not picked up by 2:45 (or the end of the car line) will be placed in our Warrior Care. Parents will be charged a late pick-up fee of $1 per minute. Unpaid late pickup fees will be added to the student’s school fees and reflected in Infinite Campus.

The process for requesting bus transportation services is as follows:

1. Contact your child's home school.

2. The school will complete a Transportation Request Form. This request may take up to three days to process.

3. The student will receive a bus ticket from the administration to give to the driver and one to take home. Your student may not ride the bus until this process is complete.

Riding a school bus is a privilege. Three violations and write-ups may result in suspension of bus privileges. Students are expected to follow the bus rules as follows:

• follow the directions of the bus driver at all times

• respect property

• remain seated

• no eating or drinking

• talk quietly

• ride assigned bus only

• keep hands, feet, and objects to yourself

Only students who are registered and live in the West End Elementary School transport area may ride a school bus to or from school. Each student is assigned to a school bus and the bus stop based on the student's address on record. Students cannot switch buses or bus stops. Buses are not authorized to make stops at places of business, except at pre-authorized daycare providers.

All EC, Kindergarten, First, and Second-grade students will need a responsible adult to pick them up. If an adult is not VISIBLE to the bus driver, they will return the student to the school, and the parent will be notified. At that point, the parent will come to pick their child up at WEE.

Temporary changes in transportation should be made in writing with at least 24 hours advance notice and given to the assistant principal for approval.

Bus stop times are estimates and may fluctuate 10 minutes early or late due to traffic and weather conditions. Please be at the bus stop 10 minutes before the designated time and be willing to wait 10 minutes after that time.

Large items like an instrument or project are generally prohibited on the bus due to seating and safety problems.

We look forward to providing transportation to and from school for students. The Moore County Schools' code of conduct applies to yellow, activity, and charter buses. There are additional rules and procedures to follow for bus transportation, located below. For the safety of all passengers, misbehavior will not be tolerated. Bus transportation is a privilege that can be revoked.

Rules and procedures:

• Walk to the bus area, no horseplay, and wait for the bus.

• Sit in your assigned seat facing forward with your bottom in the seat.

• Keep body parts inside the bus and to yourself.

• Keep personal items in your book bag and the book bag in your lap.

• You may talk quietly to your seat partner.

• Keep the aisle clear.

• No food or drink.

Consequences:

First offense: Written warning.

Second offense: Formal bus referral with parent contact in person, by phone, or by correspondence, and up to three days for a bus suspension.

Third offense: Up to five days of bus suspension.

Fourth offense: This may result in a suspension of bus privileges for the remainder of the school year.

The severity of the offense will influence the level of consequence rendered. We reserve the right to bring students back to the campus for inappropriate behavior.

For additional information regarding bus transportation, please contact Jamie Harris-Smith, Assistant Principal, at 910-673-6691, or jhsmith@ncmcs.org.

Our goal is to provide support to our families and community in any way we can. Therefore, we provide after-school daycare for students in grades K-5 from 2:30-5:45. Students are expected to be picked up no later than 5:45 pm. There will be a late fee assessed at the rate of $1 per minute for any child not picked up by 5:45 pm.

Warrior Care is a great way to financially support West End Elementary. All funds received from Warrior Care are used to purchase instructional materials and resources above and beyond what is provided by Moore County Schools. Warrior Care is a huge asset to our school, and we appreciate your support.

Warrior Care will be closed on holidays and any weekday associated with a holiday or when Moore County Schools are closed for teachers and/or students.

In the event of inclement weather, after-school may close early or not be held at all. We are required to follow Moore County Schools’ decision on inclement weather days. Therefore, if school closes early, Warrior Care will not be available.

Tuition/Fees:

Registration fee: $50.00

Child care fees:

• One child: $50.00 per week

• Two Children: $85.00 per week

• Three Children: $115.00 per week

• All additional children: $40.00 each per week

Payment for full-time students is expected weekly regardless of attendance. This is to hold a spot in our program. Warrior Care fees must be paid on WEDNESDAY at 5:45 p.m. each week in advance for the following week. Fees may be paid weekly (in advance) or monthly (in advance). A fee schedule for the year with due dates is available.

Any fees not paid by the Wednesday due date will result in a $20 late charge. If payment falls more than two weeks behind, your child will be dropped from the program until all fees are paid. Please see our Fee Policy on page 13 of this handbook.

Safety is a priority at West End. For safety reasons, parents are not allowed to walk students to class or go to the classroom for any reason without signing in at the front desk in the main building first. Parents are not permitted to linger or wander around campus at any time. All buildings remain locked, and security is strictly enforced. If you need to see a teacher at any time, you must set up an appointment. Parents who have pre-arranged visitation will need to sign in through the front office to receive a visitor’s pass. The electronic security system keeps all outside doors locked. Parents will need to enter the main building through the front door and will need to use the intercom system for admittance.

Please make sure that all student information cards are complete by the second day of school and turned in to your child’s teacher. Be sure to include your email address along with working phone numbers. Throughout the year, you will receive paper copies of information, email alerts, and phone calls with reminders and important dates to put on your calendars. Updated contact information is crucial at the school level.

Please make sure to let your child’s teacher know if you are not receiving school information. It is very important to us that we maintain effective communication between your home and the school.

Class Dojo is used by staff members to share general information and to support our PBIS. Though Class Dojo can be used to communicate with teachers, the preferred communication method is email. Teachers only check Class Dojo messages 2 times per day. Messaging a teacher in Class Dojo does not guarantee an immediate response. If you have an emergency or urgent issue that needs to be communicated with the teacher, please call the front office.

Calls will not be transferred to classrooms during instructional time. You are welcome to leave a message with the office staff. Please remember that if you are calling to change the method of transportation for that day, these requests may not be taken over the phone. This request must be in writing and sent to your child’s teacher in your child's folder or via email.

The school office must be notified immediately in the event you have a change of address, home, cell, or office telephone number, email address, or emergency information.

North Carolina has enacted a law, House Bill 959, that restricts cellphone use in public schools during instructional time. The law, signed by Governor Josh Stein, requires schools to prohibit students from using, displaying, or having wireless communication devices turned on during class unless a teacher authorizes it for educational purposes or in emergency situations. In compliance with this law, students are not permitted to have cell phones, smart watches, or smart glasses on their person during the school day. Student cell phones should be turned off and remain in their book bags. This policy is also in effect for our Warrior Care program.

K-2 report cards are standards-based and evaluate skills within the curriculum using a 1-4 number grading scale. based on the number scale of 1-4

4--Exemplary

3--Proficient

2--Approaching Proficient

1--Non-Proficient

A : 90 – 100

B : 80 – 89

C: 70 – 79

D: 60 – 69

F : 59 and below

Students have many opportunities to achieve acceptable grades. Teachers provide multiple opportunities for students to complete work both in class and as homework. However, it is the student's responsibility to make sure all work is completed and submitted on time. With the implementation of Infinite Campus, parents will be able to check their student’s progress at any time. Assignments marked as missing automatically receive a 0. Teacher discretion is utilized for late assignments and makeup work. Stay involved in your child's education by reviewing the day's work and setting aside a place and time for your student to study and complete assigned work each night.

School attendance is vital to educational achievement and school success. Parents or guardians have a responsibility to make certain their child attends school each day (aside from illness). The school social worker monitors the attendance of all students and notifies parents if there are any concerns. Please note the following:

• Lawful (excused) absences are identified as illness, death in the immediate family, doctor and dental appointments, or court appearances. A note from the parent or doctor is required within 3 days of when your child returns to school. If a note is not sent, the absence will be coded as unexcused. Parents will receive notification of excessive absences. Even if a note is sent, the reason for the absence must meet the criteria for an excused absence, or it will be coded unexcused.

• Unlawful (unexcused) absences include those that would have been excused, but notification was not received explaining the absence.

• A student must be in school at least half the school day (3 ½ hours) to be marked present. This means that they must be in class until 11:00 am, assuming they were not tardy that morning.

• An attendance committee will review any situation in which a student misses 20 or more days. Retention may be a consequence.

• Absences may be excused as educational only with the prior approval of the principal as well as the completion of academic work verifying the relevance of the trip.

MCS School Calendar

MCS School Board Attendance Policy

The Seven Lakes Kiwanis Club has sponsored the Terrific Kids program at West End Elementary for many years. Awards assemblies will be held quarterly and will recognize outstanding students in grades K-5. Students who consistently demonstrate good citizenship, hard work, kindness to others, good grades, attendance, etc. are chosen for these awards.

Distinguished List: Students must receive all “A”s to be on the distinguished list.

Honor Roll: Students must receive no grade below a “B” to be on the honor roll. Students must receive an “S” or an “O” in conduct in all classes to be on either of the honor

rolls.

Outstanding abilities are present in children and youth from all cultural groups and across all economic strata. Classroom teachers, other school personnel, and/or parents may initiate referrals for students. Students must meet the Moore County academically and/or intellectually gifted multiple pathway criteria to receive services. A copy of the specific placement criteria is available upon request from our AIG teacher.

Exceptional Children's Services is dedicated to providing a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) that will meet the diverse needs of our students with disabilities. We strive to ensure that all students are provided a quality education through specially designed instruction that will allow them to meet their unique needs and prepare them for further education, employment, and independent living. Moore County Schools Exceptional Children's Department provides a full range of support and services to students with a broad spectrum of abilities and disabilities. Our staff is diligent in ensuring that students are served in the appropriate least restrictive environment (LRE) to promote their cognitive, physical, social/emotional, and vocational development.

West End Elementary has been identified as a CEP (Community Eligibility Provision) school. This means all students can receive free breakfast and lunch. Snacks, ice cream, extra portions, and drinks other than milk can be purchased at an additional charge.

Recognition is an important part of building character. Student birthdays will be announced each day during morning announcements. Students will go to the office following announcements to receive their birthday surprise. Please notify your child’s teacher in advance if you wish to provide a store-bought birthday treat for the classroom. Birthday treats should not interrupt or interfere with instructional time. Please sign in at the front office upon your arrival.

Fees can be with cash, checks, or by using credit card through Infinite Campus. All checks should be made payable to “West End Elementary School.” Instructional School fees are $10.00. All instructional fees are due within the first 30 days of the school year to be used in your child’s classroom to provide additional materials and supplies that enhance learning.

All unpaid fees carry over from year to year and are placed on your child’s Infinite Campus account until paid in full. Please pay any current and outstanding balances for your child to participate in school activities.

Grade-level field trips will be scheduled as appropriate by your child's homeroom teacher. Permission slips with specific information and fees will be sent home with your child. Written permission is required for your child to attend any activity off campus. The price will be determined based on cost and location. We do our best to keep these trips as cost-effective as we can for all families. All field trip fees are non-refundable.

Any check returned to the school for any reason is subject to a processing fee, billed directly from ENVISION. Please note that in the case of a returned check, we will no longer be allowed to accept personal checks from the party. It will be your responsibility to contact Envision to clear up the returned check with them. Envision will contact WEE when the funds are available and release the funds back to us.

All medications are kept in a locked cabinet in the office and will be administered only by designated, trained office staff or the school nurse. Exceptions to this statement include inhalers, EpiPens, or other emergency medications (which may be kept by the child if confident enough to self-administer). The school nurse must be notified if your child needs to carry one of these emergency medications. A designated form must be signed by your child’s doctor and submitted to the front office.

All prescription medications must be in the original container and labeled correctly. Each medication to be administered must have a “Request for Medication to be Given During School Hours” form completed and signed by the parent/guardian.

Medications given are recorded on the “Medication Administration Record Form”. Periodic reviews of the records will be performed, and the records will be kept on file in the office at the end of the school year.

Children arriving at school sick will be sent home. Contagious diseases and ailments (ringworms, head lice, toothache/dental problems, fever, nausea/vomiting, earache, etc.) will result in the parents being called immediately to pick up their child. More specific directions will be given to the parent upon their arrival at the school. Please be aware that if your child is sent home from school with a fever, nausea/vomiting, diarrhea, etc, they MAY NOT return to school the next day. A child must be symptom-free for 24 hours without medication before returning to school following an illness. Failure to seek medical/dental treatment in a timely, appropriate manner will be reported to the proper authorities.

Parents will be notified in the event of an accident involving their child. A report will be filed in the school office.

ALL STUDENTS must have a signed consent form to receive health services from the nurse/front office staff. All parents must sign the consent for non-emergency services. Immunizations are part of state law and MCS Board Policy and are not part of the health consent form. Without this form, teachers, front office staff, and school nurses cannot assess a student’s health needs or determine how to treat them. The exceptions to the consent form include:

• Medicine Administration - students who have completed and signed the correct medication administration paperwork can receive medicine during the day without the health consent form.

• Emergency Situations - students who need immediate emergency care, including but not limited to, the use of the AED, Stop the Bleed Kit, EpiPen, or Naloxone

It is the responsibility of the staff at West End School to foster good habits of dress and grooming. We ask that parents who come onto our campus also demonstrate these good habits by following our dress code. There is a strong relationship between appropriate, neat dress and the way students perform in an academic setting. Any garment that distracts or disrupts our instructional program or is offensive to certain groups cannot be worn at school. If there is a problem with your child’s dress, you will be called and asked to bring other clothing. MCS Dress Code

The following are expectations of behavior: All WEE Warriors are respectful, responsible, and ready to learn.

1. Follow the directions of all school personnel. Show respect to everyone, including yourself.

2. Disrupting learning is not acceptable.

3. Come to school prepared to learn. Remember to bring all the necessary supplies.

4. Communicating threats, fighting, assaults, or causing personal injury can be prosecuted by law as stated in the revised Moore County Schools Code of Conduct. Weapons, dangerous instruments, toy weapons, alcohol, tobacco, drugs, or substances passed as drugs are prohibited on campus. Anyone in possession of these will be prosecuted.

5. No chewing gum or soft drinks without permission.

6. Electronics (cell phones, iPods, iPads, etc), stuffed animals, toys, and cards of any kind are not to be brought to school.

7. There is a “NO TOLERANCE” policy for bullying.

8. Fighting/assault will not be tolerated. ALL PARTIES will receive an out-of-school suspension. (The number of days will be determined by the administration.)

9. NO CASH should be brought to school unless it is in a marked envelope with your child's name, teacher's name, amount, and the department the cash is to go to. This envelope should be put in your child’s folder. MCS or WEE is not responsible for lost or stolen property.

Please refer to the Revised Moore County Schools Code of Conduct for further information and disciplinary actions. MCS Student Code of Conduct

Students are only allowed to have water in metal or plastic water bottles while in the classroom. The only exception will be for specific classroom celebrations at the teacher’s discretion. This is to reduce the chances of sugary spills attracting bugs into the classroom and to help keep classrooms clean.

The MCS messaging system will call your home to announce any school delay or closing. Therefore, the school must have your correct phone number.

MCS Inclement Weather