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19201 Thomas Farm Road, Gaithersburg, MD 20879
Phone: (301) 840-7191 fax: (301) 840-7185
http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/schools/whetstonees
Principal: Victoria Casey
Email: Victoria_A_Casey@mcpsmd.org
Assistant Principal: Antonio C. Scott Email: Antonio_C_Scott@mcpsmd.org
Whetstone Elementary Our Vision
Whetstone Elementary is a community that values rigor, risk-taking, respect, and responsibility.
Our Mission
Whetstone Wildcats will challenge, teach and encourage one another to inspire life-long learning
Whetstone Elementary
Our Vision
Dear Parents and Guardians,
Welcome to Whetstone Elementary School! At Whetstone, we
believe that each child is capable of learning at high levels and
deserves to be treated with kindness and respect. Based on
those beliefs, every student is provided rigorous instruction by a
caring and committed staff. My promise to you is that we will
treat your children as if they are our very own.
As a parent or guardian, you are welcome at Whetstone at any
time. Our desire is to have you as a partner in making sure that
your child learns at the highest level possible. If you want to
volunteer on a regular basis or just want to visit your child’s
classroom for a few minutes, we welcome you.
To ensure that Whetstone students learn at the highest levels,
we have established policies and procedures for our operation.
With over 600 students and 100 staff members, it is important
for everyone to know how we do business at our school. I ask that
you help us by reading this document carefully and keeping it in a
safe place for reference throughout the year. If you have any
questions, concerns, or suggestions about any of our policies or
procedures, please call me at 301-840-7191.
I know we are going to have a great year! Please stop by to say
hello and let me know who you are and what dreams you have for
your child. We will walk hand-in-hand as we set those dreams in
place.
Victoria A. Casey Principal
Whetstone Elementary Whetstone Elementary Page 3
Dismissal
At the end of the day, all students
will be dismissed through the front
entrance. All walkers coming from
the southside of Centerway Road
must walk through the tunnel. No
student is allowed to cross Center-
way Road to get to school. Walkers
who need to cross Thomas Farm Road must do so at desig-
nated crosswalks manned by safety patrols and staff
members. Bus riders are called as buses arrive at the
school and will leave through the front doors.
Every student should know and be able to tell an adult
his/her plan for after school. Students are not to remain
at school after dismissal unless previous arrangements
have been made between the family and teacher or princi-
pal. A student must bring a note from home to go to
friend’s house after school. If written permission is not
available, the student will be sent home in the regular
manner. Students will not be allowed to make phone calls
from the school to make arrangements for after school
visits. The school cannot take phone requests for such
visits except in emergency situations.
Students who need to leave school during the day must
bring a written excuse to the school office in the morning
for approval. The parent must sign their child out when
they leave the school. A student who is leaving early will
remain in class until the parent/guardian has arrived in
the school office to sign their child out.
Arrival
Students are allowed in the
building at 8:30 a.m. All stu-
dents enter the school through
the front door of the building.
All walkers coming from the
southside of Centerway Road
must walk through the tunnel. No student is allowed
to cross Centerway Road to get to school. Walkers
who need to cross Thomas Farm Road must do so at
designated crosswalks manned by safety patrols and
staff members.
After the first few days of school, parents are to
walk students to the entryways of the school, but
are asked to leave their children at those points. If
parents enter the school building they need to go to
the main entrance and sign in at the office.
The carpool line follows the perimeter of the park-
ing lot. The entry and exit are off Centerway Road.
No cars are allowed to enter or exit from Thomas
Farm Road. Students are dropped off near the
front of the school by the all purpose room. Several
cars can off-load at the same time, following the
direction of the staff. Please, no cell phone use in
the car lane. All drivers’ full attention should be
on students and traffic.
School Hours
Office Hours: 8:00 am - 4:30 pm
Teacher Hours: 8:15 am -3:45 pm
Student Hours: 8:40 am -3:05 pm
Early Dismissal Hours: 8:40 am - 12:35 pm
A.M. Pre-K Hours:
8:40 am -11:20 pm
P.M. Pre-K Hours:
12:30 pm -3:05 pm
Early Dismissal When school is scheduled for an early dismissal, all
students are dismissed at 12:35 p.m. Buses follow their
regularly scheduled afternoon routes. It is important
that all students know the plan for their supervision and
care on days when school is
dismissed early.
School Hours and Arrival & Dismissal Information
Whetstone Elementary Page 4
The car drop off route starts at the Centerway Road entrance and follows along the
side of the building to the front of the school where students are to get out of cars
and enter the building. Cars then circle back around through the parking lot back to
Centerway Road to exit. Parents are asked to remain in their cars during both drop-
off and pick-up. Safety patrols and staff members will be available to assist students
with their belongings as needed. In the mornings, students need to be ready to move
out of their car as soon as they arrive at the drop-off point. Maintaining a consistent
traffic flow is important to the safe and orderly arrival and dismissal of students.
Please follow the directions of the cones, signs, patrols, and adults as you travel
through the parking lot to ensure the safety of all children. Students are NOT to be
dropped off on Thomas Farm Road.
after school office hours. Upon
returning to school, students should
bring a note from their parents
explaining the absence. Without
written explanation, the absence
will be recorded as unexcused.
Excused absences from school
include: illness, doctor or dentist
appointment, death in the family,
observance of a religious holiday, or
a court order.
In accordance with the Maryland
Student Records System Manual
revised effective July 1, 2007 by
the Maryland State Department of
Education:
Students will be recorded as
full-day present if they are
present for more than four
hours of the school day.
Students will be recorded as
tardy if the arrive after 8:50
a.m. or anytime during the first
two hours of the school day.
Students will be recorded as
a.m. absent if they arrive at
school more than two hours
late.
Students will be recorded as
early dismissal if they leave
anytime during the last two
hours of the school day.
Students will be recorded as
p.m. absent if they leave school
more than two hours early.
Students will be recorded as
full-day absent if they are
present for less than two hours
of the school day.
Daily, consistent attendance at
school is important to school
success. School attendance should
be a priority for every student.
Please schedule appointments and
family vacations around the school
calendar.
Students arriving after 8:50 a.m.
are considered tardy and need to
be signed in at the office by a
responsible adult. Students buying
lunch will order lunch in the office
before going to their classroom.
Students leaving school for any
reason must be signed out at the
office by a responsible adult. If a
student returns to school after
being signed out, a responsible adult
needs to accompany the student
into the office and sign the student
back in to school.
When students are absent, parents
and guardians are required to call
the school office by 9:30 on the
morning of the absence. Messages
about absences may be left on the
recorder if a call is made before or
Whetstone Elementary
Traffic Safety
Absences and Tardies
Page 5
In the event of inclement weather conditions or equipment malfunction, it may be necessary to close school for all
or part of a day. The decision for all day closing or delayed opening is made by the Superintendent of Schools
and is reported on local television and radio stations beginning as soon as a decision has been made. Information
about closings will also be available on the MCPS website http://www.montgomeryschoolmd.org. You can also call
the MCPS News and Information line at 301-279-3673. When schools are closed due to emergency conditions,
all afternoon and evening activities at Whetstone are cancelled.
In certain conditions, the opening of schools may be delayed two hours to provide safer conditions for travel.
When school openings are delayed by two hours:
Regular buses run two hours later than the normally scheduled times.
Lunch is served at regularly scheduled times with no recess.
School is dismissed at the regularly scheduled time unless otherwise announced.
Field trips are cancelled.
When it is necessary to dismiss students early, the plan is announced by local radio and television stations, on the
MCPS website, and if necessary by telephone using ConnectEd message service. When an early dismissal is in ef-
fect:
Lunch is served on a revised schedule with no recess.
Buses run afternoon routes in the same order as on a normal school day.
In case of the need for emergency dismissal and pick-up, students will only be released to parents or to persons
designated by the parent in writing on the appropriate emergency forms. In these cases, valid identification
must be presented before students can be released to an adult. This may happen only after an emergency code
has been lifted or may happen at a designated site off the Whetstone campus. In the case of an emergency
evacuation, students will walk to Montgomery Village Middle School. This is part of our school’s emergency plan
for unusual circumstances that go beyond routine fire drill procedures.
Emergency Closings or Delayed Openings of Schools
Safety Patrols
Student safety patrols are assigned to posts
inside and outside the school building and on each
school bus. The purpose of the patrols is to set
the example for safe behavior. Patrols guide and
assist students crossing streets, boarding buses,
and exiting from buses. Patrols are not expected
to act as police persons or to take any type of
disciplinary action with students. Unsafe
behaviors or conditions are reported to the staff
safety patrol sponsor who will then investigate all
reports.
Whetstone Elementary Page 6
WHETSTONE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
At Whetstone, our discipline policy is based upon three guiding principles. That everyone will:
Do what is right.
Do their best.
Treat others the way they want to be treated. High expectations and academic rigor is at the core of our instructional program at Whetstone Elementary School.
In addition, we believe that for every child to reach their fullest potential they also need self-discipline. The self-
discipline we teach at Whetstone is based on four key expectations: Be Here, Be On Time, Be Prepared and Be Re-
sponsible. We have incorporated these words into our local discipline policy and school pledge so that all students
can develop strong character and make good behavior choices on a daily basis. We teach and reinforce appro-
priate behavior through the school wide implementation of Positive Behavior Intervention Supports.
DISCIPLINE POLICY
At Whetstone Elementary School We Will Always:
Be Here!
We will be at school everyday. We will be where we are
supposed to be at all times.
Be on Time!
We will be on time to school everyday. We will be on time as
we move through our school day.
Be Prepared!
We will be ready to learn. We will have all the necessary
materials to learn at the highest levels.
Be Respectful!
We will respect our school and the people around us. We
will act respectfully in every situation. We will speak
respectfully to every person.
At the elementary level, parents are responsible for student safety at bus stops. All elementary age students
need to be accompanied to and from bus stops by a responsible adult. Students are not allowed to ride any bus
other than their assigned bus or get on or off at any stop other than the one closest to their home without
written permission from a parent/guardian and the school.
Whetstone participates in the ―Ride by the Rules‖ program
developed by the MCPS transportation department.
Students are expected to follow the rules as outlined in the
program and to follow the directions of bus drivers and
safety patrols.
Whetstone Elementary
Buses
Page 8
Ride by the Rules Expectations: Be at the bus stop 5 minutes early.
Be considerate of people’s property.
Line up quickly, don’t push or shove.
Wait for the safe signal before boarding.
Be seated, make room for others.
Keep arms, feet, and head inside the bus.
Keep the aisle and emergency exit clear.
Throw trash where it belongs.
Keep clear of the ―Danger Zone.‖
Listen to your bus driver.
Don’t eat, drink, or play radios.
Don’t write, cut, or scratch any part of the bus.
Visitors and Volunteers Parents and family members are welcome to visit and volunteer at our school throughout the year. Classroom
visits and volunteer activities should be arranged in advance with the teacher. To provide for the safety of our
students, all exterior doors are locked during the school day. Visitors and volunteers must ring the buzzer at the
front entrance to gain entry into the building and then are required to check in at the office and receive an iden-
tification sticker. All staff members, volunteers, and visitors to Whetstone must wear visible identification at all
times. If you do not have identification visible, you will be asked to return to the office.
While visiting or volunteering, please remember that our school day is packed with instruction and learning. If
there is a topic that needs to be discussed with a teacher, please call before or after the student school day or
contact the teacher to set up a conference. All teachers are available by email on our school’s website
www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/schools/whetstonees.
Breakfast, Lunch and Recess
All Whetstone students are
provided breakfast through Mar-
yland Meals for Achievement.
Breakfast is served in the
classrooms at 8:40 a.m. Breakfast
will consist of milk, juice or fruit,
and an entrée of cereal, a muffin,
etc. Students arriving after 8:50
a.m. will not be served breakfast.
The lunch/recess period is one
hour. Students have 30 minutes of
supervised free time or recess and
30 minutes to eat lunch . The
recess period will be held outside
unless there is precipitation or
conditions of extreme cold or
heat. Students should be sent to
school with clothing suited for the
day’s weather.
School lunches are available to all
students. Menus are sent home
with students at the first of each
month. Two hot lunch choices are
served each day. A peanut butter
and jelly pocket sandwich is also
available everyday. The price of
lunch is $2.50. Milk will be
available for $.60. Parents are
highly encouraged to deposit lunch
money into their child’s SNAP (a
computerized cash register
system) account. Deposits may be
made by cash, check, or money
order made payable to Whetstone
Elementary School Cafeteria. De-
posits can also be made at
MyLunchMoney.com. Information
on how to use this online system is
available in the office. This elimi-
nates lost or forgotten lunch mon-
ey and the price of the lunch will
be subtracted from the ac-
count. At Whetstone, students
use lunch cards to access their
SNAP accounts. Low balance
letters from the cafeteria
manager will be sent home once a
week.
All students must bring a lunch
from home or be prepared to buy a
school lunch. Students who forget
their lunches or lunch money, may
call their parent/guardian before
10:00 a.m. Students may not call
at their lunch time for forgotten
lunches or money. Students who
have no lunch or lunch money will
be given a snack and milk.
Free or reduced ($.40) lunches are
available to eligible students.
Guidelines and application forms
are sent home the first week of
school and are available in the
office throughout the school year.
Please contact the office if you
have questions about the program
or need assistance in filling out the
forms.
Ala carte items such as ice cream
will be available on specified days.
They must be paid for in cash and
the sale of the items may be
suspended by the cafeteria
manager, principal, or principal de-
signee.
Dress Policy
All clothing worn on school property should reflect the fact that school is a place where students and adults do
important work. Clothing should not cause disruption or endanger health or safety. The following guidelines
should be followed when selecting clothing for school wear:
Short shorts, short skirts, halter tops, crop tops, muscle shirts, strapless tops, and spaghetti strap tops
should not be worn to school.
Flip-flop sandals, athletic shoes with cleats, and ―wheelies‖ are not to be worn to school. Secure sandals are
not considered flip-flops.
T-Shirts with inappropriate messages and language are not to be worn to school.
Moderation and conservative taste are advised when evaluating what is appropriate for the school setting.
The principal, or principal designee, will make a final judgment regarding individual dress code issues.
Whetstone Elementary Page 9
Whetstone Elementary Page 10
Illness and Injuries
A health technician attends to most health concerns and emergencies in Whetstone’s health
room. A public health nurse is assigned to the school to verify immunizations and health forms
and to advise teachers and families of available community health services.
Ill students will be sent to the health room. The school health technician assesses ill students,
contacts parents/guardians, and sends students home if necessary. Students with an elevated
temperature of 100 degrees or above will be sent home. Students must be fever free for 24
hours before returning to school. Students who do not feel well but do not have a
temperature, or are not obviously ill, will be allowed to rest for 10 to 15 minutes. They will be
sent back to class with the understanding that if the illness or discomfort recurs they need to
return to the health room.
First aid for minor injuries is administered by classroom teachers or in the health room. When
a student sustains a serious injury, a parent/guardian will be notified immediately and the
rescue squad may be called.
In the case of a serious illness or injury and restrictions on school activities are needed, please
have a doctor’s note outlining what restrictions are necessary and how long the restrictions
need to be in place.
Discipline
Behavior and discipline are shared responsibilities of the home and school. A cooperative and
supportive partnership benefits students and leads to students gaining control over their own
behavior. Whetstone has developed a comprehensive discipline plan which involves a hierarchy
of steps, going from a warning to suspension, in supporting positive student behavior.
Whetstone staff members work together, using common language and consistency, to help
students make positive choices in their behavior.
Medication
It is likely that some time
during the school year a
student will have medication
prescribed for the treatment
of a health problem. As a
general policy, the school
recommends that students
receive medication at home
whenever possible. In the
event a physician decides a
student needs to receive med-
ication during the school day,
certain procedures must be fol-
lowed.
For medication to be
administered, the proper forms
must be submitted and
approved by the health room
staff. Request forms are
available in the health office
and must be accompanied by a
doctor’s prescription.
STUDENTS MAY NEVER
BRING MEDICATION TO
SCHOOL.
Written parental consent is
required for each med-
ication, prescription or over-
the-counter. Parents/
guardians must complete
Part I of MCPS Form 525-13
available in the school office.
Written orders from the
physician are required for
each medication,
prescription or over-the-
counter. The physician must
complete Part II of MCPS
Form 525-13. A new form
stings must also submit to
the school MCPS Form 535-
3A Release and
Indemnification Agreement.
All medication kept in the
school will be stored in a
secure area accessible only
to authorized administering
personnel. The school
assumes no responsibility for
possible loss of medication.
The Montgomery County
Health Department and
MCPS do not assume
responsibility for
non-medically prescribed
medication or medication
administered by the student
him/herself.
In no case may a health room
or school staff member
administer any medication,
outside the framework of
the procedures outlined
above, and MCPS Regulation
525-13: Administering Pre-
scribed Medication to an
MCPS Pupil While in School
and/or MCPS Regulation 525
-114: Providing Emergency
Care for Pupils Subject to
Anaphylactic Reaction Re-
sulting from an Insect Sting.
Parents/Guardians may
administer medication to
their children in school when
necessary.
Whetstone Elementary Page 11
must be submitted to the
school every time there is a
change in dosage or time of
administration.
All prescription medication
must be provided in a
container with the
pharmacist label. If the
medication will also be given
at home, two containers
should be requested from
the pharmacist.
Over-the-counter medication
must have the manufactur-
er’s original label and the
safety seal must be intact.
Medication must be
delivered to the school by
the parent/guardian or by an
adult designated by them.
Bus drivers may not deliver
medication. School or health
department personnel will
not administer medication
brought to school by a
student.
A full day’s dosage of any
new medication must be giv-
en at home before the
school or health room staff
can administer medication at
school
Any unused medication
should be collected by the
parent/guardian within one
week of the expiration of
the physician’s order.
Uncollected medication will
be destroyed.
Students known to be crit-
ically sensitive to insect
Whetstone Elementary Page 12
Toys and Electronics
Toys, trading cards, cell phones, and
electronic devices (portable electronic
games, MP3 players, digital recorders, CD
players, etc.) are not allowed at school. If a
student, brings them to school they may be
confiscated by school staff. A parent/
guardian will have to come to school to pick
up any confiscated item. The principal, or
principal designee, will make a final
judgment about the need to confiscate an
item brought to school by a student.
Lost and Found
ALL students’ personal belongings are to be
clearly marked with their names. Lost and
found is located near the front entrance by
the all-purpose room. Students are
expected to check the lost and found for
their missing belongings. Periodically, items
will be displayed during lunch periods and
school functions. Unclaimed belongings will
be donated to charity.
Telephone Calls
Generally, teachers may be reached by phone from 8:15 a.m. – 8:40 a.m. and from 3:15 p.m. –
3:45 p.m. Teachers may give parents other times during the day or evening when they may be
reached by phone.
Students cannot be reached by phone during the school day. If there is an emergency, please
call the office and the staff will assist you. Students may use school phones for school
business or emergency reasons after gaining permission from their teacher or office staff.
Students are not allowed to have cell phones in their possession without written permission by
the principal. Parents must request permission in writing for the child to have the phone with
them during school hours. If permission is granted for a student to carry a cell phone, the
phone must remain off and in the student’s backpack at all times during the school day.
Field Trips
Field trips are part of our students’ instructional program. Teachers carefully plan their trips
in conjunction with the MCPS curriculum. All students are expected to attend field trips. Par-
ents and guardians are often asked to volunteer their assistance on most trips, but sometimes
the number of volunteers for specific field trips is limited. Siblings are not allowed on field
trips due to safety concerns. Volunteers are requested to follow teacher directions carefully
when accompanying classes on field trips and are to refrain from smoking and drinking any
alcoholic beverage.
Birthdays and Parties
Birthdays
Student birthdays are
celebrated during the
morning announcements
every day, and students
receive either a sticker or
pencil for their birthday.
Individual student birthdays
may be celebrated in agreed
upon situations with
teachers. The celebrations
must be brief and may not
interrupt the instructional
day. Any food brought in
must be store bought and
in its original packaging.
Students with food allergies
must be considered in
providing birthday treats.
Birthday party invitations
may not be distributed at
school.
Class
Celebrations
Class celebrations are an
important part of our
students’ school experience
and social development.
Classrooms may have up to
three celebrations a year.
Parent volunteers are
instrumental in planning and
holding these events. Any
food brought in must be
store bought and in its
original packaging with
consideration for students
with allergies.
Parents who do not want their
students to participate in
class celebrations need to let
their child’s teacher know in
advance. An alternate activity
or classroom will be provided
for students not participating.
Before/After School Care
Before/after school care is available on-site for Whetstone students from Bar-T Inc., a
privately funded and licensed child care services company. For more information and fees, call
the Bar-T office at 301-948-3172. Additional before/after school care facilities that provide
transportation to and from Whetstone include: Kindercare at 301-990-7703, La Petite at 301
-963-0986, Quality Care at 301-519-8775, Child Time at 301-948-2556, and McLocate at
240-777-3130.
Whetstone Elementary Page 13
Whetstone Elementary Page 14
Grading and Reporting
All elementary schools in Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) use a standards based grading and reporting
system. Teachers base report card grades on academic achievement only. Information about effort and behav-
ior are reported separately as learning skills.
In standards based grading, academic grades reflect what students know and are
able to do in relation to grade level expectations of the MCPS curriculum. Teachers
assess student learning in a variety of ways. Grades are based on multiple measures
over time, and learning is evaluated using varied tasks and assignments such as tests,
projects, reports, teacher observation, and discussions. Extra credit is not used in
determining academic grades.
Our school will continue this year in the implementation of the electronic standards
based report card for Grades 1-5. Grading upgrades have been put in place this
year to clarify student progress toward meeting learning standards. Students will
receive letter symbols that reflect their proficiency levels. Letter symbols are
used on student daily assignments to match what is reported on the report card.
Teachers will give specific information about grading in their classrooms. During the year, teachers will communi-
cate regularly with parents about student performance. Teachers will use report cards, conferences, progress
reports, phone calls, email, and notes home to keep parents informed on your child’s performance in school. Par-
ents should contact their child’s teacher with questions or concerns about grades or grading policies.
Learning skills are reported separately from academic grades. The learning skills graded are: 1) Cooperation, 2)
Feedback (Grades 3-5 only), 3) Participation, 4) Rules and Procedures, and 5) Task Completion. Success in these
skills will be reported as:
ES Exceeds the grade level standard by demonstrating proficiency of the content or processes for the
measurement topic a an exceptionally high level
P Meets the standard by demonstrating proficiency of the content or processes for the measurement
the content or processes
I In progress toward meet
N Not yet making progress or making minimal progress toward meeting the standard
IN Independently
LP With Limited Prompting
FP With Frequent Prompting
R Rarely
Homework
Homework is one of the many learning activities in which students are engaged. Homework can
be assigned to practice new skills, extend learning, or as an evaluation of learning. Homework
for practice is not part of the academic grade and is reported as a learning skill. Teachers will
give feedback in writing or by talking with students individually or in groups. Homework for
learning may be included as part of the academic grade.
Students at all grade levels receive homework each week. The amount of time a student
is expected to spend on homework and the difficulty level in assignments increase with
each grade level. Parents are asked to closely monitor the homework levels of their
children and are responsible for contacting teachers if homework is taking too much time
or requires extensive parental assistance on a consistent basis. All students are
expected to spend time reading or being read to each night as part of their homework.
Whetstone Elementary Page 15
Parent/Teacher Conferences
It is extremely important that open lines of communication be maintained between home and
school. Parent/teacher conferences are held with every parent in November to discuss stu-
dent progress and to plan for academic success. Additional conferences are encouraged and
can be initiated by teachers, parents, or the principal. Initial contact to discuss concerns or
problems should be a student’s teacher.
PTA Corner The PTA or Parent Teacher Association is a volunteer organization within
Whetstone Elementary School. It is comprised of parents, teachers,
administrators and even other family members working together to better the
school community to the benefit of all students. It is a vibrant and active or-
ganization, with many parent volunteers! They hold monthly business meetings on
the first Tuesday of each month at 7pm, which generally last about an hour.
The Whetstone PTA supports a tremendous variety of programs to better the school community. They
organize, sponsor, and participate in many programs at the school. They actively support student programs, the
school community, school improvements, staff appreciation, and curriculum support. Specifically, some of the
programs they support include cultural arts, International Night, Career Day, Reading Night, Math Night, Family
Fun Nights, annual dance party, books for the media center, and monetary support for classroom teachers.
Please join the PTA — the more parents they have involved, the stronger our school community will be!
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