Delmar Elementary Student Handbook 2023-2024

Page | 1 DELMAR ELEMENTARY 811 S. Second Street, Delmar, MD 21875 THE SCHOOL TOO GREAT FOR JUST ONE STATE! 410-677-5178 (P) / 410-677-5184 (F) 2023-2024 STUDENT HANDBOOK Principal: Dr. Ryan Kessler Assistant Principal: Mrs. Shelly Hall Assistant Principal: Mr. Chris McLaughlin http://des.wcboe.org

Page | 2 FORWORD The staff of Delmar Elementary School is pleased to have you as a member of our school family, and we hope your time with us is a pleasant and rewarding experience. This handbook provides information that we think will answer questions you may have about school policies and procedures. We encourage you to read it and file it for easy reference. We also welcome feedback from you that will help us make this handbook more user-friendly. SCHOOL HISTORY Delmar Elementary School was once the Maryland Elementary School. The central section of the school (office and second floor) was built in 1920, and in 1923 only grades seven through eleven attended. Now the enlarged school teaches only PK - 4 and the middle and high school students attend the Delmar Middle and High School located in Delmar, Delaware. Delmar Elementary School is a bi-state school that serves students from the Wicomico County School District in Maryland and the Delmar School District in Sussex County, Delaware. SCHOOL MISSION STATEMENT Delmar Elementary School is committed to offering an instructional program that promotes high academic performance. Within our control, we strive to help our students learn how to conduct themselves in a socially acceptable manner and to accept responsibility for their behavior. Promoting student's understanding and involvement is a vital element in this educational mission. MARYLAND AND DELAWARE BI-STATE AGREEMENT There is an agreement between the Maryland State Board of Education, the Wicomico County Board of Education, and the Delaware Department of Education allowing students from Delmar Maryland and Delmar Delaware school zone to receive all educational services within the same school setting. In addition to this agreement for educational services, there is also a one-time option provided to all Delmar, Maryland residents living in the Delmar school zone providing grade 4 students an opportunity to attend the Delmar Middle and High School in Delmar Delaware. SCHOOL SCHEDULE 7:45 A.M. School Building Opens 8:15 A.M. Classes Begin 2:45 P.M. Dismissal Begins 3:15 P.M. School Building Closes

Page | 3 ABSENCE FOR FAMILY TRIPS Please try to schedule trips during times when school is not in session. These absences interfere with the students’ learning process and hurt the school in our attempt to achieve our required attendance percentage for the school and state. The county guideline for elementary students is as follows: While it is necessary that a trip cannot be considered a legal reason to be absent from school, it is felt that under the following circumstances, no punitive actions would be taken. ▪ Parents must submit the “Parent Request for Non-Emergency Absence” form available in the school office to the principal well in advance of the trip designating the purpose and length of the absence. ▪ The trip must be with the family or is parent sanctioned. ▪ Circumstances and reasons should be fully explained to the principal prior to the designated trip date. ▪ All arrangements for homework, tests, quizzes, etc. should be worked out with the individual teacher a week in advance. Students are expected to complete all make-up work within a reasonable length of time, which will be determined by the teacher. ▪ The trip should have an apparent and defined educational value for the student. AGENDAS • All students in grades K-4 will receive student agendas. It is the responsibility of the student to maintain the agenda. This is an excellent communication tool between school and home. Students that either lose or damage their agenda must replace the agenda for a replacement cost. ARRIVAL OF STUDENTS School doors are opened for students to enter at 7:45 a.m. each day. For the safety of your child, please see that he/she does not arrive before that time. There is no supervision before 7:30 a.m. and problems often occur when children must wait unattended. ARRIVAL OF STUDENTS ~ LATE If a child must arrive at school after 8:15 a.m. he/she must report to the school office with the adult bringing them to school to receive a tardy slip before he/she goes to the classroom. The adult must sign the student in as this is part of the state attendance record. Keep in mind that when students arrive after 8:15 they are missing valuable instruction.

Page | 4 ASSEMBLIES ~ EXPECTATIONS Students are expected to follow the following expectations during all assemblies. • A quiet and orderly arrival and departure are required. • Remain silent during the presentations unless the presentation requires audience participation. • Keep hands and feet still and chairs quiet. • Applaud at appropriate times • There will be no booing, yelling, etc. under any circumstances. These are rude responses and are not indicative of DES students. ASSESSMENTS/EXPECTATIONS Over the course of the year, students will take a variety of formative and summative assessments that will allow us to determine their strengths and areas for growth and plan our instruction accordingly. This year, students will participate in the following assessments over the course of the school year. English Language Proficiency Test (MCAP ELP – ACCESS) – Assesses English language proficiency for students who do not speak English or have limited English proficiency. I-Ready ~ is replacing Scholastic Reading Inventory. It too is an on-line reading assessment which gives a lexile score. MAP Growth – Ongoing online formative math assessments administered to grades K-12. CogAT ~ is replacing In-View. It is a cognitive abilities test intended to estimate students’ reasoning and problemsolving abilities through a battery of verbal quantitative and non-verbal test items. The MCAP Assessment [Grades 3 & 4] ~ Is an online test of reading and math achievement. This test provides educators, parents, and the public valuable information about our students, our instruction, and our school. This assessment is administered during April and May, to all third and fourth grade students. Kindergarten Readiness Assessment (KRA) ~ An assessment of kindergarten readiness and progressive achievement of kindergarten standards at benchmark points during the school year. ATTENDANCE Coming to school every day is very important. Our goal is to have 100% participation of students attending school every day. We realize there are times when a student may be ill, making attendance impossible but we are asking you to help us reach this goal by scheduling trips, appointments, etc. at times when school is not in session. This will allow your son/daughter to come to school every day unless they are ill. The following steps will be taken when a child’s attendance is deemed excessive: **excused and unexcused absences **excessive attendance will impact student’s academic progress • 4 days absent—letter will be sent home detailing attendance policy • 6 days absent—2nd letter will be sent home detailing attendance policy • 8 days absent—A home visit will be conducted by our Home/School Liaison. • 10 days absent—a conference must be held with the parent, home/school liaison and/or administration to complete an attendance contract. Doctors notes will be required for future absences. • 12 days absent—family will be referred to Pupil Services for pre-truancy court conference.

Page | 5 • 15 days absent—family will be referred to Truancy Reduction Program (truancy court) in Maryland or Delaware. BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS/DONATE A BOOK Instead of sending treats to school to celebrate their children's birthdays, please consider donating a book to our school library. A name plate will be placed inside the front cover of the book that is donated, giving the child's name, birth date and reason for the donation. A treat is eaten and soon forgotten, but a book will live on for many years in the honor of the child. Many students have special diets that do not include sweets and many parents do not wish their children to eat sweets. Please note that if you choose to bring in treats, the treats must be store bought & individually wrapped and packaged. No trays of cupcakes, please! In addition, all treats will be distributed at lunch only and must be brought in prior to the scheduled lunch time. No treats will be distributed in the classroom. BREAKFAST GUIDELINES Breakfast is free for all students again this year and will be available for students to pick up on the way to their classroom. A breakfast menu and prices are sent home each month. Students arriving after 8:05 will not receive breakfast. BUS NOTES Students who come to school by bus must return home the same way they came, unless they have notes verifying they are to go home in a different way. These notes should be shown to the bus drivers and given to the children's teachers. Teachers will send these notes to the office in the morning. We do not accept verbal messages from students regarding changes in their dismissal. Parents are not to call the office with over-the-phone requests to change a student’s dismissal procedure. Do not send emails making such requests as our office staff may or may not have an opportunity to check this information prior to dismissal procedures. Please help us keep your child safe at dismissal by communicating your requests in writing and in advance of the needed dismissal. BUS RULES/BUS SAFETY Students under the age of 8 years old, who ride the bus home from school must be met at the bus by an adult or they will not be dropped off. The driver will call the school over the radio and the school will try to contact the parent to make arrangements at that point. If no contact is made, the driver will return the student to school to await pick up from parent. 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. Administration may suspend students for additional days. Parents are to be notified of suspensions before they go into effect.

Page | 6 CAFETERIA 1. Table manners must be used at all times. 2. Quiet conversations are permissible until the last 5 minutes of each shift. 3. Students who do not follow PAWS expectations may receive disciplinary measures. 4. Students must move throughout the cafeteria in an orderly fashion and cannot get up without permission. 5. Each class is responsible for the cleanliness of their area. 6. Bottled or canned carbonated drinks are not permitted. No glass is permitted. 7. Students are responsible for knowing their lunch account number each day. CAR RIDER PICK-UP AND DROP-OFF For the safety of all students, those dropping off or picking up students must do so in the car rider loop, which is in the large parking lot off Foskey Lane. Students must enter and exit the cars on the curb side for safety. Students may not be dropped off at the school entrance on South Second Street. Only students who are being escorted by a parent or who are walkers may enter through the main doors in the morning. The parking along South Second Street is reserved for those with handicap tags and those who are walking their children into the building. Please note that the far side of the street on South Second Street is a “No Parking Zone” during school opening and dismissal times. Do not drop students off in front of the school, on the opposite side of the road or anywhere along South Second Street. To expedite our car rider dismissal and maintain safety, we have a car tag system for students who will be car riders each day. The procedures are listed below. o Parents must complete a CAR RIDER INFORMATION FORM and return it to the school by opening day so that your child will be able to be picked up in the car rider circle on the first day of school. The office is open between 7:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. daily for your convenience. The form may also be brought to the office during the summer or at the registration table at open house. o All car riders in your family must be included on the same form so they are assigned the same ID number. o Each parent/guardian may receive up to 2 color-coded rearview mirror car tags at no cost for their family and each student will be given one backpack tag. Each tag will have a matching ID number to identify your child/family. o Parents/guardians wishing to purchase additional tags for other family/friends may do so at an additional cost per tag. Parents must also list these individuals on the WCBOE Emergency Data Form. Daily Procedures: o Upon entering the car rider area each day, the car tag must be placed on the rearview mirror of the vehicle. Students must keep their backpack tag attached in a visible location. o As cars approach the student pick-up area, a staff member will alert the student(s) by calling his/her tag number and children will be escorted by an adult to your car. Parents are asked to remain in their cars and not signal for their child to come to them so that the flow of traffic can continue.

Page | 7 o Students who bring in a note to be picked up will wait in the car rider area. Since these parents will not have car rider tags, staff will verify IDs to ensure that the name on the note matches the pick-up person. o As in the past, we ask that all cars turn right out of the parking lot, so a back-up does not occur Additional Information: o Please keep car tags in a safe place for daily use. Cars without rearview mirror tags will be delayed until verification can be confirmed. o Parents who must pick students up prior to 2:45 p.m. must still report to the main office to sign the student out. o Daycare providers who pick up children from multiple families each day will be provided with a car tag that lists all ID numbers of children they have permission to pick up. This is only done after documentation is provided by the parent. o If you lose your car tag or your child loses their backpack tag, it must be replaced at a cost of $3.00 each. o Parents/Individuals will only be permitted to pick up children with matching car/backpack tags. If a parent wants another car rider parent to pick up their child, a note must be sent to school. We ask that this not occur often. These procedures are only intended for students who are car riders every day at dismissal and for those that send in a note that their child will be a car rider on a specific day. CELL PHONES WCBOE policy prohibits cell phones in schools at the elementary level. Although we know that students may have phones at school for safety reasons, they must be kept off and in bookbags. If they are visible or are heard during the day, they will be confiscated by the teacher and stored in the office until a parent can retrieve them. CLOSING/CANCELLATIONS Occasionally school must open late, close early or be cancelled. Announcements concerning any changes in the regular school schedules will be made on the automated School Messenger system and the following radio and television stations. WDMV 540 WLVW 960 WJDY 1470 WICO 1320 WDIH 90.3 FM WICO 94 FM WSBY 98 FM (Y99) WKHI 95.9 FM WOCQ 104 FM WQHQ 104.7 FM WOLC 102.5 FM WLVW 105.5 FM WMYJ 106.5 FM WMDT-TV CH47 WBOC-TV CH16 UPN –TV21 Please do not call the school, radio stations or board of education offices regarding these school schedule changes. This only interferes with the speedy dispatch of information. BE REMINDED that school closings pertaining to Delmar Elementary School will be noted under “Wicomico County Schools” NOT the Delmar School District.

Page | 8 CODE OF CONDUCT The Wicomico County School System uses the Code of Conduct, a policy for handling inappropriate and unacceptable behavior in school and at school-sponsored activities. Each family receives a copy of this Code to read and reference throughout the year. It is the guide of consequences used when inappropriate behaviors occur. We ask parents to support this Code, thus increasing its effectiveness at school. DISMISSAL PROCEDURES Preparations for dismissal begin at 2:40 p.m. Dismissal begins at 2:45 p.m. Walkers and car riders, Pre-K/K and 1st grade students are dismissed at 2:40 p.m. Second through fourth graders are dismissed at 2:45 when the bell rings. Second wave students are called next and escorted to buses. Third wave bus students will leave with their class and report to the art room. Parents who wish to sign their child out at the end of the day are asked not to come before 2:35 p.m. If a child must go home a different way to the way he/she came to school, a note explaining such changes must be sent to that child's teacher. If the child rides a bus, this note should be shown to the bus driver. Parents are asked to include in the note the name of the person, if different to the parent/guardian, who will be getting the child. If you plan to pick your child up every afternoon, one note may be sent at the beginning of the school year. If on any day there is a change to this procedure, send another note informing us of the change and your child will be called to the office. Parents are asked to help us by using these guidelines: • Walkers, car riders will be dismissed when the 2:45 p.m. bell rings. • Children who normally ride the bus but have notes that someone is coming for them at the end of the day will wait for their ride in the car rider circle. • If parents are coming for their children for the occasional one-day, they need to come to the office and sign the children out. We will announce who these children are during our afternoon announcements between 2:35 p.m. and 2:45 p.m. and students will report to the front vestibule outside the office. • Unless we have a note from a parent, or the parent is here before dismissal to get his/her child, all children who ride a bus will ride it home. • We will not accept verbal messages from students about dismissal changes. The children's safety is much too important for us to use this procedure. • The following request is made of parents: PLEASE DO NOT ASK US TO MAKE CHANGES REGARDING YOUR CHILD'S DISMISSAL BY TELEPHONE OR EMAIL. We cannot be sure to whom we are communicating and the possibility of dismissing a child to someone with whom the child should not be is too great. • Students will not be dismissed to anyone other than to those who are listed on the student emergency form, which is signed by the parent or guardian, unless the parent or guardian sends in a note in advance stating the name of the individual who will be picking up the child(ren).

Page | 9 • The office may request photo identification from any individual picking up children. • ALL STUDENTS MUST BE PICKED UP BY OR BEFORE 3:15 p.m. DRESS CODE All students must dress appropriately while attending school as defined in our student dress code. EMERGENCY INFORMATION Personal Data/Emergency Information sheets will be sent home by each child on the first day of school. It is imperative that all sheets be returned and fully completed. Emergency situations can arise rather frequently in a school this size. For your child’s health and safety, it is CRITICAL that we have CURRENT emergency contact information. Please remember that it is imperative that a new form be completed with each family/household change. A new proof of residency must be submitted with every residential move. FAMILY PORTAL Parents of students in grades 1st through 4th are encouraged to utilize the Family Portal online system to monitor students’ grades and attendance. Information including login and password procedures will be provided to parents of students in these grades at the start of the school year. Again, this year, all midterms and report cards will be available on Family Portal. FIELD DAY One day in the spring (May) is set aside for a physical activity day. Events scheduled during this day reflect skill areas practiced and developed in the physical education program. All children participate. The physical education department has the responsibility of planning and coordinating the activities of this day. We ask that all children participate unless there is a clear reason for them not to participate, which must be shared with the principal. FIELD TRIPS A single class, grade level, or combination of classes frequently takes field trips. They are not, however, a requirement. Field trips are planned at the discretion of the teachers and must be curriculum-oriented. When trips are planned, it is important that all members of the class attend, as learners will participate in lessons as they prepare for the trip and as they return from the trip.

Page | 10 Cost for the field trip is determined by the number of people going on the trip, the admittance fees, and the bus costs. There will be no refund of money paid for field trips if, for any reason, a person cannot attend, since we assess the absolute minimum to pay for the expenses listed above. Monies must be collected two weeks prior to the field trip date. FIRE DRILLS/CRISIS DRILLS Practice fire and safety/crisis drills are conducted the first week of school and at any other time deemed necessary during the school year. Unannounced drills are conducted on a regular basis throughout the year. If you are in the school when a fire bell rings or there is an announcement regarding a code, please follow the instructions given to you by school personnel. Drills of this nature are practiced with the children and staff to ensure their safety and well-being. FRIDAY/WORK FOLDERS Some grade levels elect to prepare Friday and work folders. If this is the case for your child’s teacher, students must take home the work folder once weekly. These folders provide weekly communication between school and home, please take the time to review and discuss the papers with your child. If you are not sure of your child’s teachers’ method of communicating, grades, and/or aware of school events, ask your child’s teacher for clarification. GIFT DELIVERIES TO STUDENTS Please do not have flowers, balloons and similar items delivered to school for students. It is impossible to take such things home on the bus and the arrival of them in classrooms creates a disruption to lessons. HEAD LICE/PEDICULOSIS Occasionally we have cases of pediculosis or head lice at school. The persistent nuisance of head lice creates unnecessary panic. Please read the following information and contact the nurse if you have any questions regarding head lice. The primary symptom of head lice is itching. Diagnosis is made by the identification of nits. Nits are most predictably found on hairs at the nape of the neck and behind the ears where they are protected from extremes of light and temperature, but they may be laid anywhere on the scalp. Therefore, the entire head should be examined. Both over-the-counter and prescription medicines effectively kill lice when used according to the manufacturer's directions. It is recommended that infested persons be treated twice unless the product selected is a prescription.

Page | 11 AT HOME 1. Treat infested persons. Check all members of the family. 2. Wash clothing (including coats, hats and scarves), bed linens and towels in hot water. 3. Thoroughly vacuum the house. 4. Thoroughly soak all combs and brushes in a Lysol solution for 1 hour or in very hot water for 5-10 minutes. 5. Place any belongings, such as stuffed animals or dolls that can't be washed or dry-cleaned in a sealed plastic bag for 10 days. HOMEWORK A good homework assignment is one that makes use of the creative potential of the student. It should vary from one grade level to the next in the amount of time required. To be meaningful, the assignment must be consistent with the attention span of the learner. A guide used by our county is 15 minutes for first and second graders and 30 minutes for grades 2-4. 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 work space 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. HOMEWORK FOR ABSENCES For absences of one day we ask you to let your children get the assignments they miss upon returning to school the following day. When children are absent more than one day, we will try to get the assignments upon request. Please remember that for most of the day teachers are involved with the direct instruction of students and cannot stop to prepare work. We ask that you make your request for homework before lunch so that teachers have time to get it together for you to pick up at the school office between 2:30 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. Also, if you wish to have another student bring the work home for your child, it will be necessary for you to make those arrangements with that child and his/her family. HONOR DAYS This recognition event will occur immediately following the end of each term. Invitations will be issued to the families of students receiving awards. Students will be recognized for their academic achievements, outstanding attendance, character, and reading incentive participation. IMMUNIZATION/PHYSICAL REQUIRED The following immunizations are required for all public school students in the Maryland: Prekindergarten 1 Measles/Rubella/Mumps (MMR)

Page | 12 1 Hib 3 Polio (OPV) 4 DPT 3 Hepatitis B 2 Varicella (Chickenpox) Grades K - 4 4 DPT/Dt 3 Polio (OPV) 2 Measles/Rubella/Mumps (MMR) 3 Hepatitis B (not required for 2nd grade) 2 Varicella (Chickenpox) (grade K) 1 Varicella (Chickenpox) grade 1-4) Maryland State Board of Education mandates that a physical be done on all new students within six months of the date of enrollment. A new law in Maryland (House Bill 1221) requires that parents/guardians of children enrolling in prekindergarten, kindergarten and first grade, beginning in Sept. 2003, are required to provide the school with copy of the blood lead testing report at the time of enrollment. INCLEMENT WEATHER AND RECESS On days when weather conditions will not permit playground activities, teachers will provide appropriate classroom activities during their scheduled recess. A sign will be posted near the cafeteria determining if it is going to be an indoor or outdoor recess day. INSTRUCTIONAL LEADERSHIP TEAM (ILT) This committee is composed of representatives from each grade level, resource, special area, instructional assistants, principal, assistant principal(s) and one or two parents. Meetings are held four times a year. Agendas of meetings are shared with all school personnel before the meetings occur. Minutes of meetings are shared with all school personnel after the meetings are held. During these meetings, members review data from formal and informal assessments. They also refine and develop new goals for the future which are identified in the school Action Plan. JANUARY REVIEW Upon our return from our holiday break, the expectation is that ALL classroom teachers will take time to revisit the following items with our learners: • PBIS Routines and School Norms • School-wide Rules and Expectations • Attendance Expectations and Incentive • Reading Incentive(s) We also encourage our parents to revisit these topics with their children at home.

Page | 13 KEEPING TRACK OF STUDENT PROGRESS Parents are encouraged to use the Family Portal site available for students in grades 1-4. This site will allow parents to access students’ assignments and grades daily. Parents may also visit the county website, www.wcboe.org, and/or our school website, http://des.wcboe.org for staff email addresses, upcoming events, etc. KINDERGARTEN/PRE-K PROGRESS REPORTS Kindergarten and Pre-K progress reports will reflect students’ progress in multiple categories using the following levels of proficiency: P ~ Proficient, IP ~ In Process, NY ~ Not Yet (not yet taught during the school year), and ND ~ Needs Development. These levels indicate the level to which the student has acquired the grade level skills. LOST AND FOUND Lost items are displayed in the cafeteria daily, except for jewelry, watches, eyeglasses and other items that are too small to hang. These small items are kept in the school office. At the end of each marking period, clothing that is not claimed will be donated to a charity. Please remind your child to look in the cafeteria for his/her belongings when they are missing. LUNCH AT SCHOOL A nutritional lunch is prepared and served in our cafeteria to ensure that your child will have a daily balanced meal. Ice cream and snacks will be sold this year. A lunch menu will be sent home each month. LUNCH MONEY School lunches are free again this year. If you have a remaining balance owed from previous years, you may still pay electronically to bring your account up to date. This can be accessed through the county website, www.wcboe.org. LUNCH NUMBERS Every student will receive an identification number to be used when purchasing lunch or breakfast. Please make sure that these numbers are practiced and memorized by children. This will really help with the speed and flow of students moving through the lines.

Page | 14 LUNCH UTENSILS Students packing lunches are asked to bring their own condiments, utensils, napkins, etc. as funds budgeted for utensils and condiments are aligned directly with food purchases. 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, Tylenol, topical creams, etc. All medicine must be brought to school by an adult in the original medicine container and turned in to the school nurse. Students are not permitted to bring medicines to and from school at any time. Students are also not permitted to keep medicines in their possession during the school day. Please follow the school schedule 7:45-3:15 when bringing medications to the nurse for your child. MID-TERM PROGRESS REPORTS It is important that we communicate student progress with all our parents. Midterms will be available of Family Portal on the dates assigned by the county. Midterm grades will be issued in percentages. In addition, behavior and work/study habits are reported on an individual basis. NEWSLETTER ~ BOBCAT BULLETIN On the first day each month, the BOBCAT BULLETIN will be uploaded to our school website and Facebook pages. Please review this information to be aware of important news and upcoming events. In addition to the newsletter you will find a calendar attached that shares all monthly activities. NO SMOKING POLICY ON SCHOOL PROPERTY The sale or use of tobacco in any form is prohibited in all buildings, parking areas, and all outside seating areas owned or leased by the Board of Education of Wicomico County at all times (24 hours a day, every day), regardless of whether or not students are present. Anyone violating this policy may be barred from school property and, if necessary, reported to the appropriate authorities. Organizations using the school facility which do not enforce this tobacco-free policy may be subject to revocation of their opportunity to use school buildings.

Page | 15 ONLINE RESOURCES There are multiple online resources available to our families for education support. Many of these will be outlined in our back to school newsletter. We encourage you to visit and utilize our county and school websites for additional information about these resources. See www.wcboe.org and http://des.wcboe.org for resource links. ORIENTATION EVENTS Prior to the beginning of school, there will be an orientation event for incoming Pre-K, Kindergarten, and new students. Each spring there is a trip to Delmar Middle and High School for our outgoing grade 4 students to assist with the ease of transitioning into a new school setting. As always, school personnel are available to answer your questions as your child progresses through the grade levels. PARENT ADVISORY COMMITTEE This committee serves as a line of communication between the school and the community. The PAC consists of a minimum of three members. Their names will be listed in the first Bobcat Bulletin. PERSONAL DATA SHEETS Personal Data/Emergency Information sheets will be sent home by each child on the first day of school. Please complete all information on the front and back of the form and return it to school. Please update the data sheet or submit a new data sheet should there be changes to any of the information provided on the form at the start of the school year. PICTURE DAYS Please see the school calendar for picture dates and procedures. Class pictures are taken in the spring. Individual pictures are taken of all students in the fall and only those students who pay in advance for spring pictures. PLAYGROUND RULES During the first week of school teachers at each grade level will teach students how to use each piece of equipment during recess. This instruction may have to be reinforced as the year progresses. We will do this to diminish the number of accidents and discipline referrals that occur on the playground. Students will be held responsible for following all safety measures and rules for the playground.

Page | 16 POSITIVE BEHAVIOR INTERVENTION SYSTEM (PBIS) COMMITTEE A representative group of school personnel, along with the administration, will meet monthly to update the school's character development program aligned with school and student needs as reflected in various data. This group will serve as a sub-committee of the School Improvement Team/Instructional Leadership Team. PROOF OF RESIDENCY (POR) It is the responsibility of all parents/guardians to provide the school with proof of their current residency. This may be done in the form of a tax bill, rental lease, mortgage statement, or utility bill. If you are new to the Delmar community from the previous year or move at any time, you are required to provide the school with documentation indicating your current address. Due to federal audit requirements, we must have accurate and updated POR for all students. Families that have registered under shared residency status must show proof of residency every year and contact the school office as soon as any change in residency occurs. If you have any questions concerning this matter, please contact the school office. The school may require an updated POR at any time. It is requirement to ensure that Delmar Elementary School serves the students who live within our school district. Please help us in this effort. If you are aware of families living outside our school district who have attended Delmar Elementary this year, help us ensure our enrollment figures are genuine by giving the office this information. The information will be investigated prior to school opening next year. It is not necessary that you provide your name with the information given. You may also call 410-677-5251 and not give your name. PUBLICITY OPT-OUT FORMS The county will be issuing publicity opt out forms to all students at the start of the school year. This form incorporates the internet along with the usual media avenues (newspaper and television). These will be collected and submitted to the office. Students’ photos or video images may be used by the school/district unless a Publicity Opt-Out form is signed by a parent and submitted to the school office. QUESTIONING Challenging questions are critical to helping students understand content on a deeper level. Good questions contain a mixture of higher and lower level thinking skills, as each is important (i.e. knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis and evaluation). Question stems are useful to ensure appropriate rigor of questions and are available from your child’s teacher or administration.

Page | 17 REPORT CARDS Report cards will be available on Family Portal four times per year. Progress in both academic and social areas are recorded on the report card each term. A request for conference may be indicated on the report card by the teacher. If a parent conference is requested, please call the school office at 410-677-5178. SCHOOL CALENDAR A school calendar will be developed and distributed with each Bobcat Bulletin. Important dates and events will be noted on the calendar. Important events will also be posted on our school website. SCHOOL DELAYS There may be delays throughout the school year due to fog and/or ice, etc. Please understand that there is NO adult supervision available prior to the scheduled opening time. On a 90-minute delay our doors will open at 9:15 a.m. and breakfast will not be served. For up-to-date information you may call the WCBOE school closing hotline at 410-677-5100. Please remember Delmar Elementary School operates under Wicomico County Public Schools, not the Delmar School District. Therefore, you will need to follow any delays or classroom announcements by WCPS for your child attending Delmar Elementary School. SCHOOL MESSENGER CALLING SYSTEM Our School Messenger calling system is used to alert parents of upcoming events within our school and contact families when children are absent. A weekend call will be made by administration highlighting the upcoming week’s activities. SCHOOL RULES 1. Students may not arrive before 7:45 a.m. unless expected to enter the cafeteria for breakfast at 7:30 a.m. 2. Skateboards, roller skates and roller blades are not allowed. 3. Students are required to dress in CAPS. 4. A note from home is required when students will go home differently than they arrived. NO TELEPHONE OR EMAIL REQUESTS 5. Students MUST use the sidewalks for safety. 6. Students MUST WALK QUIETLY in hallways, breezeways and on sidewalks. 7. There MUST be NO RUNNING in hallways, breezeways and on sidewalks. 8. NO PROFANE AND/OR ABUSIVE LANGUAGE! 9. Buying, selling and trading anything is not allowed.

Page | 18 10. Chewing gum is not allowed. 11. Hats are not to be worn in school buildings. 12. Baseballs, basketballs, footballs, bats and Frisbees are not to be brought to school. 13. Weapons and/or dangerous objects may not be brought to school UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES. 14. Toys and games may not be brought to school unless the teacher sends a request IN WRITING to parents. *Please refer to the Wicomico County Public School’s Code of Conduct for additional information. (www.wcboe.org) SCHOOL SECURITY Safety and security of our students is our utmost priority. We have a secure campus with fencing, locked gates, video surveillance, and secured entry doors. We take your child’s safety very seriously. While we hope they are never necessary, our school has comprehensive procedures for handling emergencies. Our staff will question visitors if a visitor badge is not visible and direct you to the office where we may serve you. This is done for the safety and security of all students, so we do appreciate your understanding. All visitors entering our building must first report to the office and anyone desiring access to a student’s classroom must present a current driver’s license and register under the Raptor system in our school office. SIX DAY CYCLE Wicomico County operates on a six-day schedule rotation. Therefore, the first day of school will be on an A day. The last letter day of the rotation will be an F day. Your child’s teacher will send information home during the first week of school to let you know what days your child will have special classes such as PE and Art. This will allow you to dress them appropriately. TELEPHONE USE BY STUDENTS We strongly discourage the use of the telephone by students. Being able to easily call for items forgotten does not train children to be responsible students. Please remember this as you follow this guideline. However, on occasion we do understand the need for a child to speak with a parent. It will be up to the discretion of the teacher to make this determination whether a call is needed.

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