STUDENT HANDBOOK PITTSVILLE ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOL 2025-2026 MRS. KAYTLIN CURREN, PRINCIPAL MRS. MAKAYLA MUIR, ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL 34404 OLD OCEAN CITY RD. PITTSVILLE, MD 21850 (410) 677-5811
School Mission Statement The mission of Pittsville Elementary and Middle School is to provide all students with a variety of learning experiences, which will enable them to become confident, self- directed, lifelong learners. A Message From Your Principal Welcome to Pittsville Elementary & Middle School – Home of the Wildcats! At Pittsville, we are proud to offer continuous support for students in grades 4 through 8. Our mission is to prepare each Wildcat with the academic foundation, critical thinking skills, and empathy needed to grow into thoughtful and capable citizens. We engage students in meaningful learning both in and beyond the classroom to equip them to positively impact their world. As a Wildcat, you have the right to an excellent education and we encourage you to take full advantage of it! Come to school each day with a positive mindset, ready to learn, grow, and participate in the many exciting activities and opportunities our school has to offer. Part of your learning journey includes the right to make responsible decisions. To help guide your actions and protect the rights of all students, we follow the Wicomico County Code of Conduct, which sets clear expectations for behavior and mutual respect. We are PROUD of our Wildcats and excited to see all that you will accomplish this year. With your energy and enthusiasm, Pittsville Elementary & Middle School will continue moving forward on a strong path to success!
Arrival + Breakfast Time Event 7:30 a.m. Students may enter the building 7:45-7:50 a.m. Students move to their homeroom 8:00 a.m. late bell Students will be marked tardy if not in class 2:45 p.m. Dismissal Arrival & Dismissal Bus riders are dropped off and picked up at the FRONT of the building. Car Riders are dropped off and picked up in the BACK of the building. Please be reminded that cars are NOT permitted in the front of the building to drop off or pick up students when buses are present. Visitors should park in the parking lot on the front east side of the school. At the beginning of the day and at the end of the day the car rider lot is very congested. Please make every effort to be considerate of those behind you and avoid parking in non-parking PULL FORWARD TO THE END OF THE COVERED RAMP when dropping off or picking up car riders. Transportation A note from the parent must be given to the main office if your child is to take a different mode (car rider vs. bus rider) of transportation on a particular day. Phone calls regarding a change of transportation will be honored for emergencies only. Please note that students may not request to ride a bus different from their assigned bus. IF A CHILD DOES NOT HAVE A NOTE, THE CHILD WILL BE SENT HOME HIS/HER NORMAL WAY. Change in Transportation Students in grades 4 - 6 will enter and have the option of going to the cafeteria for breakfast. If not going to breakfast, students will immediately go to the gymnasium and be seated by grade level. Students in 4th- 5 grade will be escorted from the Gym at 7:40 AM to their homeroom. Students in 6th grade will be released to go to homeroom at 7:45 AM. th Students in grades 7 & 8 will enter and go directly to the Cafeteria to be seated at grade level assigned tables. Students may opt to eat breakfast at their designated table before being released to their homeroom at 7:50 AM. ALL visitors MUST report to the main office to receive a visitor’s badge before proceeding to any location in the building. A valid picture ID is required to receive the visitor’s badge. This procedure is designed to protect the children and staff. Visitors must clearly display the badge provided and may only enter the area approved at sign-in. Visitors
Parents/guardians should know the rules for excused and unexcused absences for everything from family vacations, college and employer visits to student illness or death in the family. More information on the Attendance Policy and Procedure can be found on the WCBOE website under “Board Docs” tab. • Parents will receive automated phone calls and emails sent each day that a student is absent or tardy. (Note: this program uses the information listed on the Student Personal Data & Emergency Record form.) • A student should never, under any circumstances, leave school during school hours without first obtaining permission from the office or the school nurse. • Students leaving school property without proper permission are subject to disciplinary action Attendance Policies Our present policy on lateness is as follows (quarterly basis): 1) First lateness- Verbal warning 2) Second lateness- Verbal Warning and call to parent 3) Third lateness- Detention 4) Fourth lateness-Administrative warning 5) Fifth lateness- Conference with parent and administrator 6) Sixth lateness- 30 minutes after school detention 7) Seventh lateness- 1 hour detention 8) Eighth lateness- ISI for day 9) Ninth lateness- Saturday school 10) Tenth lateness- Saturday school and further consequences It is imperative that children arrive at school on time. Pittsville students should arrive NO LATER THAN 7:50 AM and be seated prior to the late bell at 7:55 AM. Students not seated in class at 7:55 will be recorded as Tardy to school. Any lateness requires a doctor’s note to be considered excused. Lateness/Tardiness Tardiness is in two (2) categories- lateness to class and lateness to school. A student arriving late to school must report to the office for a late slip to enter class. Repeated unexcused lateness to school will be addressed in accordance with the Wicomico County Code of Conduct. Lateness/ Tardiness
Students needing to leave school early must provide a note in the morning indicating the time of anticipated dismissal and the reason for the early departure. signed from their parent/guardian. Students will be called to the office when the parent arrives to sign out the student. Students will not be called early as this causes unnecessary loss of instructional time while waiting in the office. Early dismissals are recorded and tracked through our attendance procedures. Early dismissals require a doctor note or other valid documentation to be considered excused. Chronic Absenteeism A student missing 5 or more days during a marking term is considered chronically absent and will be required to complete an attendance intervention plan. This included excused and unexcused absences. Early Dismissal Requests A doctor’s note should be sent when a student is absent from school due to illness. A parent note documenting an absence due to an illness that does not require a doctor’s visit will be accepted and excused for the first 5 non-medically excused absences per year. Medical Absences A note is required for an excused absence. Such a note would include doctor’s note, court summons, or copy of an obituary from a death in the family. Notes should be submitted within five (5) school days after returning to school from absences. Notes from parents may also be submitted for consideration to excuse an absence from school. Only 5 parent notes representing 5 days of absence will be accepted per school year. A written request for vacation must be submitted at a minimum of 10 school days in advance to the principal. If approved, the maximum number of lawful days for family vacations and family trips for any school year may not exceed three (3) days cumulatively. Absent Notes A student absent from school is NOT permitted to participate in any school-related activity that may be taking place that day or evening. Events students would be unable to participate in include but are not limited to, athletics, band, choir, clubs, class projects, dances, etc. This does not include absences for excused school functions (ex. field trips, band/choral performances, etc.).
Health Services Nurse Visits Health Excusal Medication All students who become ill or injured during the school day should report to the school nurse. Students require to pass to report to the nurse. ONLY THE NURSE may determine if the student should go home. If a student is ill enough to be sent home, the nurse will call the parent/guardian to inform him/her of the student’s condition. A student calling/texting requesting to be picked up early does not qualify as an excused dismissal. Upon leaving, the student must be signed out in the office. It may be necessary at times for a student to take medication during the school day. The student must have a PHYSICIAN’S MEDICATION ORDER FORM filled out by the doctor prescribing the drug and a copy of this form must be on file with the nurse. This includes all over the counter and prescription medications. The medication must be kept with the nurse, not on the students’ person. All medications must be provided by the parent, not sent with the student. Students are not permitted to carry medications. Counselors and our student advisor provide services which include, but are not limited to, academic guidance, behavioral counseling, peer relationship issues, mentoring and crisis intervention. They also advise and link students and parents to appropriate community support and services. Our counselors will help students plan class schedules and guide in the selection of courses. Students may be referred to a counselor or the student advisor by parents, staff, or peers. Students may also refer themselves for services. Staff includes: Middle School: Kate Rebman Elementary School: Kelly Wolf Career Coach: Amy Rhodes Social Worker: Courtney Miller School Psychologist: Melissa Vega Pupil Personnel Worker: Cynthia Waters Community School Coordinator: Andrea Clymire Student Support Services
Lunch Procedure Report directly to the cafeteria for lunch and return directly to class at the end of your lunch shift. During each lunch shift students are expected to be in the cafeteria. Students may not leave the cafeteria without permission from a staff member. Beverages must be in their original, unopened packaging. Energy drinks are not permitted. Food deliveries from an outside vendor are not permitted. • Students may not leave campus to go to lunch. Have ID number ready for the cashier. Line cutting is not permitted. Once seated, students are to remain seated and not go from table to table. Before leaving, make sure that your table and the area around it is clean and ALL TRASH is thrown away. Return all trays, dishes and utensils to the wash area. No food or drink is allowed outside of the cafeteria. Lunches are prepared each day by the school Food Service staff. The menus are planned by the month and A la carte items, if available, may be purchased separately. Students may bring their own food from home, but glass containers are not permitted. It is the student’s responsibility to keep the cafeteria a clean and comfortable place by following these rules of courtesy: Each classroom teacher is responsible for instructing every class the procedures for evacuating their room. Map & instructions are posted in each room by the door(s). Move as quickly as possible without running and move a reasonable distance from the school. Remain silent in single file while waiting for direction to return inside. If a fire drill occurs while a student is at lunch, the student is to exit to the back of the building and join the class with which they came to lunch. If a fire drill occurs during the changing of classes, students are to leave the building by the most direct route to the front or back of the building. Students should report to their previous teacher or, if their teacher is not in the same area as the student, the student should report to an administrator. School Safety Fire/ Emergency Drills “Safe in Place” and “Lock Down” drills will be held periodically throughout the school year to ensure preparedness in case of an emergency. Students are to always conduct themselves in a responsible manner and obey the schoolwide expectations and policies of Wicomico County Public Schools in all areas including the bus and school sponsored events. The Code of Conduct will be reviewed by administration within the first few weeks of school. The code of conduct is easily accessible through our website. Conduct Detention Students assigned after school detention are required to serve detention. The detention slip must be signed by a parent/guardian and returned to the appropriate teacher or staff member. Failure to attend the assigned detention will result in further discipline.
Personal and School Items Each student is provided with a school-issued laptop. Any laptop damage will be the responsibility of the student and family. Students must…. Be responsible for the care of the laptop. Bring their fully charged laptop and charging cord to school each day. Follow all guidelines as outlined on the “Wicomico County Public Schools Laptop Loaner Device Agreement” and the “Wicomico County Public Schools Acceptable Use Policy.” Laptops Cell Phones Elementary Students are not to have cell phones on school property. If an elementary student brings a cell phone to school and it is seen or heard, the phone will be sent to the office. The parent will be notified that they will need to come to the school to pick up the cell phone. Middle School Students are permitted to have a cell phone at their own risk. Silent use of cell phones is allowed in the morning before homeroom, during lunch and in non-classroom areas of the school when permitted by the administration if it does not disrupt the school environment. Cell phones/ personal electronic devices MAY NOT BE OUT OR USED IN THE CLASSROOM. It may be stored in a locker or in the designated area in the classroom. They should only be visible and in use if the teacher has given permission to do so for instructional purposes only. This is at the discretion of the classroom teacher. Students who violate this procedure will receive disciplinary consequences. If a phone is lost, damaged or stolen, the school is not held responsible. References to cell phones include watches and other personal electronic devices. Cell phone/personal electronic devices: Must be always in silent mode. Must be turned off in private areas of the building (locker rooms, restrooms, nurse’s office). May not be used for audio recording per Maryland Law without the permission of the individual(s) being recorded prior to recording them. Should not be used in inappropriate situations such as video recording confrontations or fights. Failure to abide by this rule will result in disciplinary action.
Academic Reporting Progress Report & Report Cards Homework Progress Reports: The progress report is designed to let you know how your child is progressing in their current classes. Progress reports are issued midway in the marking period and are distributed to all students. Report Cards: Report Cards provide the student and their parents with an account of academic school progress. Each student has access to their report card through the Family Portal X2 at www.x2.wcboe.org, four times per year one week after the end of each nine-week marking period. The report card gives a grade in every subject that the student is currently enrolled in every nine weeks Progress reports and report cards are available in the Parent Portal. Click here for log in directions. All passwords are reset after July 1st each year. Homework is necessary if you are to get the most out of your classwork. It is a good idea to review work covered for that day in each class and to check carefully to see that your assigned work for the next day is complete. Absences – Make-Up Homework Short-term Absence: (five days or less) Any student absent for any reason will have the privilege of making up work for credit. The make-up procedure for short-term absence will require the following: Go into your Google Classroom (GC) and review any missed work. Via GC, teachers are responsible for providing make-up work for students who are absent. Students will be given the number of days equal to the number of days absent to turn in completed make-up work Long-term Absence: (six days or more) The make-up procedure for long-term absence will require the following: The student should enter Google Classroom (GC) to complete necessary work. Via GC, teachers are responsible for providing make-up work for students who are absent. A reasonable timeline for the completion of the work will be established.
P. B. I. S. Positive Behavior Intervention System Please know that unexcused absences from school may prevent your student from meeting eligibility requirements to participate in PBIS activities and other school incentives such as sports, clubs, and dances. To improve student success, Pittsville Elementary & Middle School will continue implementing the Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports program (PBIS). This research-based program is designed to improve student behavior, student achievement, and good attendance by setting clear and consistent expectations for building positive character. Our PBIS plan focuses on Respect, Responsibility, Readiness, and Safety. Students who consistently demonstrate these attributes will earn digital rewards and will be invited to participate in school-wide incentive events. Dance Criteria Must have a 2.0 from the last report card. No more than 2 unexcused absences in the 45 days leading up to the dance. For the first dance of the school year, attendance is evaluated from the first day of school. No Out-of-School Suspensions in the current semester of the dance , in addi�on to county requirements for exclusion based on cummulative OSS days. Students must be in school the day of the dance. The dance is for PEMS students only, no outside students from other schools may attend. See the Dress Code in the Wicomico County Code of Conduct. Students violating the dress code will be asked to change or parents will be notified to bring a change of clothing. Dress Code An automated telephone call system, Thrillshare, will be used throughout the school year to communicate school-related information to parents and guardians. It is important that we have the most recent telephone information/numbers, and email address so we may contact you regarding student attendance,school sponsored events, and PTA related functions. Thrillshare will also be used in the case of a school emergency to notify parents or guardians of a school or community safety issue. Thirllshare is also used by the Board of Education to notify families of school closings and other county-wide events. Communication Calling the Office: (410) 677-5811 When you call our office, you will be treated with respect and professionalism. Thank you for treating our office staff in the same manner. Picking A Student Up: Report to the front office and present your driver’s license. Any adult that signs a student out MUST be on the student’s contact list.
School Contact Information Phone: 410-677-5811 Fax: 410-677-5895 Website: http://pems.wicomicoschools.org Follow us on Facebook and Instagram
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