Enrollment with the use of a Shared Housing Form has to be completed at the beginning of each school year with updated mail and a new Notarized Shared Housing Form. If you are living in an apartment all names must appear on the Lease. See office staff for all other registration documentation.
Arrival time for students is 9:05 am. Students may enter the building at that time. Students arriving before 9:05 am cannot be supervised and must remain outside of the building until the official start of school. Parents must sign-in with the office or designee prior to walking students to class.
Official dismissal time for students is 3:25 P.M. Early dismissal ends at 3:00 PM. Please be on time to pick up your child. We cannot supervise a child after 3:30 pm. There is no aftercare provided at this school. If there is a pattern of lateness in picking up your child, the appropriate agency will be contacted. We will make every effort to contact a parent or the emergency designee.
When a student is to be excused early, the parent/guardian or authorized person, must come to the office and sign the early departure book. The authorized person must present picture identification in order to pick up a child. The office will then call the child to the office for dismissal. When possible, medical and dental appointments should be made after school hours.
EARLY DISMISSAL ENDS AT 3:00 PM. STUDENTS WILL NOT BE PERMITTED TO BE DISMISSED AFTER 3:00 PM.
In Extreme Emergencies, please see an administrator for assistance.
In Case of Emergencies or inclement weather, school may be closed or delayed. Please listen to the local radio and television stations (especially during the winter). You may also access the Prince George’s County website at www.pgcps.org for school closings and delays. A two hour delay results in an 11:15AM arrival time for students. Breakfast is served if there is a delayed opening.
Board Policy #2565
To receive the maximum instructional benefit from classroom instruction, a child must be in attendance daily unless illness or a family emergency arises. Please provide a written explanation upon the child’s return to school when your child is absent. It is the student’s responsibility to make-up all assignments. Any student arriving at school after 9:25 am should report to the office for a tardy slip. Tardiness places a student at a disadvantage in starting his/her day. A note should accompany your child to explain the reason for tardiness. If a bus is late picking up students, this is classified as an excused tardy. Excessive tardiness is also viewed as an unlawful absence and truancy, which will be reported to the proper authorities. Please refer to Board Policy #5113 for more information regarding the Attendance Policy.
You must complete the Meal Applications for FREE/REDUCED lunch at the beginning of each school year. We encourage every parent to apply. Breakfast and Lunch menus are distributed monthly. If there are changes in your household income or living arrangements during the school year a new application must be completed and submitted online. All information is kept confidential that only the cafeteria manager has record of.
Currently, the school system recognizes two lunch options. Students can either bring their lunch to school with them or purchase lunch from the cafeteria. The Automated Cafeteria System (ACS) is used in the school’s cafeteria. Each student will have an account that is accessed by a Personal Identification Number (PIN). Parents may deposit money into their child’s account by sending it directly to the school’s cafeteria manager or electronically using the New Electronic Payment Portal for School Meals. Each time a child buys from the cafeteria the account is debited.
Please make sure your student comes prepared for lunch. It is the county policy that a cheese sandwich and milk are given to those students who do not have lunch/lunch money.
Students will not be called out of class to take phone calls from parents. If an emergency necessitates a child being contacted, an administrator or designee will assist as needed. Phone calls made for changes in dismissal procedures for your child will not be accepted without written documentation. Cell phones must be turned off during the day at school. If you need to contact your child, please call the office and leave a message. Students are not allowed to make calls in the school building using their own cell phones. (Please refer to the cell phone policy in this handbook).
Communication is an essential part of the educational program. We feel it is very important for parents to keep in close contact with their child’s teacher concerning his/her progress. Please schedule conferences in advance for a time that is convenient for all, i.e., before or after school, during teacher planning periods, etc. Our phone number is: 301-749-4350.
During the first week of school, your child’s teacher will be sending home an information form for you to complete, having this information returned promptly and correctly is of utmost importance. A record of this information is kept in the school office in the event you need to be contacted. Please make sure all telephone numbers and addresses are accurate and clearly written. Remember to put the name and telephone number of a person who can be contacted in case you cannot be reached. Please notify the school if you change addresses or telephone numbers during the year. It is very important that your records are kept up to date.
Valley View Elementary invites parents to visit our school whenever they have an opportunity, however you must report to the main office when entering the building. If your child comes home with information or concerns that you wish to verify, we recommend that you call the school and ask to have your child’s teacher contact you. The school office is open each day from 8:00 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. When asking to speak with a teacher, please keep in mind that we cannot call the teacher from the classroom nor can we transfer calls during instructional time. A message will be taken and the teacher will return your call.
The school office staff and teachers are responsible for the safety of all students in the school. ALL visitors to the school must stop by the office first. You must be on the registration or birth certificate to visit classrooms. Parents and guardians are always welcome at Valley View ES. Classroom visits and/or conferences by parents/guardians must be arranged at least 24 hours in advance. Please refer to Administrative Procedure 0500 via the PGCPS website for additional details regarding visits to the school. All visitors to the building must have state issued photo identification. A copy of the ID may be made and kept for our records.
Board Policy #0500
Students are asked to purchase an Agenda Book. These books can be purchased from the school. All students are expected to bring his/her agenda book home each day. Parents are asked to check the agenda book for assignments and/or notes from the teacher. Parents may also use the agenda book to send notes to the teacher. Take Home Communication Folders will be used for students in Pre-K and/or Kindergarten.
It is a felony for school officials to fail to report suspected child abuse or neglect to the proper authorities. The staff members of Valley View Elementary School will report suspected child abuse and/or neglect.
Valley View Elementary School is not responsible for the loss of personal property. Personal belongings (coats, book bags, etc.) should be clearly marked with the student’s name, homeroom teacher’s name, and grade. Students are not permitted to bring the following items to school:
Due to the safety of our students, it is necessary to make rules regarding the use of the school parking lots and the areas immediately adjacent to our school. When dropping off or picking up students, please be considerate to other drivers by treating them with courtesy and respect. You are encouraged to let your child ride the bus to and from school due to the traffic situation. Please DO NOT park in the parking spaces marked Reserved or in the bus lanes. There is an area designated for parents to unload and/or park; it is adjacent to the main parking area next to the field. Please note Prince George’s Parking Enforcement will give tickets to anyone parked in the fire lane or unauthorized areas.
While some parents find it appropriate to celebrate their child’s birthday, parties and other types of recognition at school, please note that such celebrations sometimes run contrary to what should be happening at school. In addition, such parties place some children in an awkward position because of religious beliefs. To that end, we ask that parents adhere to the following:
Field Trips are an integral part of the instructional program. Parental permission is required for student participation on all field trips. At times it is necessary to ask parents to assist us by serving as chaperones. Background checks and/or fingerprints are required for chaperones to attend field trips, especially for overnight trips. No student will be permitted to attend any field trip based on verbal permission. The teacher must receive the permission slip prior to attending the trip. Money will not be accepted without a permission slip. Field trip money may not be returned/refunded once reservations have been placed, as the school will still be responsible to the entire bill.
A Successful Student…
“A successful student “Puts forth effort and works hard so they can get SMART, the harder they work, the SMARTER they GET!! Work Hard and Get SMART!
Our school has the services of a full time nurse who is mainly responsible for dispensing medications, vision and hearing screenings, keeping immunization records up to date, assessing students who became sick while at school, as well as applying first aid. If you know your child is sick, Please do not send them to school.
If your child becomes seriously ill at school, we will contact you immediately. Children who get ill at school will need to be picked up by parents and taken home. If we cannot reach you immediately we will use the emergency contact information you have provided. It is very important to have current working phone numbers, and update them regularly as they may change. Please remember we cannot keep seriously ill children at school. Children must be free of fever, vomiting and diarrhea for 24 hours without assistance of medication before they can return to school.
The nurse documents students’ visits and if warranted, will make attempts to contact the parent using the phone numbers on file.
Medicine, including aspirin, cannot be administered by school personnel. Students who need to take prescribed medication or over-the-counter medication must have the appropriate form signed by the physician and parent before the medication can be brought to school. The medication and form must be left in the office with the Nurse.
Board Policy # 5163
All medication should be brought in by an Adult and immediately turned into the School Nurse. No medication should be in the possession of a student, including Cough Drops, Eye Drops, Inhalers, etc.)
Parents are asked to make the school aware of students’ food allergies and/or other medical conditions.
Transported students are given a bus assignment and are to ride that bus and that bus only to and from school.
Riding a bus is a privilege. Good behavior is required in order to maintain a safe environment on each bus. The school supports the driver in maintaining safe bus riding habits.
Students should be at the bus stop at least 10 minutes prior to their scheduled bus pick up.
Prior to loading the bus students should:
While on the bus students should:
Anyone who violates the safety standards will be suspended from the bus and parents will then be responsible for providing the child’s transportation. Bus suspension does not excuse the student from attending school.
Board Policy # 5131_1
The school has created a disciplinary plan and school-wide rules. Students are expected to follow all school rules (halls, cafeteria, classroom, etc.) and the County Code of Student Conduct.
Valley View Elementary School maintains a Zero Tolerance Policy for violence, weapons, and drugs on school campus or at school activities off campus. The staff of Valley View believes in providing a safe and orderly environment for all children. We believe that all of our students can behave appropriately in our school. We believe all students have a right to learn and all teachers have a right to teach. We believe that in order for students to succeed in school there must be a partnership between the school and the home.
Prince Georg’s County Public School utilizes a Code of Student Conduct. The Level of Responses and Interventions Chart is used to correct inappropriate behavior and actions of students. If interventions are successful, a referral to an Administrator may not be necessary. Staff members will implement various levels of responses and interventions with students. In addition, this procedure applies while a student is located on or off school property during fields trips, school sponsored events, athletic functions, while being transported on PGCPS vehicles and during any other school related extracurricular activity. Administration will address serious behaviors that are deemed harmful to the safe and orderly environment of the school at the highest level.
Board Policy #10101
Students using technology (computers and the Internet) on the school premises must adhere to the following guidelines: Board Policy # 10101
