The School Day

To download the school day information click here.

The school day begins at 8:00. Children arriving in their classroom after that time are tardy. Children are dismissed at 3:00. Pre-School sessions end at 11:00.

Before school, a teacher will be on duty after 7:30 to supervise children waiting on the playground. If you drive your children to school please drop them off after 7:30; there is NO supervision before then. If you must leave for work before 7:30, we suggest that your children ride the bus to school.

At 7:45, students taking breakfast will go to the cafeteria, and will be dismissed to class from the cafeteria. Children should not be in any other part of the building before 7:50, when they go to their classrooms.

After school, parents are responsible for supervision of children after 3:10 (or when they get off the school bus). Children must either take their regular bus, or be dismissed to a specific person or activity designated by their parents, such as the Warren After-School Program, the Upper Unit Study Hall, Girl Scouts, or Chess Club.

Students should not remain after school unless an adult is supervising them. We recommend that you do NOT give your child(ren) permission to play near the school, because they will be unsupervised and may interfere with the organized after school activities. They will be asked to leave if they don't respect other people.

The Warren After-School Program is available for all children at a moderate charge from 3:00 to 5:30 on days school is in session. You may enroll your child on a regular or temporary, spaceavailable basis by calling the school office.

The Preschool After-School Program (KPAS) is a parent-run program providing high quality care for preschool age children from 11:00 to 3:00 on days when school is in session. For more information, contact Andra Kisler, Program Director (496 2487 ext 229).

During the 2007-8 school year, Washington West Schools will close at 12:30 on eight Wednesday afternoons for professional development; both After-School programs will offer special extended programs on those afternoon.

Recreational activities are offered from time to time, as well as Brownie and Girl Scout programs -- watch newsletters for information about these programs. If a teacher needs to keep a student after school, s/he will contact you directly for permission.

If there’s a change in routine, if you want your child to go somewhere other than his/her usual school bus drop-off point, we require a written note from you. Please plan ahead with the child; it's difficult and confusing when several children all want the school telephone to make last-minute arrangements while the bus is waiting.

Early dismissal requires your direct permission, preferably in writing a day in advance. Please state why the child is leaving before the end of the school day and who will be picking up the child. That person should report to the administrative assistant or the principal. Let us know if you are keeping your child home from school on a particular day. Please send us a note with a sibling or call the school between 8:00 and 9:00 to let us know that your child is safe.

Planned absences for vacations should be carefully considered. The school recognizes that Warren parents may have limited options for family vacations, and that the only opportunity may come during the time school is in session. In deciding to take such a vacation, parents need to consider that the child will be missing instruction, lessons, demonstrations, labs, and other learning activities that are a normal part of the school day. The absence may affect the child’s academic performance in school and will impact the learning environment in the classroom. Furthermore, the child may not meet the school’s standards for attendance. Planned Absence forms are available in the office for parents to request advance work. The request should be made to the teacher at least two weeks before a planned absence; the teacher will make a reasonable effort to provide work for the child to complete during the time the child is away, if possible. Because the classroom is a dynamic environment, some assignments may not be available in advance, and some assignments given beforehand may change during the course of instruction. The form will affirm the parent’s awareness of the issues involved in making the request and will ask the parent to make a commitment to provide instruction and supervision during the vacation period. Teachers will expect the work they provide to be completed upon the child’s return, in a manner that reflects high quality to be evaluated by the teacher.

Emergency closings due to weather or other emergency conditions are announced on radio stations (includingWDEV 550 AM and 96.1 FM), on TV channels (including Channels 3 and 5), and on the web at www.sover.net/schoolclosings and www.wherezIt.com. In addition, the parent “telephone tree” will be used. Please let us know if you are not notified of a school closing, and/or if your phone number changes.

Dress is important at school. Please watch the weather and dress your child for both indoor and outdoor activities. Children will need to wait outdoors for the bus, and on most days will be expected to go outside during recess, gym, or sports. It’s a good idea to have an extra pair of indoor shoes in school during winter months; outdoor boots are messy and too warm for indoor use. They’ll need a hat, mittens, snowpants and a warm jacket when it’s cold outside. In physical education classes, students will need loose fitting clothing and sneakers (with nonblack soles, please).

We encourage parents to consider the message of clothing, particularly for older children. Teachers need to provide an orderly environment for learning in their classrooms, which means that children should come to school properly dressed. Here are some of the currently fashionable clothing items we’d prefer not to see in school: short shorts, bathing suits, tummy shirts, tank tops with one or no spaghetti straps, tee shirts with messages about cigarettes or alcohol, exposed boxers, and pajamas...

Hats (including bandanas and kerchiefs) may not be worn indoors at the school.