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: [email protected]Principal Intern: Antonio C. Scott Email: [email protected]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
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. A safe learning environment, high expectations and critical thinking are the foundation of our instructional program
at Whetstone Elementary School. We believe that for every child to be successful they need to be able to identi-
fy and manage their emotions and behaviors. This includes understanding other’s feelings, collaborating with peers
and being able to persist through any challenge. The self-discipline we teach at Whetstone is based on building relation-
ships and four key expectations: Be Here, Be On Time, Be Prepared and Be Respectful. Our goal is for every child to
make healthy decisions that promote their well-being, positive behavior, and success for others on a daily basis. We
teach and reinforce appropriate social and emotional behavior through the school wide implementation of Positive Be-
havior Intervention Supports.
DISCIPLINE POLICY
OUR SCHOOL PLEDGE
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
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Rules and Expectations:
Be at the bus stop before the bus arrives
Be in line in the morning while waiting
Use a quiet voice and kind words
Keep hands, feet and all objects to yourself
Move safely to your seat or exit
Remain seated while the bus is moving
Remind others to follow the rules
Use a quiet voice and kind words
Keep hands, feet and all objects to yourself
Follow the directions of the bus driver and
safety patrols
Report problem behavior to the bus driver
Take all your belongings
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
Maryland 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 to
eat lunch and 30 minutes of
supervised free time or recess .
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 cheese
sandwich is also available everyday.
The price of lunch is $2.50. Milk
will be available for $.60. Parents
are highly encouraged to deposit
lunch money into their child’s
SNAP (a computerized cash
register system) account.
Deposits may be made by cash,
check, or money order made
payable to Whetstone Elementary
School Cafeteria. Deposits can
also be made at
MyLunchMoney.com. Information
on how to use this online system is
available in the office. This
eliminates lost or forgotten lunch
money and the price of the lunch
will be subtracted from the
account. At Whetstone, students
use lunch cards to access their
SNAP accounts. Low balance
letters from the cafeteria
manager will be sent home once a
week.
All students must bring a lunch
from home or be prepared to buy a
school lunch. Students who forget
their lunches or lunch money, may
call their parent/guardian before
10:00 a.m. Students may not call
at their lunch time for forgotten
lunches or money. Students who
have no lunch or lunch money will
be given a snack and milk.
Free or reduced ($.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 is at the dis-
cretion of the cafeteria manager,
principal, or principal designee.
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, strapless tops, spaghetti strap tops, tops hanging off the
shoulders, and muscle shirts, may 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.
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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
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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.
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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.
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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!
