21st Century Pioneers McVay Elementary Guide Book 2014-2015 Westerville City School District Dear McVay Pioneer Families, This guide is provided as a convenient resource and will answer many common questions about McVay Elementary and the Westerville City Schools Elementary division. If you cannot find what you are looking for please check the District Handbook for Elementary School on the website (www.westerville.k12.oh.us) or request a hardcopy from the school office. Please feel free to contact me with questions regarding McVay and/or district procedures. Ms. Amy Miller Principal TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION LETTER STAFF ROSTER ..................................................................................................................................... 1 1. BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS ...................................................................................................... 1 2. BUILDING SCHEDULE................................................................................................................. 2 3. CAFETERIA CONDUCT ............................................................................................................... 2 4. PARKING/ TRAFFIC FLOW ....................................................................................................... 2-3 5. PLAYGROUND SAFETY .............................................................................................................. 4 6. PTA/PTO ..................................................................................................................................... 4 7. YWCA KIDS PLACE (SCHOOL AGE CHILD CARE) .................................................................... 4 8. SAFETY PATROL ........................................................................................................................ 4 9. SCHOOL VISION/MISSION ......................................................................................................... 5 10. STUDENT EXPECTATIONS ....................................................................................................... 6 MCVAY ELEMENTARY STAFF ROSTER 2014-2015 PRINCIPAL SECRETARY CLERK Ms. Amy Miller Mrs. Sandy Spohn Mrs. April McDavid KINDERGARTEN Mrs. Jessie Drum Mrs. Mary Rubadue Miss Katie Karamalakis FIRST GRADE Mrs. Lisa Dapoz Miss Joselyn Wagner Mrs. Sandy Sansuchat SECOND GRADE Ms. Mary Alice Backiewicz Mrs. Arin Florence Miss Mandy Walker Ms. Elisabeth Fleckenstein THIRD GRADE Ms. Scotti Smith Mrs. Ann Romero Mrs. Julie McGuff FOURTH GRADE Mrs. Lori Malicoate Mr. Greg Mitchell Mrs. Marie Kimchi Mrs. Brittany Totman FIFTH GRADE Ms. Lindsey Clouston Mrs. Sue Zimmerman Miss Ashlee Wagner ESL TEAM Mrs. Joan Klemek Mrs. Julie Heckathorn ACADEMIC COACH Mrs.Geriann Patterson READING SPECIALIST Mrs. Kim Shawver Mrs. Mary Rubadue Mrs. Kelley Johnson SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGIST Mrs. Deborah Dunbar SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKER Mrs. Emily Mills Mrs. Sheila Ebbrecht SPEECH AND LANGUAGE Ms. Julie Pencheff NURSE Mrs. Denise StuckeyXander HEALTH AIDE Mrs. Adria Corbett LIBRARIAN Mrs. Bethany Solich ART Ms. Katie Wirthlin MUSIC Ms. Kim Spencer PHYSICAL EDUCATION Mr. Tom Carter CUSTODIANS Head Custodian – Mr. LeRoy Prater Mr. Sean McKenzie Dhoney Durusan ACADEMIC TEAM – Special Needs Mrs. Kathy Gordon Mr. Anthony George Ms. Rachel Schultz Ms. Clair Huller Mr. Michael McClain Ms. Olivia Hein DUTYAIDES Mrs. Carolyn Robinson Mrs. Vernita Lambert Mrs. Connie Flannery Mrs. Nicole Dezen APE/OT/PT Mrs. Joy Dietz Mrs. Pam Malcom Ms. Mary Blados STUDENT SUPPORT Mrs. Alora Beko Mrs. Marcy Brown Mrs. Annette Funk Mrs. Colleen Horan Mrs. Tricia Gomia FOOD SERVICE Ms. Linda Nield Mrs. Guin Parks STUDENT SUPPORT Mrs. Laura Mink Mrs. Christina Preeman Mrs. Melissa Ratliff Mrs. Alma Sheets Mrs. Angela Westfall Ms. Stephanie Checkler 1 CROSSING GUARD Mrs.Guin Parks 1) BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS For the well-being of all of our children, parents/guardians must check with their teacher to inquire if any student has a life-threatening allergy to any product being offered as part of a birthday celebration. If you wish to honor your child’s birthday at school, we encourage you to make a donation to the school library in your child’s name. Your child’s name will be listed as a donor in the front of the book. Please contact our media specialist for details about the Library Birthday Book Club. If you choose to provide a treat, please follow these guidelines to help keep our day on schedule. 1. Please plan the date of the distribution of a treat with your child’s teacher. Treats will be shared in the cafeteria at the end of the lunch period. 2. When speaking with your child’s teacher, please confirm that the planned treat is available for every child and that it is a treat that is safe for all children in the classroom. Special consideration for allergies shall be honored for the safety of our children. 3. The treat is to be delivered to the office. 2) BUILDING SCHEDULE Our office hours are from 8:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. School doors will open in the morning at 8:50 a.m. Classes begin at 9:05 a.m. Please do not send students before 8:50 a.m. because we cannot provide supervision. Dismissal is at 3:30 p.m. and students are expected to leave the grounds immediately. If you are picking up your child, please be prompt. Supervision is available only until 3:40 p.m. We ask for your cooperation and understanding for the safety and welfare of our students. Instructional Day: 9:05am to 3:30pm Instruction is to begin at 9:05am so please have your child to school so they are in their seats by 9:00am. Students may be dropped off at the building: 8:50am School Office Hours: 8:00am to 4:00pm Morning Kindergarten Dismissal: 11:30am Afternoon Kindergarten students may enter the building: 12:50pm Afternoon Kindergarten Instructional Day: 1:00pm Dismissal of all classes: 3:30pm For the safety of all children… • Students should not arrive at school BEFORE 8:50am OR stay PAST 3:40pm. There is no available supervision of children before or after these given times. • Students arriving after the 9:10am tardy bell MUST be signed in by a parent and/or guardian. • Students who walk or are picked up after school are expected to leave school immediately after dismissal. Please be prompt when picking up your child. • Parents/guardians of children attending the Westerville City Schools may want to contact the YWCA regarding before and after school program availability. The YWCA Kids Place program number is: 614-224-9121, ext. 1274. 2 3) CAFETERIA CONDUCT McVay Elementary has a number system to help students learn what volume of voice to use in different settings. 0=silence, 1-whisper, 2= conversation level, and 3=outdoor unrestricted level. Students are to enter the building for lunch at level 0 and then may use either a 1 or 2 level voices during lunchtime. This helps us keep our volume under control in an atrium that has quite an echo. We will honor other students while they are in class. Please remember to: 1. stand in line in a friendly manner 2. sit in your designated area 3. remain seated until an adult dismisses you and WALK to your class line 4. clean up your area to help keep a safe and healthy school 5. raise your hand if you need something, and 6. do not share or trade your food/drinks. McVay staff (including our duty teachers) will determine seating arrangements. 4) PARKING/TRAFFIC and PEDESTRIAN FLOW If you choose to drive your child to and/or from school, please be sure to follow the safety signs and established traffic patterns. HEMPSTEAD ROAD: During times of drop-off and pick-up, Hempstead Road often backs up. This is not only a problem for our community; it often keeps our buses from entering the lot. Please be patient and make sure that we are all observing the applicable laws. We all want our children safe! Please do not block Hempstead Road or the entrance to the school. Specifically, do not park or wait in the outside parking lane (lane closest to the curb of the school) as this is the bus lane. CAR PICK UP BEGINS AT 3:40PM. Look for McVay personnel that are assisting with traffic flow. THE BUS LANE: From 8:30am to 9:10am and 3:10pm to 3:50pm the outside parking lane is designated for buses only (lane closest to the curb of the school). DROP-OFF AND PICK-UP: As you enter McVay’s property, you will follow the line of traffic along the right hand lane in the parking area (Please remember the parking area is to your LEFT as you pull into the school property. Pull to the far end of the lane until you come to the marked area on your right. Students should only enter and exit from the side of your vehicle that faces the median. Safety patrols will be on duty to assist students across the bus lane. Students are expected to exit or enter their vehicle independently and walk responsibly to and from the school. WHEN our busses have left, we will open up an additional lane on the right side of the median. SOUTH CIRCULAR PARKING LOT IS RESERVED FOR SPECIALIZED SCHOOL TRANSPORTATION AND DAY CARE BUSSES/VANS. SEE NEXT PAGE FOR A FULL SIZE MAP 3 4 DISMISSAL INFORMATION *Consider carpooling or walking. *When using the school pick-up lane emphasize with your child to look for your car and to load when you are between the orange cone loading zone. *Do not hold the traffic line for pedestrians to cross. Pedestrians can cross when traffic is pulled up and unloading *Walkers are dismissed at 3:30pm. Please wait by the benches for your child. *Car riders are dismissed at 3:40pm. Students will be escorted by McVay staff to the car pick up area at the north end of the car lane (closest to Hempstead Rd.). Only McVay staff is permitted to stand in the car drop off area for security purposes. BEHAVIORAL EXPECTATIONS FOR STUDENTS WAITING TO BE PICKED UP: If a student is using the curb side pick-up service they are expected to stand in line and watch for their vehicle to enter the loading zone. Students are only to move out of line once all vehicles have moved up, come to a complete stop, and the supervising adult has blown a whistle. 5) PLAYGROUND SAFETY Children who choose to follow the Pioneer Pledge will be well within the expectations of both indoor and outdoor recess behavior. Please note that entering the woods at anytime without adult supervision is strictly prohibited. Specific behaviors that represent good judgment on our equipment, on the playground, and during indoor recess include no dangerous behaviors such as: jumping from the top of the equipment or desks flips from the equipment or desks rough-housing (pushing, pulling, shoving, kicking, play punching) climbing UP the slide and, standing on the swings Most importantly…no throwing nuts! Please leave our nuts on the ground for the squirrels. We think of others at McVay Elementary. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Inside Recess Rules Play in your assigned classroom. Teacher will define recess activities. Voice level should be monitored (use inside voice). Do not leave your area without permission. Class will quietly put away games, toys, etc. and return to their seats for lunch dismissal. 6) PARENT TEACHER ASSOCIATION/ORGANIZATION McVay Elementary has an active Parent Teacher Organization. Please watch for communication of how to become involved. 5 7) YWCA KIDS PLACE The Westerville YWCA operates a daycare program for children in the McVay atrium area before and after school. Information about this program can be obtained by calling the YWCA at 614.224.9121 ext. 1274 8) SAFETY PATROL McVay has a Safety Patrol made up of fifth grade students. Safety Patrol helps monitor activities on school grounds to ensure students are being safe and responsible. 9) SCHOOL VISION/MISSION McVay follows the WCS vision and mission statement. We also include the Pioneer Pledge. Our vision is to be the benchmark of educational excellence. Our mission is to prepare students to contribute to the competitive and changing world in which we live. Our Values The Westerville School District and those who represent it acknowledge that an educational institution must promote, uphold and reflect the values for which it stands, as well as those for which its community stands, in all work and learning environments under its care. Driven by a vision to be the benchmark of educational excellence, the Westerville School District strives daily to exemplify the following organizational values: Respect We recognize individuality and that every person has worth, dignity, and the right and ability to learn and contribute. Inclusiveness We believe every person should have an equal opportunity to access and participate in all educational offerings. Community We are an integral part of the community and contribute to its success. Communication We foster opportunities to listen, question, reflect, and share thoughts, ideas and insights. Collaboration We embrace our diversity, interdependence, and the importance of learning from and with each other throughout life. Innovation We encourage creativity in the advancement of new ideas. 6 Nurturing We ensure a safe and welcoming environment that allows every person to maximize his or her potential and character. Trust We deliver on our commitments and demonstrate consistency between our actions and our words. Accountability We are accountable to our students, our community, and each other. The Pioneer Pledge I choose to respect myself and others by: Listening and following adult directions Speaking appropriately Keeping hands, feet, and objects to myself Walking in the building Being prepared to learn THIS IS WHO I AM EVEN WHEN NO ONE IS WATCHING ME! 10) STUDENT EXPECTATIONS Children who choose to follow the Pioneer Pledge will be well within the expectations of both indoor and outdoor recess behavior. Please note that entering the woods at anytime without adult supervision is strictly prohibited. Specific behaviors that represent good judgment on our equipment, on the playground, and during indoor recess include taking turns, sharing time on the equipment, and having fun! PLEASE DO NOT: 1. jump from the top of the equipment or desks 2. flip from the equipment or desks 3. rough-house with others (pushing, pulling, shoving, kicking, play punching) 4. climb UP the slide, or 5. stand on the swings. Most importantly, PLEASE do not throw nuts! We love our school property and want everyone to have fun on the playground. We also want our squirrels to stay happy and fed! 7