Parent Handbook
Hello and Welcome!
I am thrilled to join this wonderful school community as Rosa Parks Elementary’s new principal. This year, my priority is to focus on building and strengthening relationships with RPES students, staff, and families. I am committed to continuing RPES’ long tradition of creating a safe and positive learning environment, where every student thrives in their learning and personal growth.
We are partners.
I truly believe only when schools and communities work together will all students be successful. RPES is a place where everyone’s voice matters, everyone belongs. I eagerly look forward to working hand and hand with each of you. Only together can we create a nurturing space that celebrates diversity, promotes inclusivity, and embraces high academic achievement for all.
This will be a great year!
Sincerely,
Kathryn Ngo (I’m often asked how to say my last name, it’s pronounced “No”)
The Proud Principal of Rosa Parks Elementary
Mission and Vision
Vision - Rosa Parks Elementary School is a passionate learning community with high expectations working toward an internationally minded education.
Mission - At Rosa Parks Elementary School, we: Facilitate the development of all learners through hands-on inquiry in a collaborative and caring environment; Use data to reflect on our learning; Aspire to be quality citizens in local, national, and international communities.
Attendance
Arrival: Doors will open at 9:05 a.m., for breakfast students only. At this time, students are permitted to go directly to the cafeteria. Students not eating breakfast will enter the building at9:10 a.m. and go directly to their classrooms. Staff members will not be on duty prior to9:05 a.m. so it is very important that students are not dropped off prior to that time. The safety of our students is our number ONE priority.
Tardy: Students are considered tardy when they arrive after the 9:20 a.m. bell. Good teaching and learning time is lost, so it is very important that students arrive to school on time. We appreciate your help and cooperation in encouraging your student to be on time. Late arrivers must be brought to Entrance 1 by a parent and received by the Front office.
Dismissal: Car rider students will be dismissed from their classrooms at 3:45 p.m.. Walkers will be dismissed at 3:30 p.m. Bus riders will be dismissed beginning at 3:50 p.m..
Absences and Tardies: If your child is going to be absent or late, contact the school office before 9:00 a.m. on the day of the absence by phone at 703-580-9665. The front office voicemail is available 24 hours a day if you need to leave a message. All absence, tardy, and earlydismissal emails must be sent to
[email protected]
Excused Absences and Tardies include illness of the student, death in the family, doctor or dentist appointment, extreme inclement weather, and observance of a religious holiday. A doctor's note is required for an excused absence due to a medical appointment.
¨ Unexcused Absence and Tardies include Family trip, childcare situation, oversleeping, non-school-related activity, traffic, or missed bus.
Bus Riders
Riding the bus in PWCS is a privilege. School bus riders are required to observe rules of safety and good citizenship while riding on a bus and while waiting at a designated bus stop. Standards for safe, courteous conduct will be in effect beginning the first day of school. It is essential that bus riders cooperate and adhere to the bus regulations. Please read the Code of Behavior for more information. Parents are requested to review the information with their student. Please arrive to the bus stop 5 minutes before the posted time.
Kindergarten students who do not have an authorized adult or older sibling waiting for them at the bus stop will be driven back to school. It is then the responsibility of the parent to pick the student up from school in a timely manner. At the bus stop, all adults must present an ID to the bus driver before the student is released off of the bus.
Car Riders
· During arrival: Drop off your student only in the Kiss and Ride lane in the front of the building near the
Visitor Parking lot, not in the bus lane.
· Please make sure that your student exits your car onto the sidewalk where assistance by staff members is available.
· During dismissal: The car rider line begins at the back of the school and will circle around and continue across the front of the school into the Kiss & Ride lane.
· To pick up in car rider line, you must have a car rider number which must be displayed in your car. If you do not have it, please park your car in a designated parking space and go to Entrance 1 with your Photo ID.
· Pull your car forward as far as possible in the line. Please do not pass other cars in line.
· Please respect staff members who are directing traffic.
· Please avoid cell phone usage while in the car rider line.
· Please drive slowly on school property and exhibit courtesy to others.
Early Pick-Up and Change in
Home-Travel Routine
Students will be excused during the day for valid reasons.
Parents should send a written request to the teacher when their student must leave early. Parents must come to the school with a photo ID to pick up their student. We will not release a student to anyone other than people on the emergency contact list without a written request signed by the parent. Photo identification must be presented each time anyone signs out a student. Early pick-up ends at 3:15 p.m.. Please pick up your student before that time.
Students thrive on the consistency of a routine. You should make changes in transportation only when necessary. Students who wish to go from school to another student's home must bring in a note giving permission from parents of both students and a bus pass must be given to each student by the front office. Notify the office in advance with your written permission if arrangements of this nature are necessary for your student. Dismissal changes over the phone must be made to the front office by 3:00 p.m..
Health Information
When to Stay Home
Students with symptoms of illness, such as rashes, fever, sore throat, vomiting, coughing, runny nose, pink eye, or diarrhea, should stay home until a doctor evaluates their
symptoms and determines whether or not they are contagious. The Prince William County Department of Health recommends that students remain home fever-free, vomit-free, and diarrhea-free for 24 hours after an illness.
Taking Your Student Home
Our clinic works to control and manage student exposure to contagious diseases. We will call you if your student exhibits symptoms of illness, including but not limited to:
COVID-19 Symptoms
Fever
Persistent abdominal pain
Vomiting
Unexplained rash
Diarrhea
Head lice
Inflamed eyes with discharge
Persistent cough
When called, we ask that you make arrangements to pick up your student as soon as possible.
Medication
Medication should be taken at home if possible so that the student does not lose valuable classroom time. Children are not permitted to carry any type of medication to and from school or in school. Parents must bring prescription medications in the original container labeled and dated by the pharmacist and requires a physician's order for administering at school. Forms for this and over-the-counter medicine are available in the clinic, or online in the registration forms section at www.pwcs.edu. The proper form must accompany the medication by the first day it is to be administered. Medication must be brought to the office by a parent or guardian. Please do not send medicine in with your student. Please call the school if you have any questions or concerns
Lunch Information
Cafeteria Programs
Rosa Parks Elementary offers a daily school breakfast and lunch program for all students.
How to Pay:
Parents have three options to pay for school meals:
Online - Use www.MySchoolBucks.com. This service is
easy to use, convenient, private, and secure. Once the
account is open, parents may check the fund at any time
from a computer or phone.
Check- Send a check made payable to PWCS Food Services. Please be sure to include your student’s name and
his/her teacher’s name in the memo section.
Cash- Parents can deposit cash in their student’s account
at the cafeteria or students may pay cash on a daily basis.
Free and Reduced Meals
Some families find it difficult to pay for
their student’s meals at school. In order
to ensure that the school system meets
the nutritional needs of all school-aged
children, PWCS offers a free/reduced price program for
qualifying families. Applications for this program may be
completed online or by paper forms found in the front
office. Parents who participate in this program must renew their application every year.
Meal prices for the 2023-24 School year and School menus can be found at the link below:
https://pwcsnutrition.com/
Birthdays and Treat Policy
We invite parents to consider a gift of motivational pencils; a book for the class library, a board game, 10
minutes of extra recess, or a read aloud of a book for the class in lieu of birthday treats.
Families can chooseonly one option for a birthday celebration, not multiple.
Birthday treats that must be store bought and prepackaged (I.e. we can’t cut a cake)
Students sometimes choose to bring birthday invitations to school. If a
family chooses to invite students, all students must be
invited in class. Teachers cannot hand out invitations.
Isolation and Quarantine Information
Please go to the link below for the most up to date information:Student Health FAQ
Discipline: School and Classroom
In order to guarantee all students in our school the excellent educational climate they deserve, no student will be allowed to prevent a teacher from teaching or classmate from learning. Students will not be allowed to engage in any behavior that is not in his/her best interest or in the best interest of others. Prince William County Public Schools has defined the rights and responsibilities of students in The Code of Behavior. These documents outline the basic rules of conduct and disciplinary procedures for Rosa Parks students.
Field Trips
Field trips that coordinate with a curriculum area will be scheduled for your student's class during the school year. Each student who participates in the field trip must have a signed permission slip. Parents may be asked to chaperone classes on school-related field trips and will be selected via a lottery system. Younger siblings may not attend field trips due to safety concerns.
Parent Teacher Organization
The PTO Needs You! PTO meetings are held on the second Tuesday of every month at 7:00 pm via Zoom or the library if in-person. Dues to join the PTO are $10.00 per family. We would love to have you join us! The PTO may host "Spirit Nights" and "Family Nights" throughout the year for our families to enjoy.
Advisory Council
The purpose of the Rosa Parks ES Advisory Council is to collaborate with the principal to advise the Principal about community and school needs which affect our students. The Advisory Council is made up of a group of 16 people: the Principal, Assistant Principal, 8 parent representatives, 7 school staff representatives, and a PTO board member. The council meets bi- monthly on the 3rd Monday at 6p.m. (subject to change due to interest.) For parents wishing to speak during open chair, 10 minutes are allotted at the beginning of each meeting.
Standards of Learning (SOL) and Programs of Studies
The Virginia Board of Education adopted the Standards of Learning (SOLs) in four core subject areas: English (Reading and Writing), Mathematics, Science, and History/Social Science. The SOLs provide a framework of instructional objectives for Kindergarten through High School. Elementary students are tested in grades 3, 4, and 5, to ensure that they are meeting curriculum objectives.
Program of Studies (POS) is the framework of objectives used to determine instructional emphasis for all subjects at all grade levels. POS objectives provide the foundation for classroom instruction in Prince William County Public Schools. They are the key factors in identifying, planning, implementing, and evaluating instructional programs. The PWCS' POS cover the SOLs and prepare students to take the Virginia-mandated tests.
Homework
Homework is a key point of contact between home and school. Parents should create a home environment that reinforces the school message that education is important and that life is enriched by learning. Homework is assigned to reinforce skills taught in the classroom and to enrich the school experience. Teachers decide on the amount of and type of work considering the level and ability of the child. The responsibility for homework gradually increases for students in grades K through 5th. As always, we encourage you to read with your student every day!
Report Cards
Report cards are issued four times a year, at nine-week intervals. The purpose of the report card is to help parents identify the student's strengths and weaknesses and to help teachers evaluate and plan instruction accordingly. Teachers will request a conference with parents at the end of the first quarter. Additional conferences are encouraged and may be requested by either the parent or teacher as needed.
Retention
Whenever it appears that a student will benefit from another year at the same grade placement, parents will be informed of the student's specific academic needs by the teacher. Written notification regarding the possibility of retention will be communicated to the parents by the end of the second grading period.
School Closings/Schedule Changes
Parents should make advanced preparations for students in the event of inclement weather schedule changes. Please listen to local radio and television stations or announcements about school closings, delayed openings, or early closings. Avoid calling the school for this information. Parents are automatically enrolled in the PWCS Notification Service for phone, text, and email.
Parent Vue
Be sure to set up your ParentVue account. This tool will give you access to your student's bus and class schedules, grades, attendance information, and more.
You may access ParentVUE online, but for the best mobile experience, we encourage you to download the ParentVUE App from the Google Play Store and Apple Store.
Textbooks and Library Books
All textbooks and library books are issued without charge to students for their use during the school year. Students who lose or damage textbooks and/or library books will be charged a replacement fee.
Bullying Information
Bullying is when a student intentionally, repeatedly, over time causes or threatens to cause physical or emotional harm or discomfort on another's body, feelings, or possessions. One incident of conflict is something that may be handled by the teacher. Bullying behaviors are NOT tolerated at Rosa Parks Elementary School. If bullying happens, it must be reported to an adult. If a student feels bullied, they should tell their teacher, school counselor, school administrator, or parent. If your student tells you about bullying, please let the teacher, administrator, or school counselor know about it immediately.
Once the school is aware of bullying, we will take the following actions: Student completes the bully report form. A student can do this alone, with a parent, a teacher, or a school counselor. Forms are located on the school counselor's website page.
The student will meet with the school counselor to discuss the bullying and strategies for dealing with it. The school counselor will place a phone call to the students' parents and work with the students' teachers and specialists to resolve the concerns.
What is IB?
At Rosa Parks Elementary, we value the importance of a safe environment that is conducive to teaching and learning. Our school community embraces the challenges that foster diverse learners. Currently, we are well on our way with teaching and learning through inquiry. Our students construct meaning and talk about their thinking. This is especially evident in hands-on scientific investigations and in mathematics. We understand the power of choice and lesson variety. Thus, our students share their learning through projects that are evaluated by a rubric. These open-ended opportunities for demonstrating mastery of standards-based education encourage creativity and diversity.
Community service is a requirement for International Baccalaureate (IB) Primary Years Programme Schools. Examples of previous service projects are: making "No-Sew" blankets to help the children and adults in the Hilda Barg Homeless Shelter ward off the winter chill; collecting 990 linear feet of canned goods for Operation Turkey; and participating in a Habitat for Humanity house dedication. At Rosa Parks, we strive to develop inquiring, knowledgeable, and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world by acting when a local or international need has been identified.
The International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme (IBPYP) is a good fit for our school community. We are honored to be the first authorized IBPYP school in Prince William County. Rosa Parks welcomes the lifelong learning that accompanies IBPYP.
Dress Code
Please be aware that the PWCS Code of Behavior defines the dress code for all schools in Prince William County and the code will be enforced at Rosa Parks. Tasteful and traditional school attire is expected for both students and adults when in the school. Clothing should be clean and neat, and conform to the standards of good taste and decency. Clothing that is unacceptable includes: halter-tops, dresses or tops with spaghetti straps, short-shorts, and clothing that exposes the stomach, hips, or underwear of the wearer. Clothing with wording or graphics that are suggestive or which serves to bring attention to private parts of a student's body (i.e., writing across the seat of pants/shorts) is not allowed. Jeans or overalls must be worn in such a manner as to not present a problem to the wearer in terms of ability to walk or move about the school. Clothing that depicts suggestive, vulgar, or obscene language or graphics, weapons, drugs, drug paraphernalia, alcohol, or gang symbols are not permitted. Bandanas or forehead bands are not permitted for any students. Hats/caps/hoods will not be worn inside the building. Rubber-sole sports shoes are recommended due to the daily recess period and increased PE classes. Loose fitting sandals and flip-flops are not safe for school wear.
Key People
Principal: Kathryn Ngo
[email protected]
Assistant Principal: Maria Menjivar
Finance Specialist: Robin Glover
Registrar: Stephanie Ferrandino
Administrative Assistant: Diana Miller
Parent Liaison: Martha Mayorga
School Nurse: Myrna Liedel
[email protected]
School Counselors
Terri Faulkner
[email protected]
Eve Montavon
[email protected]
School Social Worker
Kara Burnham
[email protected]
School Psychologist
Mallory Smith
[email protected]
Rosa Parks ES PTO
Rosa Parks ES students and staff benefit tremendously from the support of Rosa Parks' fabulous PTO. All parents and teachers are highly encouraged to become PTO members to support our students and our school. Additionally, please consider volunteering on one of many PTO committees-all of which provide invaluable support to Rosa Parks ES.
PTO 2023-24 Board
PTO President: Sarah Bongiovanni
Vice President: Chassity Lim
Secretary: Jennifer Mirzayan
Treasurer: Rrichelle De La Cueva
Email: [email protected]