Inspiring excellence, one Spartan at a time.
2022-2023
Student & Parent Handbook
West Reading Elementary Center
421 Chestnut Street, West Reading (610) 374-0739
Table of Contents
3 Introduction, Student Arrival and Dismissal
4 Attendance Procedures
5 Responsibilities of Schools and Teachers, Responsibilities of Parents/Guardians, Parent Access to Grades and Assignments
6 Responsibilities of Students, Expectations for Appropriate School Behavior
9 Acceptable Internet Use Policy
10 Misconduct and Discipline
13 Student Phone Use
14 Expectations for School Bus Riders
15 Personal Belongings, Homework, Dress Code
17 Parent Reminders
19 Visitors to the School Building
Schools are learning communities. It is important that students feel valued and safe within that community. The environment must be conducive to academic pursuits, therefore, students are expected to act responsibly and respectfully. Citizenship and cooperation are essential. Students are expected to work towards achieving their personal best.
A community includes a combination of people. Every person within a community has certain responsibilities to themselves and others if the community is to be productive. It is only through combined efforts that the optimal learning environment can be achieved.
STUDENT ARRIVAL
Students may arrive at school between 8:00 and 8:15 a.m. Upon arrival, students are expected to:
● report to homeroom and sign in for lunch
● remain in homeroom until the school day begins
● pay attention to morning announcements
STUDENT DROP OFF AND PICK UP
Students should be dropped off at the gymnasium door on Grape St. behind the school. No students may be dropped off in front of the school from 7:45-8:10. If you are picking up your child after school, please use Grape Street. A staff member will escort the car pickup students to the Grape Street exit for dismissal. It is important to allow room for apartment dwellers to exit or enter their garage, so please leave space. Your cooperation is essential.
Students are expected to travel home in a customary way. Any deviation from “the normal” for a student requires a written permission note. Riding home on someone else’s bus for a play date is not allowed. Any requests to ride a different bus or to get off at a different stop should be requested at least 4 days in advance by completing a Temporary Transportation Deviation Form (available on our district website) and submitting it to the school office. Bus drivers should not receive notes directly from students.
Regular attendance in school is important to student progress. Many learning opportunities occur during the school day that cannot be duplicated for those students not present.
Please call school on a morning that your child will be absent, so that we know the child is safe, and send in a written note when the student returns to school.
When you know in advance about an absence, please send a card marked “anticipated absence,” including the reason for the absence. In order for a family trip to be excused, a Request for an Educational Trip form must be completed by the parent/guardian and returned to the principal for approval.
The educational value of the trip must be documented on the form.
Please remember that excusal from school attendance is not a function of the home.
ABSENCES
A written excuse is required for all absences. An absence of five (5) consecutive days or more requires a medical excuse. After 10 days of accumulated absences, in instances where school administration believes that absences due to illness are chronic and irregular, the school administration may request a physician's statement certifying that such absences are medically justifiable. In addition, accumulated time missed from school due to excessive tardies may be dealt with in the same manner.
Absences not listed above shall be unexcused. As provided by Section 1333 of the Pennsylvania Public School Code of 1949, the Wyomissing Area School District may take legal action against the parents or guardians of children or the children themselves who are of compulsory school age and are unlawfully absent from school. When a citation is issued to the District Justice, it will result in approximately $100/day fine plus court costs.
TARDY
All students must be in school and seated in the classroom by 8:15am. All arrivals after 8:15 are considered tardy. All tardy students are considered unexcused unless we receive a parent/guardian note.
MAKE UP WORK
When a student is absent, it is expected that the student will make up the work that was missed within a reasonable period of time. When a student anticipates being absent for an educational trip,
the work may not be available in advance. Failure to make up missing assignments will result in a 4
grade of zero for the assignment.
RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE SCHOOL AND TEACHERS
It is the responsibility of our West Reading Elementary Center teachers and staff to:
● maintain a safe environment that welcomes and supports all students and their families.
● provide engaging opportunities for learning at an appropriate level of challenge for each student.
● provide the necessary resources and materials to support the academic program.
● listen to a student or parent/guardian who brings a concern or problem and then working together to find a resolution.
● communicate with the community, parents/guardians, and students concerning programs and opportunities within the school system.
● keep student grades up to date in PowerSchool.
RESPONSIBILITIES OF PARENTS/GUARDIANS
It is the responsibility of our West Reading Elementary Center parents and guardians to:
● provide a supportive home environment that includes structured time to complete academic assignments.
● encourage and monitor the academic efforts of the student by regularly checking grades in Powerschool and contacting the appropriate teacher when concerns arise.
● assure that the student attends school regularly and arrives on time.
● make sure the student gets sufficient rest and good nutrition.
● schedule appointments and vacations outside of school time, whenever possible, to provide the highest level of attendance.
PARENT ACCESS TO GRADES AND ASSIGNMENTS
POWERSCHOOL
Powerschool is the portal used for managing student progress. Parents/Guardians may access Powerschool to monitor student grades throughout the school year. Information about parent/guardian access to Powerschool is sent home at the beginning of each school year. Please contact the school if you need additional information about accessing this portal.
SCHOOLOGY
Schoology is the learning management system using by teachers and students throughout the school year. In Schoology parents and guardians can access information about student assignments and monitor due dates for tests and projects. Information about parent/guardian access to Schoology is sent home at the beginning of each school year. Please contact your student’s homeroom teacher if you need additional information about accessing this learning management system.
RESPONSIBILITIES OF STUDENTS
It is the responsibility of our West Reading Elementary Center students to:
● participate actively in all learning activities.
● listen actively in class and asking questions when appropriate.
● come to class prepared with any needed materials and assignments.
● come to school with a fully charged iPad.
● communicate with teachers, school staff, and families about concerns or problems.
● attend school regularly and arriving on time.
● respect people and property.
● check grades regularly in Powerschool.
EXPECTATIONS FOR APPROPRIATE SCHOOL BEHAVIOR
GENERAL CONDUCT
Responsible behavior and self-control are important to a productive environment. Students are expected to follow our WREC Rules:
IN THE CLASSROOM
The classroom is a place to learn. Students are expected to:
● enter the classroom quietly.
● focus on instructions given by teachers and staff.
● show a willingness to learn by listening to the speaker and engaging in all learning activities.
● interact appropriately with classmates and school staff.
● follow all directions the first time they are given.
● keep hands, feet, and objects to themselves.
IN THE HALLWAY
Students will use hallways to move from one place to another in the building. Students are expected to:
● use a polite manners (say “Hello”, “Goodbye”, Please”, and “Thank You”).
● hold doors for others.
● follow all directions the first time they are given.
● keep hands, feet, and objects to themselves.
● keep hallways clean by picking up trash.
USING THE LAVATORY
Students are permitted to use the school lavatory when needed. Students are expected to:
● use facilities appropriately and only when needed.
● respect the personal space and privacy of others.
● leave the space clean.
IN THE CAFETERIA
The cafeteria is a place to eat and socialize in a quiet, orderly way. Students are expected to:
● use quiet voices.
● remain seated, except with permission.
● keep the tables and floor clean.
● use good manners in handling food.
● follow all directions the first time they are given.
● keep hands, feet, and objects to themselves.
ON THE PLAYGROUND
Recess is a time of physical activity and playing with friends. Safety is a top priority. Students are expected to:
● walk quietly to and from the playground.
● respect game areas.
● keep food and drink out of the playground.
● remain in the play area, except with specific permission of an adult.
● play on the equipment in a safe way.
● follow all game rules and be a cooperative player.
● line up quickly and quietly when recess is over.
● follow all directions the first time they are given.
● keep hands, feet, and objects to themselves.
DURING EMERGENCY DRILLS
Full cooperation is essential during an emergency drill. Students are expected to:
● remain absolutely quiet and follow directions immediately.
● exit the building quickly and safely.
● line up by homeroom on the playground.
● re-enter the building in line as requested.
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● keep hands, feet, and objects to themselves.
Access to the Internet is only available if a parent has granted permission by signing the Internet Guideline Form. The student’s signature is also required. The forms remain in the student’s personal file from school year to school year. District network accounts will be used only by the authorized owner of the account for its authorized purpose. Network users shall respect the privacy of other users on the network. Network users must agree to the District guidelines for Internet use and follow all portions of this policy.
The following uses of the WASD network are prohibited:
1. Use of the network to facilitate illegal activity.
2. Use of the network for commercial or for-profit purposes.
3. Use of the network for non-District related work.
4. Use of the network for product advertisement, union solicitations and recruitment or political lobbying.
5. Use of the network for hate e-mail, discriminatory remarks and offensive or inflammatory communication.
6. Unauthorized or illegal installation, distribution, reproduction or use of copyrighted materials.
7. Use of the network to access obscene, pornographic, lewd or otherwise illegal material, images or photographs.
8. Use of inappropriate language or profanity on the network.
9. Use of the network to transmit material likely to be offensive or objectionable to recipients.
10. Use of the network to intentionally obtain or modify files, passwords and data belonging to other users.
11. Impersonation of another user.
12. Installation or use of unauthorized games, programs, files or other electronic media.
13. Use of the network to disrupt the work of other users.
14. Destruction, modification or abuse of network hardware and software.
15. Quoting personal communications in a public forum without the original author's prior consent.
More information regarding the iPad 1:1 technology initiative can be found in policy #815 on the district website.
Student Rights and Responsibilities (Board Policy #235)
When misconduct occurs, the subsequent discipline will be handled by the teacher, the principal, or other appropriate staff members. Through this process, students should learn more about
self-control, self-discipline, and making “good choices.”
The nature of the discipline will be dependent upon the nature of the misconduct and its severity and/or frequency.
Parents/Guardians are encouraged to become a partner in this team effort.
Delegation of Responsibility
The Superintendent or designee shall develop administrative regulations consistent with law and Board policy to ensure that student rights under specific conditions are properly recognized and maintained.
Disciplinary Procedures
Students who violate the student behavior code will be subject to consequences appropriate to the type of infraction.
The following outlines discipline levels, examples of offenses, and possible consequences. The lists are not intended to be all-inclusive.
LEVEL 1
Level 1 offenses are student misbehavior that impedes the educational process and classroom procedures.
Examples of Level 1 Offenses: classroom disturbances, hallway disturbances, failure to complete assignments, misuse of electronic devices, coming unprepared for class, disrespectful words or actions toward peers, having food or drink in unauthorized areas, improper dress, lying, lavatory offenses, failure to follow attendance procedures, cafeteria offenses
Possible Consequences for Level 1 Offenses:
1. Loss of privileges
2. Loss of recess
3. After School Detention
4. Written reflection on the behavior
LEVEL 2
Level 2 offenses are frequent or more serious student behavior that disrupts the learning climate of the school.
Examples of Level 2 Offenses: continuation of Level I misconduct, insubordination, school tardiness; bullying; disruptive, inappropriate words or actions; abusive or obscene language; forgery; cheating on tests or assignments; smoking or possession of illegal substances; leaving school without permission; ignoring or disregarding safety rules and regulations; public displays of affection, bus misconduct
Possible Consequences for Level 2 Offenses:
1. Discipline referral to the office
2. Administrative Discretion
o Restitution
o Written behavior reflection
o After school/ Morning Detention
o Parent/Guardian contact/involvement
o Loss of privilege
o Behavior contract
o In- or out-of-school suspension
LEVEL 3
Level 3 offenses are more serious behavior code violations which may be harmful to property or the well-being of others.
Examples of Level 3 Offenses: continuation of Level II misconduct, minor vandalism, incidents involving controlled substances, fighting, theft or possession of stolen property, threats, insubordination, false alarm, vulgar behavior, belligerent behavior, harassment, inappropriate use of electronic devices
LEVEL 3 (cont.)
Possible Consequences for Level 3 Offenses:
1. Discipline referral to the office
2. Administrative Discretion
o Restitution
o Parent/Guardian contact/involvement
o Written reflection of behavior
o In- or out-of-school suspension
o Notification of the police/School resource officer
LEVEL 4
Level 4 offenses are severe student behavior that endangers students or staff or which greatly interferes with the operation of the school.
Examples of Level 4 Offenses: continuation of Level III misconduct, fighting, hazing, assault and battery, extortion, bomb threat, possession or use of weapons, arson, drug dealing, vandalism, illegal computer use, other criminal acts.
Consequences for a level 4 offense can take any or all of the following forms: suspension, expulsion, arrest and/or prosecution. If a citation is issued, legal sanctions can be imposed, including a fine levied by the District Justice.
BULLYING/CYBERBULLYING
The Wyomissing Area School District is committed to providing a safe, positive learning environment for all District students (District Board Policy #249). Should a student witness a bullying incident or feel that they are being bullied, they should report the incident immediately to either the classroom teacher or the guidance counselor. Parents are encouraged to contact both the teacher and principal should their child report a bullying incident to them. Information concerning bullying as well as how students can report a bullying incident is posted in every classroom. For additional information concerning the bullying and cyberbullying policy and/or to view the actual posted information concerning bullying at WREC, please access Policy 249 under the School Board policies tab on the
District website. 12
TELEPHONE USE BY STUDENTS
Students may use the telephone in the office to call home at teacher discretion.
USE OF CELL PHONES AND ELECTRONIC DEVICES
Students are discouraged from bringing cellular phones to school. If a student chooses to bring a phone, it must be turned off, and kept in the student’s backpack. Students bring electronic devices to school at their own risk. Personal electronic items may not be used during school hours or on the bus to and from school.
If a student phone or any other personal electronic device is discovered turned “on”, it will be confiscated by the staff member and sent to the office. The following disciplinary actions will be implemented:
Verbal Warning Verbal Warning Detention
2 Detentions, Parent Meeting
PROPER SCHOOL BUS BEHAVIOR
Acceptable behavior implies that students will:
● wait quietly and safely for the bus.
● wait for the bus to stop prior to leaving the waiting area to board.
● keep hands, feet, and objects to themselves.
● follow the rules posted in the front of the bus.
● sit quietly in the seat, facing forward at all times.
● leave school materials in backpacks.
● while exiting the bus, walk away from the bus, crossing the street in front of the bus.
● obey the bus driver’s directions.
● keep aisles clear.
CONSEQUENCES FOR SCHOOL BUS OFFENSES
● First offense: Student and parents/guardians will be notified as to the nature of the offense.
● Second offense: Parents/guardians will be contacted by the building administrator; student may be suspended from all bus riding privileges for one to three (3) consecutive school days.
● Third offense: Parents/guardians will be contacted by the building administrator; student may be suspended from all bus riding privileges for three to five (5) consecutive school days.
● Fourth offense: Parents/guardians will be contacted by the building administrator; student will be suspended from all bus riding privileges for a minimum of five (5) school days (to be determined by administrator).
PM Dismissal: Buses may be brought back to the school when the general student behavior is unacceptable.
Please note: Parents/guardians, by law, are not permitted to board the school buses at the bus stop. If there are questions or concerns, please call the school office.
To prevent loss/damage to personal items such as toys, games, and audio/electronic equipment, we ask that these items remain at home except for special projects.
HOMEWORK
Homework may include completing specific assignments, working on long-term projects, studying for tests, and reading a book.
Each student will be provided access to an online agenda where homework assignments and tests are posted weekly.
DRESS CODE
Students will dress appropriately for a school setting. The following standards will be observed within the Wyomissing Area School District:
BASIC PRINCIPALS
Certain body parts must be covered for all students at all times.
● Clothes must be worn such that midriff, undergarments, side torso, posterior and private areas are fully covered with solid fabric at all times.
● All items listed in the “must wear” and “may wear” categories below must meet this basic principle.
STUDENTS MUST WEAR
● a shirt (with fabric in the front, back, and on the sides under the arms), AND
● pants/jeans or the equivalent (ex: skirt, sweatpants, leggings, dress or shorts),
● shoes
STUDENTS MAY WEAR
● Religious headwear.
● Ripped jeans, rips are to be no higher than mid-thigh and underwear is not to be exposed.
● Tank tops, including spaghetti straps and halter tops.
● Sleeves must be worn with tee shirts.
● Athletic Attire: sleeves must be worn with sports jerseys, gym shirts (ie: muscle shirts, compression shirts).
● Visible straps on undergarments worn under other clothing and above the shoulder (as long as this is done is a way that does not violate Section 1 above).
● Lightweight jackets and jean jackets.
STUDENTS MAY NOT WEAR
● items containing violent language or images, or weapons.
● images or language depicting/suggesting drugs, alcohol, vaping or paraphernalia or any illegal item or activity, hate speech, profanity, or other inappropriate content.
● images or language that creates a hostile or intimidating environment based on any protected class or consistently marginalized groups.
● any clothing that reveals undergarments. (visible straps are allowed at the shoulder)
● accessories that could be considered dangerous or that could be harmful to others. (ex: spiked jewelry, metal chains)
● head wear that includes but not limited to: hats, earmuffs, sunglasses, or any other head covering, including hoods. Exceptions include: a) religious reasons, b)worn as a matter of health or safety, C.) when worn in connection with a school-sponsored event previously approved by administration.
● winter coats, throughout the school day.
● sleepwear/pajamas, bedroom slippers.
CAFETERIA
Lunches are available for purchase in the school cafeteria daily. A monthly menu is provided on line, listing the choices available. Students may also bring a lunch from home. Milk and water are available for purchase, along with selected snacks. We encourage students to develop good nutritional habits. Please help us to do that. “Fast food” lunches should not be delivered to school to be eaten in the cafeteria. We discourage a soft drink as a beverage. Parents may deposit money in an account for each student to purchase lunches and/or other items in the cafeteria through a debit system. Checks should be made out to WASD Food Service. The student enters an assigned PIN number to charge purchases against the account.
CHANGE OF INFORMATION
At the beginning of the school year, parents are encouraged to register on-line at E-Alert. All parents are required to complete Emergency Information updates with current address, phone numbers, parent work information, and an alternate contact person in case of emergency, as well as confirm existing contact information on file. If any of that information changes during the year, please let us know as soon as possible. If you move at any time during the school year or summer, please call the school office in advance.
EMERGENCY NOTIFICATION REGISTRATION
E-Alert Technology provides a means to communicate vital information quickly to families in the district. This includes an emergency alert system (E-Alert) that enables the district to send information by two means, electronic messages (e-mail or text) and recorded telephone messages. To receive electronic and telephone messages, you must provide contact information by registering with the “E-Alert” system. We urge parents/guardians to register for both e-mail/text and telephone notification to assure that time-sensitive information is communicated to all families. Please go to www.wyoarea.org and register today.
EMERGENCY WEATHER
Student safety will be the primary concern in the event of emergencies or inclement weather. Announcements about closings or an adjusted schedule will be made via the district website, on certain Berks County radio stations and on Channel 69 (Berks Cable 9) on television. If you registered for E-Alert you will be quickly notified via that system. Early dismissals are also placed on the district web site. Have a plan in place so your child knows what to do if no one is at home, and for some unexpected reason school is dismissed early.
HEALTH ROOM
Health room services are available for students who become ill or have accidents during the school day. Parents/Guardians will be called as needed. Any medication to be given during the school day should be kept in the nurse’s cabinet and should be accompanied by written directions for its use. It must be in its original container. No student should carry any medication during the day or keep it in his/her desk, except with special arrangements.
LOST AND FOUND
Any items that have been lost and found should be turned in to be claimed by the rightful owner. Our school has a Lost and Found collection where students should look for any lost belongings. It is a great help if all personal items are marked with the owner’s name.
DISTRICT CALENDAR INFORMATION
Information concerning the following policies, procedures, informational items can be found by accessing the K-12 calendar information quick link on the Wyomissing Area website.
● Admission of Beginners
● Educational Planning
● Food Services
● Health and Medical Services
● Parent Notifications
● Policy of Nondiscrimination in School & Classroom Practices
● Programs of Study
● Pupil Services and Procedures
● Special Programs
● Student Records
● Tax Information
● Transfers
West Reading Elementary Center uses the Raptor Electronic Visitor Registration System to identify and record all visitors. Any parent/guardian or volunteer who comes to school must provide a photo ID to the building secretary; the ID will be electronically scanned into the system to sign in all visitors.
Parents/Guardians may not visit teachers or classrooms without prior arrangements, as this is disruptive to the educational program. This is important for building security.