Welcome Back!
On behalf of our entire staff at Washington School, welcome to the 2019-2020 school year! I trust that you have had a relaxing and enjoyable summer with your respective families. I am excited to welcome our students and staff back. While much information is being provided to you through my summer letter, there is still more to share. Please take the time to read on so that you will be well informed with regard to other school policies and procedures.
Our Student/Parent Handbook is an important reference tool for parents and guardians. An updated version is now available on our Washington School website. Please visit our website at www.rutherfordschools.org, click on Washington School and then on to Washington Quick Links. School photos and Back to School Night are fast approaching. Please note that each of these events are scheduled for Wednesday, September 11. More information will be provided once the school year begins.
Regular and prompt attendance at school is crucial to student learning and efficiency in our classrooms. All students in grades 1-3 are required to report to school no later than 8:30 a.m. The triple doors will be open from 8:10 a.m. until 8:30 a.m. If you are in danger of being late, do not drop your child off and leave the area. Please do not put your child in this predicament. Any student arriving after 8:30 a.m. must report to the main office and be signed in by a parent. In the event of a delayed opening, the triple doors will be open at 10:40 a.m. Students are due in school by 11:00 a.m. Separate time schedules have been issued for all Pre-K classes.
Parents/guardians visit our school for various reasons during the school day, and we appreciate the assistance we receive. When visiting the school, please remain focused on the intention of your visit and remember that the office is a place of school business. Therefore, please limit your visit and discussion to school-related matters. All visitors entitled to enter other areas of the building must wear a Visitor’s Pass. All parents should exit via the office promptly after conducting their necessary business.
Parent/guardian visits to drop off forgotten items will be limited. Acceptable items for dropoff are glasses, forgotten lunches, and sneakers. This should not occur, however, on a regular basis. Parents should not come to school to drop off non-essential items such as water bottles, pencils, and other items that the school already has.
Parents/guardians are to notify the school secretary prior to 8:30 a.m. if their child is going to be absent. This is an essential safety measure, which allows us to readily account for each of our students. Upon returning to school, the student must deliver a note written by a parent or guardian explaining each day of absence as per Rutherford Board of Education policy. Medical excuses from doctors should be submitted immediately upon a child’s return to school. These medical notes become part of a student’s attendance record and are necessary should a student exceed the limit of allowable absences and the parents need to make an appeal. The school district will not honor retroactive medical excuses from doctors.
Students are expected to be dressed appropriately for a school setting. Frayed jeans and frayed or cutoff shorts are not permitted. Shorts should be long enough to provide adequate coverage. All students should wear shirts and tops that cover their shoulders and chests sufficiently. Tank tops and basketball style jerseys with open sleeves are not permitted. For safety, no open backed footwear (flip-flops, etc.) is permissible. For our complete dress code, please consult the handbook. Students may not have electronic listening devices, video games or trading cards at school. Please remember that no glass bottles or stainless steel utensils are allowed. Only plastic is permissible.
Thank you for your anticipated cooperation. Let’s have a wonderful school year!
Bill Mulcahy