New Parent FAQs

School Hours:

• Doors open at 9:05 a.m.

• School day starts at 9:25 a.m.

• Dismissal starts at 3:40 p.m. for Pre-K and K, and 3:50 p.m. for other grades

• Early dismissal starts at 1:20 p.m. (1:10 p.m. for Pre-K and K walkers)

• School Office Hours are 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Late Arrival:

• Students are late if not seated in class by 9:25 a.m. 

• Parents must park and come in to sign-in their student if they are late.

• Students will be marked tardy unexcused if no note is provided.

Leaving Early / Change of Dismissal:

• Send a note with your child to state that you will pick him/her up or use the "Report a Student Absence" online form and specify that he/she will be leaving early. 

• If they are using a different form of transportation method, please let their teacher know as soon as you can. After 3:00 pm, the office will NOT allow a change of dismissal or early pick up.

• When the time arrives, please report to the main office and sign your child out at the front office. Please do not come to Arcola after 3:00 pm to pick up your child.

Note: It can be difficult to pick up your child during recess/lunch hour.

Absences:

• If you know your child will be absent, you may choose to do one of the following:

  • Fill out the "Report a Student Absence" online form,

  • Email your child's teacher, or

  • Call the main office at 301-287-8585

• Upon return, bring a note explaining the absence.

• An absence of 5 days or more requires a doctor's note for the absences to be excused.

• Please contact the main office if you have any questions regarding attendance.

When To Keep Your Child at Home:

Read this document from the Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services about when to keep your child home from school.

• You may check your teacher assignment by logging in to your ParentVUE account. If you don't have one, contact Arcola's Parent Community Coordinator on how to sign up.

• If you don’t receive a weekly schedule from your child's teacher, you may reach out to them to know when your child’s special days are for P.E., art, music, and media. 

  • We recommend that students wear sneakers for P.E.

• Students will go outside for recess everyday, weather permitting. We recommend to dress your child appropriately for the weather and apply sunscreen.

• Click here for Arcola’s Daily, Early Release, and Delayed Opening Schedules

Breakfast:

• FREE breakfast is provided every day to ALL students as Arcola is a Title I school.

• Breakfast is available from 9:05-9:25 a.m. in their classrooms. 

Lunch:

• Lunch is FREE for ALL students for the 2024-2025 school year.

• There is no need to fill out the FARMS application for Arcola ES students this year.

• Click to see the monthly menus here

Note: Please let the school nurse and your child's teacher know about any allergies or dietary restrictions.

• For Pre-K to 3rd Grade students, there is a scheduled snack time each day. Please refer to your teacher if your child’s grade has snack time. 

• Arcola ES welcomes snack donations! Below is a list of suggested snacks:

  • Pretzels

  • Graham Crackers

  • Goldfish

  • Animal Crackers

  • Cheez-its

  • Teddy Grahams

  • Class donations are always appreciated but never expected. Classrooms can always use:

  • Napkins

  • Tissues

  • Hand Sanitizer

  • Pencils

  • Markers

  • Paper towels

  • Clorox wipes

  • Hand soap

• Click here for the Suggested 2024-2025 School Supply List. As a Title I School, Arcola ES provides students with all supplies, including backpacks if they need one.

• Each teacher has different supplies they would like parents to donate: please see our Teachers' Wishlists here

• Please talk with your child's teacher to determine what supplies your child will need for the school year.

• You will fill out a student information/transportation packet during parent orientation.

• If you arrive at school after 9:25 a.m., please go through the main office.

• Dismissal starts at 3:40 p.m. for Pre-K and K, and 3:50 p.m. for other grades

• For Early Release days, dismissal starts at 1:20 p.m. (1:10 p.m. for Pre-K and K walkers).

• All students will receive a backpack tag identifying their transportation whether they are a car rider, walker, or bus rider.

• Please make sure your child has a transportation tag pinned to their backpack everyday.

Car Riders

• Car riders will be dismissed from the all-purpose room (school cafeteria); please use the Franwall Ave. car loop.

• NEW for SY2024-2025 - Car Riders no longer need numbers. Provide your child's name to the staff member in the car loop. Parents must stay inside their vehicles.

Walkers

• Students who walk home will be dismissed in the back of the building.

• Doors are located on the playground ("black top").

Bus Riders

• A bus tag will be placed on your child's backpack to make sure your child gets on the correct bus each day.

• Make sure your child knows which bus animal they are assigned.

• Please view page 13 in the Arcola Parent Handbook for bus routes.

• All students are given a transportation tag the first week of school to identify whether they travel by car, go to daycare, walk to school, or which bus they ride.

• Kindergarten students are walked to their dismissal locations with a staff member and a patrol.

• Students who walk to school are dismissed downstairs on the blacktop next to the playground.

• Aftercare clubs are dismissed to their assigned areas. Patrols assist students in getting to their correct location.

• Students who travel by car are dismissed from the side door of the cafeteria to the car loop.

  • To ensure safe practices, parents/guardians are asked to stay in their vehicles and your child will be dismissed to you.

Please click here to view real-time Arcola ES dismissal updates. For any questions, please contact the main office at (301) 287-8585.

Daily Folder

• • Depending on your teacher, your child may receive a daily folder on the first day of school, or you may be asked to provide one.

  • If you have a daily folder, this will be your child's to keep all year, and needs to come to school EVERYDAY.

  • Your child's teacher will send home important papers and notes throughout the school year to communicate with you.

  • Check your child's folder every night and contact the teacher if you have questions about anything sent home.

Note: Not all teachers use a Daily Folder so please email your child's teacher for any clarification. 

Weekly Folder

• • Be on the lookout for your student's Gator/take home folders.

  • This will go home once a week and will have a monthly newsletter, any important notes and flyers, as well as your student's recent work.

  • You will receive PTA flyers on this folder as well.

  • Please return these with your student by Friday or Monday.

• • Your child will have access to a Chromebook while at school, but do not bring their Chromebook home each night.

  • WiFi devices are also available upon request, please contact your teacher.

  • Students can only login to their Chromebooks with their MCPS login and password.

  • Students may also sign out a Chromebook for home use. Fill out this form to request an MCPS Chromebook.

  • The device will be checked out to your student and will be kept at home for the school year. The device will need to be returned at the end of the school year or sooner if your student is leaving MCPS for any reason.

  • Families are responsible for the cost to repair any Chromebooks damaged at home.

• If your child is signed up for an after-school program at Arcola, make sure to contact their teacher on the start date of the club.

  • Teachers follow instructions via the school intercom system on where to send your child for their after-school program.

1. Fill out the MCPS Volunteer form here.

2. Complete the MCPS Child Abuse and Neglect training AND vaccination attestation through your ParentVue account. 

3. Submit your volunteer form, course grades, and COVID vaccination card to the main office.

4. Our Parent Community Coordinator will find a match for you.

Note: View MCPS Guidelines on Volunteering here. 

• Our Principal, Mr. Emmanuel Jean-Philippe, shares general school updates, as well as a question and answer session at the end.

• Available in-person and virtually:

  • In-person: All-Purpose Room (school cafeteria).

  • Virtual: Check your email for Zoom Meeting info.

• Every 4th Thursday of the month, from 9:30 - 10:15 a.m.

• Coffee and breakfast are provided.

• Birthdays are acknowledged daily in morning announcements over the school intercom!

• Only Grades K-1 families may bring shared store-bought treats.

• Make arrangements with the classroom teacher to bring the treats.

• Birthday treats should not be sent to the lunch room.