Westside Intermediate School | Page 1 of 25 Westside Intermediate School Student/Family Handbook 2026-2027 8000 Quantico Road Hebron, MD 21830 410-677-5118
Westside Intermediate School | Page 2 of 25 Westside Intermediate School Contacts Name Position Contact Information Mrs. Leslie Tolley Principal ltolley@mywcps.org Mrs. April Guard Asst. Principal aguard@mywcps.org Ms. Sabrina Colborn School Counselorlkm scolborn@mywcps.org Mr. Kelly Wolf School Counselor kwolf@mywcps.org Mr. Stephen Knechel Social Worker sknechel@mywcps.org Mrs. Holly Curtis Attendance hcurtis@mywcps.org Ms. Vanette Jones Home School Liaison vjones@mywcps.org Mrs. Mollie Comer PPW mcomer@mywcps.org
Westside Intermediate School | Page 3 of 25 Westside Intermediate School The staff at Westside Intermediate School are delighted to welcome you to our school family. We are excited to partner with you and look forward to making your time with us a positive, rewarding, and memorable experience. This handbook has been designed to provide helpful information about our school, including policies, procedures, and resources that will support your success. We encourage you to read through it and keep it handy for future reference. Together, we can make this a wonderful year of learning, growth, and achievement. Mission Statement The mission of Westside Intermediate School is to foster a caring and safe environment in which all children are provided the opportunity to learn rigorous content with the prospect for individual growth and achievement. This educational foundation will enable learners to become responsible and productive citizens in a diverse and technological society. Belief Statements ● All students can learn. ● All students have the right to attend a school in which they can progress and learn. ● All students shall have an equal opportunity to learn rigorous content. ● All students have the right to a safe and supportive environment. ● All students’ learning will be enhanced with effective teaching techniques, innovative ideas, and technology. ● All students are valued for themselves and their unique individual talents.
Westside Intermediate School | Page 4 of 25 Table of Contents Page 5 Daily Schedule 6 Attendance / Absences 8 School Communication 9 Dress Code 10 Emergency Contact Information 11 Grading Policy and Progress Reports/ Report Cards 11 Homework 12 Standard Response Protocol (School Safety) 15 Laptops and Electronic Devices 16 Breakfast and Lunch 17 Nurse Information 18 PBIS 19 Recess and Cafeteria Expectations 19 Transportation / Arrival and Dismissal Procedures 22 Lost & Found 23 Visitation and Volunteering 24 X2 / Family Portal 25 Parent Teacher Conferences / Family Events
Westside Intermediate School | Page 5 of 25 Westside Intermediate School Daily Schedule 8:45 - 9:15 am - Student arrival and breakfast 9:15 am - Instruction begins Lunch Shifts 11:00 - 11:30 - Grade 2 11:35 - 12:05 - Grade 3 12:10 - 12:40 - Grade 4 12:45- 1:15 - Grade 5 3:45 pm - Dismissal 4:15 pm - School Building Closes 90 Minute Delay Schedule 10:15 - 10:45am - Student arrival (no breakfast) Lunch shifts and dismissal remain the same Early Dismissal Schedule 12:00 - 12:30 pm - All students have lunch in the classrooms 12:45 pm - Dismissal begins
Westside Intermediate School | Page 6 of 25 Attendance / Absences We want your child with us at Westside Intermediate every day! According to Maryland law (COMAR), it is a parent's responsibility for their children to attend school. Excessive absences and tardiness from school are detrimental to the educational process. Student attendance is a family responsibility. A doctor's note or parent note is required for an absence to be excused. If your child is absent due to illness a written parent note that contains the date and reason for absence is required to excuse the absence. Only 5 days of scholar illness may be excused by parent note each school year. Please try to schedule family trips during times when school is not in session. These absences interfere with the students' learning process and hamper the school’s attempt to achieve an "Excellent" rating for attendance. The County guideline for elementary students is as follows: To be given consideration, a written request for vacation must be submitted at a minimum of 10 days in advance to the Principal/Designee. If approved, the maximum number of lawful days for family vacations and family trips for any school year must not exceed three (3) days. Such absences may not occur during exams or state-mandated testing periods unless authorized by the Principal/Designee. Students will only be considered for other lawful absences up to a maximum of three days, if the student has no previous unexcused/unlawful absences or exceeded a total of 5 excused/lawful absences in a marking term. For absences of this type (other lawful/excused absences) more than three days per year, or a pattern of continuous lawful/excused absences, the principal will determine whether the absences will be lawful/excused or unlawful/unexcused.
Westside Intermediate School | Page 7 of 25 Attendance / Absences You may submit attendance notes for your student in one of the following ways: - A parent or doctor’s note may be sent in with your child and turned in to the office - A parent or doctor’s note may be emailed to WISattendance@mywcps.org - Parents/guardians may drop off a note to the school’s front office during school hours - Vacation requests may be dropped off at the school or emailed to WISattendance@mywcps.org Please note that sending an email or Talking Points message to your child’s teacher is not an approved way to submit an absence note. Please use the email address above for absence communication. Late Arrival & Early Dismissal If your child arrives at school after 9:15 AM, they must be signed in at the front office by a parent/guardian. The student will be given a tardy slip before he or she goes to the classroom. A doctor's note will need to be provided to excuse the tardy. 5 Things to Know about Wicomico’s Attendance Rules Students should strive to be in school all day, every day. Consistent full-day attendance supports students in achieving academic success, graduation, and development into productive members of society. Parents/guardians and students should review the Student Attendance Policy and Student Attendance Procedure to know the rules for excused and unexcused absences for everything from family vacations to college and employer visits to student illness or death in the immediate family. Students who have more than 5 unexcused absences in a marking term must successfully complete an attendance intervention plan to avoid failing the marking term. An attendance intervention plan may involve the student staying after school for up to two hours a day, with parents/guardians responsible for alternative transportation home if needed. Student attendance is a family responsibility. Students who have 5 or more unexcused absences in the 1st marking term will have to complete an attendance intervention plan
Westside Intermediate School | Page 8 of 25 School Communication At Westside, we have multiple ways of keeping in touch with our parents and guardians. Below is a list of how you can stay connected: School Messenger: Our School Messenger system is used to outline the upcoming week’s schedule, highlight important information, alert parents of upcoming events within our school, and contact families when children are absent. Messages will be sent on a weekly basis each Sunday evening at approximately 6:00 p.m. Please share with the office the phone number that should receive all School Messenger calls. Phone numbers must be accurate to receive the message. School Messenger will also be utilized in the event of any inclement weather or emergency impacting your child. Friday Folders: These plastic folders will be sent home every Friday. Information within the folders will include graded assignments and school-wide notices. Inside the folder the left tab will be labeled, “Left at Home” and the right tab will be labeled, “Right Back to School”. Please take the time to review your child’s folder over the weekend and return all necessary papers AND THE FOLDER back to school Monday morning. Facebook: Please look for us on Facebook! Our Facebook page is updated weekly with information on events happening at school. Talking Points: Talking Points allows you to have direct communication with your student's teacher and other staff throughout our building. It will also help keep you up to date with any upcoming events and activities. Parent-Teacher Communication: The relationship between parents and teachers is important to each child's success. Maintaining a positive, open line of communication is essential to facilitating common expectations between home and school. Attendance Communication: All communication regarding attendance, transportation changes, or vacation requests should be emailed to WISattendance@mywcps.org
Westside Intermediate School | Page 9 of 25 Dress Code It is expected that all students will follow Wicomico Counties Board of Education School Dress Code Policy. The purpose of the policy is to create and support a positive school climate for learning to occur. If the dress code is not adhered to, parent contact will be made by either administration or the school nurse. The policy is as follows: • Heading coverings may not be worn in the building (hats, hoods, bandanas, etc.). • Shirts must cover the entire back and shoulders. • All undergarments must be covered at all times. • Skirts, dresses, and jumpers may not be any shorter than 3 inches above the knee while standing. • Shorts must be no shorter than 5 inches above the top of the knee even when worn with leggings or tights. • Coats may not be worn inside. • Flip-flops and slides are not to be worn at school. On days that your child has Physical Education class, please make sure that they are wearing proper clothing and footwear to participate in physical activities. Please visit the WCBOE website for an in-depth look at the county’s dress code policy
Westside Intermediate School | Page 10 of 25 Emergency Contact Information New personal data/emergency information forms will be sent home with each child at the beginning of the school year. This form provides the emergency information that is essential for your child. Please complete all information on the front and back of the form for each child you have in our school. For your child's health and safety, it is CRITICAL that we have CURRENT emergency information, including parent/guardian name(s) home phone number(s), cell phone number(s), work phone number(s), and the numbers of TWO other persons who will take responsibility for your child if he/she should be injured or become ill at school when we are unable to reach you. Please be sure to ask these people if they will assume this responsibility before you use their names. We also need to know of any changes in your child's health status. ln addition, if there are any restrictions regarding custody/visitation, this information should be shared with the school office staff and your child's teacher for the safety of your child. Documentation from the court system must be provided reflecting changes to custody/visitation and/or restrictions to student dismissal. Please be sure to update information throughout the school year if any changes need to be made.
Westside Intermediate School | Page 11 of 25 Grading Policy Assessments Throughout the school year, students will participate in local and state assessments that will assess their performance in Math and Reading. The MAP Growth and/or Fluency Assessments will be administered three times a year for students in grades K-5. Local formative and summative assessments will be utilized in grades K-1. The information that is obtained will assist your child’s classroom teacher in meeting their academic needs in the classroom and identify the academic gains that your child has made. Students in grade 3-5 will participate in the MSTAR state test administration in the Spring. Progress Reports & Report Cards Progress Reports and Report Cards will be available in the Parent Portal on the dates outlined within the Wicomico County Board of Education School Calendar. Progress Reports are published halfway through each term and Reports Cards are published at the close of the term. All parents/guardians are encouraged to review your child’s Progress Reports and Reports Cards in order to celebrate their accomplishments and to set goals for the remainder of the year. If you have any questions or concerns regarding your students’ academic performance, please contact your child’s homeroom teacher to schedule a parent conference. Homework Homework is an extension of work introduced by the classroom teacher. When your child does have a homework assignment, you can assist by doing the following: • Provide a quiet workspace with all necessary supplies. • Set a time and routine for doing homework each night. • Check to see if assignments are completed in a neat and conscientious manner. • Help when necessary but do not take over the assignment. Each night students should read or be read to for at least 20 minutes.
Westside Intermediate School | Page 12 of 25 School Safety Wicomico County Public Schools has adopted The “I Love U Guys” Foundation’s Standard Response Protocol (SRP). Students and staff will be training, practicing, and drilling the protocol. COMMON LANGUAGE The Standard Response Protocol (SRP) is based on an all-hazards approach as opposed to individual scenarios. Like the Incident Command System (ICS), SRP utilizes clear common language while allowing for flexibility in protocol. The premise is simple - there are five specific actions that can be performed during an incident. When communicating these, the action is labeled with a “Term of Art” and is then followed by a “Directive.” Execution of the action is performed by active participants, including students, staff, teachers and first responders. The SRP is based on the following actions: Hold, Secure, Lockdown, Evacuate, and Shelter.
Westside Intermediate School | Page 13 of 25 STANDARD RESPONSE PROTOCOL: FAMILY GUIDE
Westside Intermediate School | Page 14 of 25 PARENT GUIDANCE DURING A SECURE OR LOCKDOWN SECURE - “Get Inside. Lock Outside Doors” A Secure is called when there is something dangerous outside the building. Students and staff are brought inside, exterior doors are locked, and learning may continue as usual. Should parents come to school? Probably not. Families may be asked to remain away from campus while the building is secured. Can I pick up my child? Depending on the situation, it may not be safe to release students. The response may later shift to monitored entry or controlled release. Will families be notified? Brief, nonviolent events may not require immediate notice. For longer or more serious events, the school should notify families that security has increased. LOCKDOWN - “Locks, Lights, Out of Sight” A Lockdown is called when there is a dangerous situation inside or very close to the building. Students and staff move into or remain in a lockable room and maintain silence. Should parents come to school? No. Law enforcement may be responding, and families are unlikely to be allowed into the building or onto campus. Visitors already inside will follow Lockdown procedures. Should parents text students? During the first moments, texting may not be safe. As conditions improve, the school will send an update to families. Students could also be moved off-site for reunification. DRILLS The school will identify a drill during the initial announcement so students understand it is practice. A drill practices an action and builds familiarity. It does not simulate an actual event. Follow school messages and directions during any live incident or reunification process. Source: “I Love U Guys” Foundation, Standard Response Protocol K12 Parent Handout (2025).
Westside Intermediate School | Page 15 of 25 Laptops and Electronic Devices Each student will be assigned a Wicomico County Board of Education laptop to assist them with the completion of assignments in school. Laptops will remain at school unless otherwise deemed necessary due to weather conditions or potential virtual learning days. All students will be responsible for providing appropriate care for the device. We ask that you please assist your child by ensuring: • Students utilize two hands when carrying the device. • Food and drinks are kept away from the device. • The device is used to complete instructional tasks only. A technology agreement is reviewed at the beginning of the school year. Families will be held financially accountable for damaged laptops as deemed preventable by the school administration team. Students are not permitted to have personal electronic devices while on school property. If an electronic device is out, it will be brought to an administrator, and a parent/guardian will need to pick it up.
Westside Intermediate School | Page 16 of 25 Breakfast and Lunch MMFA Schoolwide Breakfast Westside Intermediate participates in the MMFA schoolwide free breakfast program. Breakfast will be provided to all students who would like to participate each morning. Breakfast will be available daily until 9:15 a.m. Lunch at School A nutritional lunch is prepared and served in our cafeteria to ensure that your child will have a daily balanced meal. All students are encouraged to participate in the lunch program as a part of our emphasis on proper nutrition. Milk is served with each platter or can be purchased separately. Ice cream and snacks may also be purchased for students in grades 2 to 5. Westside Intermediate will continue to participate in the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) for the upcoming school year. Therefore, lunch will be free for all students. This program was authorized by Congress as a part of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010.
Westside Intermediate School | Page 17 of 25 Nurse Information NURSE INFORMATION Good health helps to ensure your child's regular attendance and good performance at school. Please inform your child's teacher of any physical condition that might affect his/her performance. Do not send your child to school if he/she is running a temperature or feeling very ill. If an injury occurs away from school, please have it treated before sending your child to school. We have a school nurse at Westside Intermediate every day. The school health services include vision and hearing screening for all children new to our county, and children referred to the nurse by teachers or parents. If an abnormality in either of these areas is detected, parents are notified. In case of sudden illness or accidents at school, first aid is administered by the school nurse or other designated persons. Parents are called when the situation requires attention beyond the services provided by the school. If parents cannot be reached and emergency services are required, we will call 911 for assistance. If a student is sent home with a fever by the school nurse, they must be fever free without medication for 24 hours before returning. Medication All prescriptions and all non-prescription medications that are given during school hours require a physician's medication form signed by a doctor. This includes cough drops, cough syrup, aspirin, etc. A responsible adult MUST bring all medication to school in the original container. Children are NOT to transport medications to or from school. Children are also not to keep medication in their possession during the school day. If you have any concern regarding this policy, please contact the school nurse.
Westside Intermediate School | Page 18 of 25 PBIS Positive Behavioral Intervention Support (PBIS) is a process for creating safer and more effective schools. PBIS is a systems approach to enhancing the capacity of schools to educate all children by developing research-based school-wide and classroom discipline systems. The process focuses on improving a school’s ability to teach and support positive behavior for all students. PBIS provides systems for schools to design, implement, and evaluate effective school-wide, classroom, nonclassroom, and student-specific discipline plans. PBIS includes school-wide procedures and processes intended for all students, staff, and settings. Expected behaviors are posted in all areas of the school. Students will earn positive points daily to attend celebrations for making good choices and following the Westside expectations! Students with NO office referrals will have the opportunity to participate in PBIS Clubs each month. Students with no office referrals at the end of each semester will participate in a larger event to celebrate their efforts and positive behavior!
Westside Intermediate School | Page 19 of 25 Recess and Cafeteria Expectations Recess Weather permitting, students will be able to enjoy time on our school playground each day. Please make sure your child brings appropriate external wear for the outside temperatures. Teachers monitor this free play time and enforce the playground rules which are reviewed with the scholars during the first month of school and periodically throughout the year. Behavior expectations: • Good sportsmanship must be displayed in all game activities. • Body contact games (wrestling, karate, tackle football, tag, etc.) are prohibited. • Climbing on the fencing, swing support, and sliding support is prohibited. • Playing with or throwing sticks, stones, or dirt is prohibited. • There should be no playing in water puddles or wet areas. Cafeteria All students are expected to adhere to the following cafeteria expectations: • Good table manners are always to be displayed. • Conversations will be conducted quietly. • Students are to sit in assigned areas and move through the serving line in an orderly manner. • Students are responsible for the cleanliness of their areas and should place all trash in the receptacles provided. • Students should raise their hands and ask permission to get up from their seat. • Sodas and glass containers are not permitted.
Westside Intermediate School | Page 20 of 25 Transportation / Arrival and Dismissal Procedures Car Rider Tags Parents/guardians of car riders will be required to display their car rider tags when entering the pick-up line. If you do not have your tag, you will be required to provide an ID. Car rider tags are assigned to those students that will be picked up daily. Tags are available in our front office. County School Bus Discipline Policy Students who fail to abide by the bus rules will be disciplined. Bus drivers have the right to suspend a student from riding the bus for a period of one day. The school administration team may suspend students for additional days. Parents will be notified of suspensions before they go into effect. The School Bus Discipline Policy is as follows: 1st Offense: Referral to the Administrative Office. Discipline at the discretion of the bus driver. The bus driver is to contact the parents/guardians of their concerns before suspending a child from the bus. 2nd Offense: Referral to the Administrative Office. Discipline at the discretion of the driver of the bus. The second offense may warrant a bus suspension. 3rd Offense: Referral to the Transportation Office. Conferences will be held with the Supervisor of Transportation, parent/guardian, and student (and driver if deemed necessary). The student will be removed from the bus until a satisfactory conference is held. At this conference, a decision will be made as to how long the student will remain off the bus. 4th Offense: Automatic 30 school days off the bus. 5th Offense: Automatic removal for the remainder of the school year. Safety Hints for School Bus Riders Students should: • Arrive at the bus stop 5 minutes before the bus is due to arrive. • Wait in a line away from traffic until the bus comes to a complete stop.
Westside Intermediate School | Page 21 of 25 • Cross the road to get to or from the bus, be sure you can see your driver's face. If you cannot see your driver's face, your driver cannot see you. • Wait until all traffic has stopped in both directions before crossing the road. • Speak quietly and behave in an orderly manner on the bus so your driver can pay attention and drive the bus safely. • Keep your head, hands, and arms inside the bus. • Stay in your seat until the bus comes to a complete stop. • Pick up dropped objects when getting on the bus, tell the bus driver. Wait until the bus driver says that it is safe to pick it up. Remember, books and papers can be replaced-you cannot. • Before getting off the bus, be sure all belongings are in your bookbag, so you don't drop anything. • Always go straight home when you get off the bus. Prepared by the MARYLAND STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Transportation Changes If a change of transportation is needed, parents/guardians must contact our school office. We ask that all communication occur in a timely manner to ensure that your child is dismissed properly. All changes in transportation must be received in writing. Verbal confirmation will not be approved. You may choose to write a handwritten note or e-mail us at WISattendance@mywcps.org . TRANSPORTATION & ARRIVAL/DISMISSAL PROCEDURES Arrival of Students School doors are unlocked for students to enter at 8:45 a.m. each school day (or in case of weather-related delay, 90 minutes later). For the safety of your child, please see that they do not arrive before 8:45 a.m. All students on campus must be under the supervision of an adult, which is not possible prior to 8:45a.m. Arriving at school at the proper time, being well rested and well-groomed are critical factors to the success of all children. Bus Riders – will arrive and enter the Bus Loop on the right side of the building. Car Riders – will arrive and enter in the Car Rider Loop at the front of the building.
Westside Intermediate School | Page 22 of 25 Dismissal of Students Dismissal will begin promptly at 3:45p.m. To ensure that our dismissal occurs in a seamless manner, students will be dismissed from the following locations and the following procedures must be adhered to: Bus Riders – an orderly dismissal process will direct your child to the Bus Loop as your child’s bus arrives. Car Riders – All parents/guardians MUST secure and display a car rider tag on the rear facing mirror to pick up their child. Procedures must be followed to ensure the safety of our students. If a student is getting picked up and there is not a car tag number displayed, the driver needs to have their license available to be crosschecked with the student(s) contact list and pick up the child in the main office. If the person picking up the child is not on the list, the parent must provide a written note of the person authorized for pickup. An email should be sent to WISattendance@mywcps.org from the email address on file for the authorized adult. All changes in Dismissal Transportation need to be communicated to the Front Office staff by 2:00p.m. to help ensure that your child takes the correct means of transportation home. Students will not be dismissed from the office after 3:30p.m. in preparation for our daily dismissal procedures.
Westside Intermediate School | Page 23 of 25 Lost and Found Our Lost and Found grows very quickly throughout the school year. Found items are frequently posted on our school feed on Talking Points and social media outlets. Please make sure you contact your child’s teacher if something is missing so that your child can have the opportunity to look in our Lost and Found. Please consider being proactive by writing your child’s name on jackets, lunchboxes, and any other belongings that may get left behind during transitions. At the end of each marking period, clothing that is not claimed is donated to a local charity. Visitation and Volunteering Visitors and class volunteers must report directly to the school office to obtain a Visitor’s Pass. A state issued driver’s license or identification card must be used to check into the Raptor Security System to gain access to the school. You are to wear the visitor’s pass throughout the duration of your visit. We encourage you to visit/volunteer in your child’s classroom. Please contact your student’s teacher to inquire about volunteer opportunities within the classroom. If you wish to be a volunteer, please register through the Wicomico County Public Schools website. Someone will be in contact with you. Only those on the student’s contact list will be permitted into the building unless contact is made with the office staff by the parent/guardian giving permission for other personnel. Please be aware that children preschool age or younger will not be permitted into the instructional areas or on the playground to avoid disruption to instruction and to ensure the safety of everyone.
Westside Intermediate School | Page 24 of 25 X2 Family Portal In order to keep up with your child’s academic performance, please log into Family Portal. This website will allow you to view your child’s performance on all assignments and current academic standing. The login information is as follows: Username: LastNameFirstInitialLast4ofSocialSecurityNumber EX: John Doe 3748= DoeJ3748 Password: Scholar’s Lunch Number We encourage you not to change the password, as many times families get locked out of the system. If needed, please call the office for assistance with regaining access.
Westside Intermediate School | Page 25 of 25 IMPORTANT DATES
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