The instructional day operates from 8:45am – 3:15pm daily for students. Students are asked to arrive by 8:30am each day in order to greet their teacher, get settled in, and be prepared for the day to start on time.
The main office is open Monday through Friday from 8:10am until 4:30pm year-round, with the exception of observed holidays.
Families are not allowed to enter the building for student drop-off and pick up, except for students with a parent/guardian escort as a component of a written safety plan.
DCPS will continue to limit visitors to schools. All visitors must be pre-approved, confirm completion of a health assessment, and always wear a mask on school grounds.
Building Access
For the safety of our students and staff, all visitors are asked to use the school’s main entrance on 18th Street to enter and exit the building.
Arrival
Unless a child is enrolled in Before-Care, student supervision will not be provided until after 8:10am. Students in grades 1st – 5th may be dropped off after 8:10 am on the playground facing 18th St NW. Preschool and Kindergarten students gather on the ECE playground accessible via Ontario Road NW.
Starting at 8:20am, 1st through 5th grade students will be escorted inside for breakfast. Starting at 8:35am, preschool and kindergarten teachers will meet their classes on the playground and bring them inside for breakfast in their classrooms.
If the temperature is 32° or lower, or if it is raining, students may enter the school starting at 8:10am.
Dismissal
Beginning at 3:15pm, teachers from grades 1st – 5th will escort students to the 18th St NW playground. Any person who picks up a student must sign the student out with their child’s teacher. Teachers may not sign out a student to any individual unless the parent/guardian has authorized that person to pick him/her up. It may be necessary to consult with the main office or principal if there is a question about whether an individual is authorized to pick up a student.
Preschool and Kindergarten students will be dismissed on the ECE playground accessible via Ontario Rd NW. If a family has siblings across multiple grades, but one or more of the siblings is in Early Childhood, the older siblings will be sent to the Ontario Road playground for dismissal. Individuals are kindly asked to wait in their grade-level’s designated pick-up area and not crowd the door to the school.
If the temperature is 32° or lower, or if it is raining, indoor dismissal will start at 3:10.
Arriving by Vehicle
For all arriving by vehicle:
Vehicle Drop-Off on Ontario Road:
Arriving on Foot:
Tips and suggestions to relieve traffic congestion near the school:
Give your children their money, school papers, and hugs and kisses before they get to school.
We take safety and preparedness seriously at Marie Reed Elementary School. It is a privilege and responsibility to care for and educate your children every day. As you may expect, we practice safety drills periodically at school so that in the unlikely event of a real emergency, our students and staff are prepared to act swiftly to ensure that all are safe and accounted for.
Below is a description of the various drills that are practiced at Marie Reed, as well as some tips for how to discuss these with your children at home.
Fire Drill: Conducted once per month. Students are to line up with their teacher and move quickly and quietly to the nearest exit, gathering in the designated sidewalk outside of the building. If a child is out of his or her classroom at the time of a fire drill, he or she is to find the nearest teacher or staff member and evacuate with that group. Once outside, teachers and staff communicate to ensure that all students are accounted for. Teachers escort their students back into the building when the principal issues the “all clear.”
Earthquake Drill: Conducted once per year. Students are to DROP to the floor; take COVER under a nearby desk or table, facing way from the windows; and HOLD on to the table or desk legs. Once the principal issues the “all clear,” teachers will direct students that it is safe to stand up. Lockdown Drill (when there is a potential threat OUTSIDE the building): Conducted once per year. Students are to be cleared from the halls and open spaces and remain in their classroom until the principal issues the “all clear.” All exterior doors will be locked, and no one will be allowed IN or OUT of the building during the drill.
Active Shooter Drill (when there is a potential threat INSIDE the building): Conducted once per year. Students are to be cleared from the halls and open spaces and report to the nearest available enclosed/self-contained classroom. All windows and doors will be locked, and no one will leave for any reason. Lights will be turned off, students will be moved away from doors and windows, and all will remain silent until the principal issues the “all clear.”
Relocation Site: In the event that our building has to be evacuated and it is deemed unsafe or unsuitable to return, all students and staff will relocate to a nearby school. In the event of a real relocation, all families will be notified via robo-call.
To assist you with discussing these drills with your children, take a look at this article from the Huffington Post.
Regular school attendance is essential for academic success. Our goal is to ensure that all students attend school on a regular and timely basis.
Excused absences and tardies:
The following reasons for an absence or a tardy arrival are considered excused, according to the DCPS attendance policy:
Per DCPS Policy:
Students and their families will receive an attendance letter when they accumulate a certain number of unexcused absences.
Please keep in mind that DCPS is sending out messages to all families informing them of their student’s attendance (both excused and unexcused absences.) These can come in the form of a text message or mailed letter. This is to keep families updated of their student’s attendance through out the school year.
DCPS is partnering with local doctors, nurses and DC Health on a project to support our students’ health and attendance in school. This pilot project started in school year 2017-2018 and currently includes Marie Reed among other schools.
Through the project – which is called the Chronic Absenteeism Reduction Effort or CARE – parents or guardians can give permission to DCPS to securely share attendance information with their child’s doctor(s), nurse(s) and medical office staff. This information will help these healthcare professionals to provide special outreach and medical attention to children that might be missing school and their families. Click here for more information, your CARE Enrollment Packet and consent form
If you have questions, please contact our Attendance Counselor Ms. Moreno.
Please click here for a Frequently Asked Questions document
Marie Reed is a uniformed school. All students are expected to be in uniform every day (unless it is otherwise stated by the school administration). Marie Reed’s uniform is as follows:
Please refrain from sending your child to school in anything other than the school uniform, as uniform policy will be consistently enforced.
If your child is sent to school in attire that does not fit the uniform, they may not be able to participate in some activities, or you may be called to the school.
Additionally, Marie Reed is committed to finding more opportunities for your child to be physically active. Please ensure that uniforms are appropriately sized. Also, please ensure that your child is coming to school in comfortable, safe footwear that is suitable for playground activities (i.e. no flip flops, heels).
The PTO has worked with French Toast to have our Marie Reed logo attire available to purchase. These logos are not required but definitely encouraged to add to the school spirit! You will also be supporting the school if you decide to purchase a uniform from either of these vendors because a percentage of the sales get kicked back to the school! To purchase these uniforms, simply go on the websites and enter the corresponding school code to find our uniforms:
FrenchToast.com – QS4SHA
You can also find the pieces of the uniform at any retail store. Marie Reed is sometimes able to secure uniform donations for families who cannot afford the entire uniform. At times we also provide families in need with coats, undergarments and shoes. Please contact the school’s counselor, Ms. Marquez, for more information.
In an effort to keep all of our children warm and safe, we’re reminding parents to make sure you send your student to school dressed appropriately for the change in weather. Children should be prepared with hats, warm jackets or/and layers. Please help by labeling your children items so they can be easily found in the lost and found pile.
Students will be playing outside unless the following happens:
Inclement Weather Policy.
Remember that Marie Reed adheres to the DCPS Inclement Weather Policy. Any decision to close or delay school due to weather is made by the Chancellor of Schools and the Mayor. Families are encouraged to monitor local news outlets as well as the DCPS website, Facebook page, and Twitter for the most up-to-date announcements.
In the event of a 2-hour delay, we will adhere to the following schedule: