About Flint Hill Elementary School
GENERAL SCHOOL INFORMATION
Absences & Tardies
Please carefully consider any activities requiring absence from school and limit them as much as possible. You are encouraged to prearrange absences when possible. Please do not ask the teacher for work for prearranged absences. Your child is encouraged to keep a journal, play math games, and read.
When students are unexpectedly absent, a reasonable opportunity to make up work shall be provided. For excused absences, makeup work receives credit; for unexcused absences, makeup work may receive no credit. Unexcused absences include: family vacations, child care situations, activities unrelated to school, missed school bus, and other reasons as defined by FCPS Regulation 2234.
Procedures to follow when your child is absent from school:
- The evening before or that morning call the Attendance Line (703-242-6161) and leave a message stating why the student is absent or send a note to your child's teacher via a neighborhood child. If we do not have a note or phone call from you by 9:00 a.m., the school will call your home or work to verify your child's absence. Your help is appreciated in assuring your child's safety and avoiding time-consuming calls.
- When your child returns to school, send a note to the teacher verifying the dates and reason for the absence.
Procedures to follow when your child is tardy:
If your child will be tardy, please call the Attendance Line stating why your child will be tardy. Upon arrival, a parent/guardian must enter the office to sign the student in. The student will be given an office pass and sent to the classroom. Please make every effort to send your student on time. Children arriving late often miss essential information.
Cafeteria
The cost of a student school lunch, including milk, is $2.65. Milk may be purchased separately for $.60. Only one dessert/snack item will be available daily and will be sold only if the child has brought or bought lunch. Please avoid bringing lunches from outside sources such as McDonalds or Subway.
Student cafeteria Personal Identification Numbers (PIN) will be the same number when they return to school next year. New students will be assigned a PIN. Money can be put on your child’s cafeteria account by using the prepayment service at myLunchMoney.com This is a convenient and secure service using MasterCard, Visa, or debit card. Once an account is established, parents may also check the fund balance, view seven days of purchases, and receive an e-mail when the balance gets below $5.00.
If you make payments through the cafeteria, please send checks not cash, and make checks payable to FHES Food Services and include the child’s name on your check. Your child will receive a stamp on his/her hand when only $5.00 or less remains on his or her card. To prevent your child from purchasing “extras” (additional milk, ice cream, etc.), specify “lunches only” in the memo section every time you submit a check.
Student Behavior We appreciate parental help in reinforcing, at home, the social graces needed to enjoy lunch in a cafeteria. Our cafeteria hostesses are in a supervisory capacity during lunch, and are due the same respect afforded all staff and students. Each student is expected to follow the Flint Hill Rules.
Birthday Celebrations You may purchase treats such as ice cream and/or cookies with a two-week advance notice. You can also order freshly baked Otis Spunkmeyer cookies or frozen dough. Contact the Cafeteria Manager (703-242-6121).
Clinic
Our clinic aide, Sally O’Connor, is available every school day from 8:25 a.m. to 3:25 p.m. Our Public Health Nurse, Meg Marcusl, is available one-half day per week as a resource to students, teachers, and parents to discuss health concerns. Contact the school clinic at 703 242-6110 if you need to schedule an appointment.
Updating Emergency Care Cards Promptly report any changes to your child's emergency care card by calling Sheri Mirilovich, our school registrar (703 242-6100). It is especially critical that new work or cell phone numbers be recorded so that you can be contacted in case of an illness or emergency.
Medication at School Children are not to be given ANY medication to bring to school. If your child must take medication during school hours, you are required to bring the medication in the original container and sign a medication form. No medication may be accepted by school personnel without receipt of completed and appropriate medication forms. You may obtain the medication forms by calling the clinic or downloading them online at www.fcps.edu/forms.htm. A new form must be submitted to the school each time there is a change in the dosage or in the time the medication is to be taken.
Excusing Students During the School Day
For the safety of your children, please use the following procedure for excusing students early:
- If you know in the morning that you will need to have your child dismissed early from school, send a note to let us know.
- Whether or not a note is received, you will be required to sign your child out of school through the office. No child is dismissed to meet a parent outside the building.
- When you arrive at the office to sign your child out, we will contact your child over the intercom.
- If the enrolling parent/guardian sends another person to pick up the child at school during school hours, a written note signed by the enrolling parent/guardian is required.
- There will be no early dismissals after 3:15 p.m Tuesday-Friday, or after 12:45 on Mondays.
Lost & Found The school is not responsible for lost items. Lost and Found is available for students. Please label your child's hats, gloves, coats, sweaters, lunch boxes, etc. Encourage your child to inquire about lost items. Large items are sent to a cabinet outside the cafeteria and smaller items (wallets, watches, glasses, etc.) are kept in the office. Three times a year (winter break, spring break, and end of year) unclaimed items are donated to a non-profit organization for children.
Moment of Silence Fairfax County Public Schools participate in a moment of silence each morning. At FHES it occurs before the Pledge of Allegiance. Please set a good example for our students by observing the silence when you are in the building at this time.
Parking
Parents or other visitors are always free to park in any unmarked space. After 9 a.m. you may also park in the spaces marked “RESERVED STAFF.” When parking on Flint Hill Road, please adhere to the “NO PARKING FROM HERE TO CORNER” signs. Cars violating this safety rule may be ticketed.
Tuesday Folders
Important information is sent home to parents every Tuesday in a special envelope. Please check your child’s backpack for this envelope containing your child’s school work, the monthly PTA Forum, and other relevant school and PTA papers. To conserve paper, only one copy of the PTA Forum and other important notices are usually sent to each FHES family.
Visitors/Volunteers
All visitors/volunteers must enter through main door (entrance #1). Please sign in at the main office and wear a visitor or volunteer name tag while in the building. For security reasons, the name tag must be visible to the casual eye at all times.
Web Sites
Please take time to familiarize yourself with the FHES web site (www.fcps.edu/FlintHillES). Our curator posts valuable information about our school, including an up-to-date calendar. This site also links to the PTA web site (www.FHESPTA.org) which will keep you informed of the many PTA activities and programs scheduled throughout the school year. Sign up for Keep in Touch. Visit www.fcps.edu for more information. Also, visit fcps.blackboard.com for classroom pages.
SCHOOL HOURS & EMERGENCY SCHEDULE
School Hours
- Students may not arrive before 8:25 a.m. unless they are enrolled in the School-Age Child Care (SACC) program. There is no supervision before 8:25 a.m.
- Students are expected to be in their classrooms by 8:50 a.m. Late bell rings at 8:45 a.m.
Grades K-6 |
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Monday |
8:45 a.m. to 12:55 p.m. |
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Tuesday - Friday |
8:45 a.m. to 3:25 p.m. |
Emergency Schedule Changes
Every effort is made to report accurate information. Inclement weather or other school emergencies (such as power failures or extreme temperatures) may result in closing, delayed opening, or early dismissal of schools. Schedule changes are usually available from the following sources: radio and TV stations, cable Channel 21, the FCPS web site (www.fcps.edu), the FCPS hot line (800-839-3277), and automated e-mail alerts from the Keep In Touch service (register at www.fcps.edu). School phone lines get very busing during these times. Please do not call the school or administrative offices.
Parents should make advance arrangements regarding where their children should go in case of an early closing. Students should know where to go if they arrive home and no adult is there.
When schools are closed for the day, the following will apply:
- Extracurricular activities, interscholastic contests, team practices, field trips, adult and community education classes, and recreation programs in schools and on school grounds are canceled.
- School Age Child Care (SACC) centers are closed.
When school opens two hours late:
- School will begin at 10:45 a.m.
- On Mondays, school will close at the usual Tuesday-Friday time (at 3:25 p.m.).
- Morning kindergarten will dismiss one hour later than the usual Tuesday-Friday time (at 1:05 p.m.).
- Afternoon kindergarten will begin one hour later than the usual Tuesday-Friday time (at 1:05 p.m.).
- Morning field trips are canceled.
- SACC centers will open by 8 a.m. when possible.
When school closes two hours early:
- On Mondays, school will close two hours earlier than the usual Tuesday-Friday dismissal time (at 1:25 p.m.).
- Morning kindergartners will remain at school, be given a free lunch, and be dismissed with the older students. There will be no special kindergarten bus stops.
- Afternoon kindergarten will be canceled.
- Adult evening classes & rec. programs will be canceled.
- All after-school activities will be canceled.
- SACC will remain open until children are picked up.
Due to developing weather conditions, the decision to open late may be changed to close schools for the day. This school-closing announcement is generally made by 7:15 a.m.
GETTING TO & FROM SCHOOL SAFELY
Kiss & Ride Guidelines
All children are encouraged to ride the bus or walk. Kiss & Ride is a community service provided by the school. For the safety of your children, it is vital that the following rules for loading and unloading students by car be followed:
- Load and unload students in the Kiss & Ride area only.
- Do not arrive sooner than 8:25 a.m. and 3:25 p.m.
- Use the Vale Road access lane to avoid blocking traffic on the main street.
- Left turns from Flint Hill Road into Kiss & Ride are discouraged. Proceed to the Vale Road access lane.
- Kiss & Ride is a single lane going in only one direction. Passing is a safety hazard.
- Pull forward as far as possible. At least three cars may unload at a time.
- Load/unload students from the passenger side only. Remain in the driver's seat.
- PLEASE DO NOT LEAVE THE VEHICLE UNATTENDED AT ANY TIME.
- Be ready to unload quickly, keeping goodbyes brief. Exit promptly after loading or unloading.
- Children are not allowed to cross the bus lane to be picked up by a car parked on Flint Hill Road.
- At times, teachers will direct Kiss & Ride traffic to use the Bus Lane. One Stop Drop. Go towards Exit 2 and unload as soon as possible.
- Cars may not enter/exit the SACC parking lot from 8:10-8:35 a.m. or from 3:00 p.m. until dismissal of the last bus. Parents will be directed to Kiss & Ride
- When leaving the Kiss & Ride, a right turn only is recommended.
Dismissal Procedures
At dismissal time, parents are asked to not arrive prior to 12:45 Monday, or 3:15 p.m. Tuesday-Friday. You may stand in the covered areas at Exits 1 and 2 in front, or wait out back at the Kindergarten door. Please remain quiet as school is still in session. To avoid confusion, please designate in advance where you will meet your child. The following is the order of dismissal: Flint Hill Road/Lakevale walkers, Kiss & Ride, and bike riders. Bus riders are dismissed next. Vale Road walkers, SACC students, and students in after-school activities are dismissed last.
Safety Patrols
We encourage all adults and students to cooperate fully with the safety patrols, as they are on duty to help prevent accidents. Contact the Patrol Sponsor, Mike Cooper (703-242-6100)with any questions or concerns about safety.
Going Home With Friends
If your child wishes to go home with a friend, the parent/guardian of both children must write notes to the office giving permission. This applies to both bus riders and walkers. Please include the bus number on the note. Note: Please send a paper copy of note. do not send via email.
Bus Riders
If the bus is late in arriving at the stop in the morning, do not assume that it is not coming. Depending on weather conditions, children should wait 20-30 minutes. After that, instruct your children to return home, go to a neighbor's house, or continue to wait. Students should not accept a ride to school unless prior permission from a parent/guardian is given. Unless it is a state of emergency, or the schools have been closed, a bus will be sent as soon as can be arranged. If a bus does not arrive in the morning, please call FCPS Transportation at 703-249-7120.
Bicycles & Scooters
Riding bicycles or scooters to school is permitted for 4th through 6th graders only with written permission from a parent or guardian. Permission forms are available in the school office. Bicycles and scooters are not to be ridden on the school grounds. They must be parked in a bike rack and locked for safety. The school is not responsible for this equipment.
Lindel Lane Cul-de-sac
This is a walking area, not a Kiss & Ride zone. Walkers coming from the cul-de-sac should stay on the track and not walk through the field.