SCHOOL HOURS

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 8:00am until 4:30pm year-round, with the exception of observed holidays.

 

ARRIVAL AND DISMISSAL DURING COVID

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.

 

VISITOR POLICY DURING COVID

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.

 

DAILY PROCEDURES

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 8:35am, 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 3:10pm.

 

Arriving by Vehicle

For all arriving by vehicle:

• When dropping off students, make sure to pull all the way up to the curb and let your children out on the school side of the street.
• Never stop in the traffic lane to drop off or pick up anyone.
• Do not make U-turns near the school.
• Do not block crosswalks, fire hydrants, or alleys.
• Obey the speed limit and cell phone laws.
• Be polite to other drivers and children.

 

Vehicle Drop-Off on Ontario Road:

• Ontario Road is a residential street.  Please do not block driveways or crosswalks and do not double park.
• 15-minute drop-off spaces are available on Old Morgan School Place.

 

Arriving on Foot:

• Obey all traffic signs and signals.
• Cross the street safely:
  1. Stop at the curb or edge of the street.
  2. Always use the designated Pedestrian crosswalks to cross
  3. Look left, right, left and behind you and in front of you for traffic.
  4. Wait until no traffic is coming and begin crossing.
  5. Keep looking for traffic until you have finished crossing.
  6. Walk, don’t run across the street.

Tips and suggestions to relieve traffic congestion near the school:

• Students who live nearby should walk or ride bikes.
• Park near the school and walk the rest of the way.
• Ride share or use public transportation.
• Leave a few minutes early to allow plenty of time before drop-off and pick-up times.

Give your children their school papers, hugs and kisses before they get to school.

 

EMERGENCY PROCEDURES

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.

 

ATTENDANCE AND TRUANCY POLICY:

Regular school attendance is essential for academic success. Our goal is to ensure that all students attend school on a regular and timely basis.

• If a student is absent, families must email an excuse note to the Attendance Team, within 5 days of the absence.
• When a student is absent, a robo call/email notification will go out in the evening to the families informing of the absence.
•  Students with 5 consecutive absences must provide official documentation.

Excused absences and tardies:
The following reasons for an absence or a tardy arrival are considered excused, according to the DCPS attendance policy:

• Student illness (a doctor’s note is required for a student absent 5 or more days in a term)
• Medical or dental appointments for the student
• Observance of a religious holiday
• Death in the student’s immediate family
• Necessity for a student to attend a judicial proceeding as a plaintiff, defendant, witness or juror.
• An emergency or other circumstance approved by DCPS
• For a complete list of what is classified as an excused absence or if you would like to reference visite the DCPS Attendance and Truancy Policy

Per DCPS Policy:
Students and their families will receive an attendance letter when they accumulate a certain number of unexcused absences.

• 3 unexcused absences: letter will be sent home or emailed to family
• 5 unexcused absences: a member from the attendance team will meet with the family and support the individual student by developing an attendance action plan and intervention strategies that are school- or community-based and are designed to enhance the student’s success. Meetings can be held in-person, over the telephone, or on a video teleconference.
•  7 unexcused absences: MPD warning letter will be sent.
• 10 unexcused absences: CFSA referral will be made.

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.

 

CARE PROGRAM

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 Team.

Please click here for a Frequently Asked Questions document

UNIFORMS

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:

• Dark green polo shirts
• Khaki pants, skirt, shorts or jumper
• Grey cardigan sweater

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).

You can 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.

WEATHER POLICY

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:

• If the temperature is 32°F or lower, or if it is raining, students may enter the school starting at 8:10am.
• If the temperature is 32°F or lower, or if it is raining, indoor dismissal will start at 3:10.
• Recess: If the temperature is 32°F or lower, or if it is raining or wet, students will have indoor recess.

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:

• Doors will open for students at 10:05am
• Breakfast will not be served.
• Instructional day will begin at 10:45am.
• Lunch will be served to all students at the regularly scheduled times.
• Specials will occur at regularly scheduled times.
• School will be dismissed at 3:15pm.
• Afterschool Program will continue as usual unless notified otherwise.