Student & Parent Handbook

Greenwood Family!

 Welcome to Greenwood Elementary School. Our faculty and staff are delighted that you are a part of our school family. The 2021 – 2022 Student & Parent Handbook is designed to serve as a source of information for parents and students regarding School Board regulations and administrative procedures in effect at Greenwood Elementary.  These regulations have been established to ensure a safe, efficient, and organized school environment.  Please read and discuss this booklet with your child and refer to it when needed.

 We are dedicated to making Greenwood Elementary an experience experience built on a foundation of love and fun. The strength of our academic program is matched only by the strength of our community. We look forward to working with you and assisting in making school a positive experience for you and your child.

Mr. Ryan Stein

 Principal

rtstein@henrico.k12.va.us

Welcome to Greenwood Elementary School 
2020 Board of Education Highest Achievement Award

Mission Statement: 5 Houses, 1 Family
Core Values: Grateful Accountable, Trustworthy, Optimistic, Respectful
2021 – 2022 School Theme: Be Here, Be You, Belong

2021 – 2022 Parent Handbook

After School Program @ Greenwood (Extended School) – Register Here
Our Learning & Discovery Program at Greenwood provides a wide variety of enrichment activities designed to support student achievement in a safe and fun environment. Sample activities include Robotics and S.T.E.M. Programs, Writing, Poetry, Journalism, Reading & Language, Music & Movement, Environmental Stewardship, Service Learning, Public Speaking, Drama, Athletics, Yoga, Homework Support, Tutoring, Chess, Art and so much more!  Activities are tailored to the specific needs and interests of each school with input from school leadership, staff, and students. Students are assigned to groups of approximately twelve, based on grade level. Due to reduced group size, space in this program is limited. We follow all Virginia licensing requirements relating to COVID-19, including wearing of cloth face coverings by staff and students.  For more information please contact Cindy Peat at peat@henricogives.org. Register today as our spots are filling up fast!

Attendance
Regular and prompt attendance is an important component of your child’s school success. Virginia State Law determines the regulations governing school attendance for all public schools.  The regular school day for kindergarten through Grade 5 at Greenwood Elementary is from 7:40 AM to 2:10 PM. Students may begin arriving at school at 7:20 AM. Staff supervision is available beginning at that time.  It is unsafe for children to arrive at school before supervision is available. We greatly appreciate your cooperation in this important area.  

The following is the daily school schedule:
7:20 AM Faculty and staff report for duty
7:40 AM Tardy bell rings/Morning Announcements
7:45-8:00 AM Sanford Harmony: Social and Emotional Learning Program
8:00 AM Reading/Math Instruction Begins
1:45 PM Deadline for Early Dismissals
2:05 PM Dismissal of bus riders, car riders, and day-care vans
3:20 PM Teacher work day ends
4:00 PM School office closes and building closes.

Late Arrival
Students entering the school building after the tardy bell rings at 7:40 AM must sign in at the Welcome Center and receive a tardy slip before reporting to class.  Tardies are recorded in individual attendance data for each child and interventions are made according to district guidelines when necessary. 

Absences
Virginia State Law requires written or verbal contact with the parent or guardian whenever a child is absent from school. When your child is absent, please call the school at 261-2970.  Students who have been absent from school must, upon returning to school, bring a note signed by a parent or guardian. In the event of excessive absences, a signed note from a physician may be required for an absence due to illness. Acceptable excuses for temporary absence from school would include illness of the child, serious illness in the family, death in the family, special and recognized religious holidays, & other reasons approved by the principal. Please remember that good attendance contributes to students doing well in school and eventually in the workplace. Students are at risk academically if they are chronically absent (missing just two days a month or 10 percent of the school year).

Early Dismissal
Requests for early dismissal must be made in writing to the teacher by a parent. Early dismissal should not be requested after 1:45, unless it is an emergency.  This allows our office staff to focus on maintaining a calm and orderly dismissal of our bus, car, and daycare riders. The conditions under which the child is to leave school, including the name of the person calling for the child and the time, must be stated in the written request. Parents are asked to come to the main office to sign out the child, who will be called from the classroom over the intercom. A student may not leave the school building or grounds without signing out in the main office. Parents, or previously approved parent designees, are required to present a picture identification card when picking up children.

Cafeteria: Breakfast,  Lunch, and Snack 

Breakfast
Breakfast is served daily in the Greenwood Cafe from 7:20 AM to 7:40 AM for free. If a student arrives late to school, they will have the option of getting breakfast, but please keep in mind that our instructional day begins at 7:40 AM. 

Lunch 
Henrico County School Food Service will be providing free lunch for all students. Our lunch menu will be posted online and shared with families in Mr. Stein’s Sunday communication. 

Behavior Expectations in the Gator Cafe
Lunchtime is an important social activity for the children. Every effort is made to ensure that the children have an enjoyable experience with their classmates. Expectations for student behavior are the same as they are in any dining room. To respect the rights of others, students are expected to use manners, particularly the terms “please” and “thank-you”; to pick up their trash after themselves; and to use quiet voices at the dining room table.

Visiting the Greenwood Gator Cafe
Parents are welcome to visit the school dining room. We will have a designated section available for parents to sit with their child and due to spacing, they will not be allowed to bring a friend to this section. We encourage adult visitors to purchase one of our school lunches and to serve as role models for good nutritional practices. Bringing restaurant take-out food into the dining room is discouraged. Furthermore, in light of the growing incidences of food allergies among children, providing take-out food or other food treats to your child’s classmates is not permitted. Mr. Stein will communicate to parents if these procedures change due to COVID safety restrictions. 

Classroom Snacks and Treats for Birthday (and other) Celebrations
Greenwood Elementary School adheres to the guidelines set forth in the State of Virginia Governor’s Nutrition and Physical Activity Scorecard. The guidelines state the following: “All foods provided on campus during the school day must meet minimum nutrient standards. Food and beverages must be a recognized component of the food based meal pattern or must contain 5 percent of the Daily Value, per serving or per 100 calories, of at least one of these eight essential nutrients: iron, calcium, protein, vitamin A, vitamin C, niacin, thiamine, or riboflavin. To safeguard the health and safety of the children, parent volunteers must consult with the classroom teachers whenever class snack or treat items are planned so that all items meet the Governor’s Scorecard guidelines. Food selection must also take into consideration students with food allergies, religious sensitivities, and medical restrictions.

Your child’s birthday is very special to the Greenwood School Family! Each day we recognize birthday children by identifying and congratulating them as part of the morning announcements. The children are invited to come to the main office where they receive a birthday ribbon or button and choose a special birthday pencil from our “treasure box.” Parents are invited to join their birthday children for lunch in the Greenwood Cafe as a birthday treat. We ask for your cooperation again this year regarding cakes, cupcakes, and other sugary treats. Food allergies and health conditions of many kinds make treats of this nature undesirable, or in some cases, even dangerous for some children. Please do not bring food treats for your child’s class to the classroom or the cafeteria. We greatly appreciate your understanding and support in keeping all our children safe and healthy.

If you are wanting to send an invitation to a student(s) in your child’s classroom, please send the invitations directly to your child’s teacher who can distribute discretely to the other students in the classroom by placing them in their green take home folders. 

Calendar of Events
Please note that we highly encourage all families to attend school-wide events, Parent Teacher Conferences, Student Led Conference and your child’s house performance. 

Change of Address or Phone Number
For the safety of your child, please notify the school immediately whenever your phone number changes. Parents who move within the Greenwood school zone must provide the new address and proof of residency to the school registrar in the main office. If a family moves from the Greenwood school zone, the child must be withdrawn and registered at the new home school by the end of the semester in which the move occurs. Section 15-6 of the Code of Henrico states that “any person who knowingly gives false information on a form for student registration or placement in the county school system shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.”  Inaccurate information may result in criminal charges, liability for the cost of non-resident tuition, and immediate withdrawal from the school. 

Clinic/Illnesses
A registered nurse is on duty during school hours to provide needed care to the students. Prescription medication and over the counter medication (including cough drops, eye drops, Tylenol, Motrin and similar substances) will be administered by the nurse or other trained staff member in the clinic when there is an order from the physician (if needed) and parental permission for administration. All medications must be brought to the clinic by the parent unopened and in the original container. Please do not send medication to school via students. Medication administration permission forms are available in the school clinic and on the Henrico County website. We appreciate your cooperation and assistance as we strive to provide the best care to our students.   We ask that you keep the school clinician informed with any medical history changes and update us when you have a change in phone numbers. It is imperative that we have a current contact person in case of emergencies.

Illness Requiring Absence
For the benefit of the children and all others in the school, we ask that parents adhere to the following guidelines:

•         If you receive a call from the School Nurse to pick up your child, please do so immediately.
•         If a child has a temperature over 100.4 degrees, please keep the child at home until the temperature has returned to normal for 24 hours without any medication.
•         If a child has been diagnosed with an infection and placed on an antibiotic, please keep the child home for 24-48 hours after the medication has begun or as directed by the child’s physician.
•         If a child has an itchy scalp, please check for the presence of head lice and, if found, report the situation to the School Nurse immediately. Regularly checking children for this nuisance condition is a recommended practice.
•         If a child exhibits other signs of a communicable disease, such as watery or inflamed eyes, persistent cough, skin eruptions, sore throat, vomiting or diarrhea, please keep the child at home until the child has been symptom free for 24-48 hours.

Serious Injury or Illness at School
In the event of serious injury or illness at school, every effort will be made to contact the parent or guardian immediately. Each child must have a current emergency information card on file for this purpose. Please contact the school immediately whenever you change your home or work phone numbers.  The emergency information card includes an alternate contact person and phone number for that individual. The emergency contact will be called to pick up your child in the event that we cannot contact you. This person does not necessarily have the authority to authorize medical treatment. If a child requires treatment beyond First Aid, and if the parent or guardian cannot be reached, the child will be taken by the rescue squad to the nearest hospital for emergency treatment. Please note that a student may not ride the school bus with a fever.

Periodic Health Screenings
Periodically, the School Nurse conducts screening tests for the identification of possible problems involving hearing and vision. Vision tests are conducted in kindergarten, third, and fifth grade. Hearing tests are conducted in kindergarten and third grade. All students new to Henrico County Public Schools will be screened for vision and hearing. Parents are notified when a screening test suggests a need for referral to a physician. Student height and weight measurements are also taken yearly.

Henrico Health Policies/Forms:
Policies and regulations may be viewed online at henrico.k12.va.us.  Click on HCPS policies and then on students. There are many forms that can be downloaded via the HCPS website.  Some examples are:  medication permission forms, allergy plans, over the counter medications, etc.  Click on For Parents, health services, Student Health Services, and forms.  These forms are also available in the school clinic.                   

Coffee Chats – “Spilling the Tea with Mr. Stein”
Throughout the year, parents will be invited to attend a principal discussion with Mr. Stein called “Spilling the Tea.”  The times will vary from 8 AM or 6 PM. Please check the master calendar of events for all dates/times.

Communication
Strong and effective communication between home and school is an important emphasis at Greenwood Elementary School. Parent conference days are scheduled periodically throughout the year as indicated on the Henrico County Public Schools school calendar. Specific reminder notices regarding conference days will also be sent home. Additional conferences can be scheduled as needed by contacting your child’s teacher.  We are also really looking forward to our Student Led Conferences in the 2nd semester for kindergarten – 5th grade. Please leave any message for the teacher by phone or e-mail. Teachers check their e-mail for parent messages before and after school each day, and they return messages and phone calls within 24 hours. 

All classroom teachers will send a weekly communication email that will include highlights of their classroom programs, homework assignments, and useful parent resources each Thursday. Other types of communication, including notes, official school notices, and PTA notices will be sent home from school on a regular basis. We encourage all our families to follow our Greenwood Elementary school blog, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram accounts. Finally, information is sent via email and/or phone call through the School Messenger Service as well! We pride ourselves in developing a strong parent communication. 

Greenwood Elementary School wants to keep you informed and alerted to important information! We use several different ways to communicate with families and interested citizens.

SchoolMessenger: A mass notification service used daily by individual schools and the school system’s central office to communicate important news and information. These messages are only available to employees and student households, and they come in three forms: robocalls, emails and texts. Families are automatically signed up for emails and robocalls during registration or when back-to-school forms are submitted. During registration, families also have the option to receive text messages. Robocalls will go to the home phone number listed for Contact 1 and Contact 2 in PowerSchool. Text messages will go to the cell phone number listed for Contact 1 and Contact 2 in PowerSchool.  (Helpful tip: Text messages will always come from the number “67587.” Give that number a name in your phone’s contacts so you know it’s about school.) Emails will go to the email address listed for Contact 1 and Contact 2 in PowerSchool.

“Important news and information” will vary widely and include things like a Mr. Stein’s Sunday Message, public meetings and events, PTA updates, a student absence, a low meal account balance or other information.

If you’re the parent or guardian of a student and you feel you’re not receiving these messages, please contact us in the main office at 804-261-2970. If you’re not the parent or guardian of a student and you believe you’re receiving these messages by mistake, then we sincerely apologize for the inconvenience. Please call HCPS Communications and Public Relations at 804-652-3726 or send us an email to have your contact information removed.

School websites: Our school website is  https://greenwood.henricoschools.us/  and is updated by a web editor based our school.

The Binder: An electronic newsletter produced by the Henrico Schools’ Communications and Public Relations team. The Binder is generally sent out every two weeks (on Tuesdays) during the school year. It consists of “good news,” announcements, interesting opportunities, important reminders and other items for all families and employees across the county. An archive of past issues can be found at https://henricoschools.us/thebinder/.

Facebook: A great way for us to share positive shoutouts, announcements, videos, opportunities and events.  @GreenwoodElementary.HCPS

Twitter: Similar to Facebook, Twitter is used by us to share positive shoutouts, announcements, videos, opportunities, events and urgent information.@Greenwood_Elem

Instagram: A growing way for the school system to show our community the great things being accomplished by our schools, teachers and students. @Greenwood_Elem

HCPS-TV: Henrico County Public Schools operates a cable television channel. If you have Comcast, it’s on channel 99. If you have Verizon FiOS, it’s on channel 38. Check it out to see school activities, special events, sports highlights and more! HCPS-TV YouTube channel: https://youtube.com/henricoschoolstv.

Media advisories and news releases: Important announcements from Henrico County Public Schools written primarily for the local news media and other interested community groups. These announcements often appear on our social media platforms as well. See the most recent announcements at https://henricoschools.us/district-news/.

Hot Topics: A list of important items that appears on the www.henricoschools.us homepage for easy access.

School Board meetings, agendas and documents: These generally appear on a service known as “BoardDocs.” For more information about BoardDocs and School Board meetings in general, start at https://henricoschools.us/school-board/.

Family engagement is an essential part of HCPS’ mission. It is carried out in part by HCPS family advocates, who empower families by bridging gaps and building connections among families, schools and communities. These connections give families the chance to become more actively involved with their child’s education; to volunteer in the schools; to attend workshops and events; and to serve on school and family committees.

Conduct
The Code of Student Conduct for the Henrico County Public Schools explains the expectations and responsibilities of all students. Families are asked to review these expectations with their children and then sign and return the final page of the document to the classroom teacher at the beginning of the year. Please visit the section “School Wide Discipline Plan” to see more information about Greenwood Elementary discipline procedures and expectations. 

Conferences
Report cards serve as a good means of communication; however, they may not always be sufficient for some individual situations.  Parents, as well as teachers, are urged to initiate a conference to clarify concerns and resolve problems.  All conferences should be scheduled for a mutually agreeable time either before or after school hours. Parent-Teacher and Student Led Conferences are a very important part of the school program.  Taking the time and making the effort to know the teacher will contribute to your child’s security in recognizing the cooperative spirit of good parent-teacher and home-school relationships.                                                                          

Since a teacher’s time during the school day must be devoted to all children, we request that parents not “drop in” or stop by the classroom when children are receiving instruction.  The most satisfactory time for a parent-teacher conference is at the close of the school day.  Therefore, we urge you to make appointments for conferences with the teacher after school is dismissed on any day except Monday and Wednesday, as this is reserved for special school or faculty meetings. A parent-teacher conference is the very best way to find out how well your child is progressing.  We believe that parent-teacher understanding and cooperation contributes more than any other single factor to a child’s success.

Copy Parent
Our teachers truly appreciate parents volunteering their time to make copies throughout the year. Please note that parents will not be allowed to copy any assessments. 

Curriculum and Instruction
The core curriculum at Greenwood Elementary School and in all Henrico County Public Schools is based on the Standards of Learning for Virginia and the Essentials of the Curriculum for Henrico County Public Schools that extend the Standards of Learning. The Standards of Learning can be found online at the Henrico County website, www.henrico.k12.va.us. In addition, individual student needs are continually assessed so that instruction can challenge children to reach their full potential.

Other program offerings at Greenwood Elementary include: individual and small group school counseling, classroom counseling lessons, family life, art, music, physical education, library, technology for all grade levels including keyboarding for Grades 3-5, exceptional education programs and services including learning disabilities, speech, occupational and physical therapy, English as a Second Language (ESL), and gifted program services. In addition, the Response to Intervention Program (RTI) offers assistance in reading and mathematics to students who are exhibiting a level of academic need that meets district-wide guidelines for basic skill areas.

Data
Greenwood is proud to be a high achieving school that has been recognized by the Virginia Board of Education as the 2020 Highest Achievement Award recipient. Please see our SOL testing results from the previous years. 

Diagnostic Assessments
We will administer diagnostic or benchmark assessments in grades throughout the year. These assessments measure individual student progress on the curriculum standards that have been taught to that point in the year. Teachers notify parents regarding the administration of the diagnostic assessments, and parents receive feedback on student performance. The assessment results help teachers plan and adjust instruction to meet the needs of their students.

Digital Resources
Our students have access to many digital resources that can be utilized at home. We encourage our students to use Dreambox and Lexie Core each week at home. If you need support with these resources, please contact your child’s teacher. 

Dress Code
Henrico County Public Schools has developed consistent student dress code provisions for elementary, middle, and high school students.  These dress codes, which include guidelines for proper footwear, are published in the Henrico County Public Schools Code of Conduct that is distributed to students and parents at the beginning of the school year. Dress Code provisions are enforced according to the following guidelines: first offense, verbal reminder from the classroom teacher; second offense, written reminder sent home for parent signature; third offense, referral to the resource teacher.

Emergency Plans and Student Safety
Every effort is made to ensure that the school is a safe environment for our students and staff. Parent input regarding safety issues is always welcome. Fire drills are conducted once a week for the first four weeks of school and monthly for the remainder of the year. An evacuation plan is posted on the wall near the exit door of each classroom. Emergency bus evacuation drills are also conducted each semester. All persons in the building at the time of an emergency drill, including visitors and volunteers, must evacuate the building.

School Safety Plan
Greenwood staff members are trained and updated annually on the components of a comprehensive crisis plan that is specific to our school. The plan reflects compliance with recommendations offered by the Henrico County Public Schools Safety Audit Team.

Visitors to Greenwood: A School Safety Matter
Family visitors are always welcome at Greenwood; however, to help ensure the safety and security of the children and staff, all exterior doors are kept locked.  Furthermore, a buzzer entry system has been installed to control access to the building during school hours. A member of the main office staff will respond to the buzzer and, after determining the identity of the visitor, will provide access to the building. All visitors are required to report to the main office to sign in by utilizing the driver’s license scanner to secure a visitor’s badge before entering other areas of the building. Visitors must also sign out in the main office before they leave. Students and teachers are instructed to report immediately anyone or anything of a suspicious nature. In particular, staff members have been instructed to stop persons without a nametag and escort them to the office. Parents are asked to drop off forgotten textbooks, lunches, lunch money, etc. at the Welcome Center located in the main lobby. These items will be forwarded to students in a timely fashion while ensuring that instructional time is not lost. When requesting to visit a classroom, please make prior arrangements with the teacher.

School Cancellations or Closings
School cancellations or closings are authorized by Henrico County Public Schools and are announced on television and radio, as well as through the School Messenger notification system. Please make sure that your child and your child’s teacher know what to do if there is an unexpected early dismissal.  Emergency closing plans are requested from parents at the beginning of the school year. Please update this information promptly whenever your family’s emergency dismissal plans change.

Student Insurance
Accident insurance and dental insurance are available to all students.  The Henrico County School Board selects companies to administer these programs. Information regarding insurance programs is distributed to students at the beginning of the school year.

Before and After School Hours
Children may begin arriving at school at 7:20 AM unless parents have been notified that an earlier supervised activity is planned. Exterior and classroom doors are secured for the night at 4 PM. Please do not ask school personnel to make exceptions to this policy. Students are asked not to play on the sidewalks around the building after school hours. Skateboarding and bicycle riding in these areas is prohibited as indicated on the signage in the front of the building. Please do not permit your child to enter the school unsupervised when school is not in session. We ask all students and parents to help us protect our school from potential vandalism and abuse. If you see any unusual activity after school hours, please call the police department. Please help us protect our school, which belongs to all of us.

Solicitation by Students
According to Henrico County Public Schools policy, students may not be involved in the sale of items during the regular school day or in a door-to-door canvass of residences or businesses when done in the name of the school or organizations within the school. This policy is not intended to exclude fund-raising activities by the school or by organizations within the school, so long as such activities do not involve selling by students during the school day or in door-to-door solicitation.

Family Life Education
The Family Life Education curriculum uses adopted health, science, and guidance/counseling materials as a basis for age appropriate topics in grades K-5. Fourth and fifth grade students receive additional instruction in selected human growth and development topics presented by health education professionals. Program content overviews and opt-out information for the fourth and fifth grade Family Life Programs are distributed to parents in advance.

Feedback
Throughout the year, our school will post a survey for both students and parents to provide feedback on their experience at Greenwood. We value our parents and students feedback! 

Field Trips
Grade level teaching teams will take several field trip each  semester to enhance curriculum and instruction. Field trips may or may not require a fee. Parents must grant permission in order for a child to participate. If a fee for a field trip presents a financial difficulty, please let us know. Henrico County Public Schools has established guidelines for the approval of field trips in order to ensure that consistent safety standards for students are met. Consistent with these county guidelines, parents who volunteer to chaperone must attend an orientation meeting prior to the trip. Pre-school children are not permitted to accompany parent chaperones on field trips.  Before serving as a chaperone for a field trip, the parent or family member must have completed a Henrico County Volunteer Application Form. These application forms are distributed at the beginning of the year in the welcome packet and are also available in the front office upon request. Furthermore, we are also asking our parents to purchase a field trip t-shirt that all students will wear on each trip in order to keep our students safe. 

Gator Values

Grateful – Show appreciation towards the people that lift you up each day.

Accountable – Take responsibility for your success and become a leader that lifts others

Trustworthy – Do what is right when no one is watching.

Optimistic – Make a choice to have a positive attitude no matter the situation.

Respectful – Listen to others, be thoughtful and kind, and treat others the way you would want to be treated. 

House Pledge 

We Are – 5 Houses, 

We Are – 1 Family 

We Are 

Grateful, Accountable, Trustworthy, Optimistic, and Respectful

G-A-T-O-R- GO GATORS

Gifted
Please contact Mr. Truda if you have any questions at jatruda@henrico.k12.va.us or 804-261-2970. HCPS Website on Gifted and Talented Education Programs

http://blogs.henrico.k12.va.us/giftedparents/

FAQ Gifted Questions

K-1 Frequently Asked Questions Document

Most Frequently Asked Questions Document

Information Sessions

Gifted Programs Brochure

Grading and Student Achievement
Teachers make every effort to promote the academic success of the children. When children experience difficulty, teachers confer promptly with the child’s parents and offer suggestions for assisting the child in overcoming difficulties. Teachers also consult with the principal, counselor, and other school personnel to develop strategies for differentiating instruction and obtaining additional support.

 Children in Kindergarten and Grade 1 receive grades according to the following scale:
4: Student performance consistently meets or exceeds standard/ expectation and student produces outstanding work.
3: Student performance usually meets standard/expectation and student produces acceptable work.
2: Student performance is approaching standard/expectation and student inconsistently produces acceptable work.
1: Student performance is below standard/expectation and student frequently requires re-teaching.

 Students in Grades 2-5 receive report card grades in the core content areas according to the following scale:

A= 90-100    Excellent
B= 80-89      Very Good
C= 70-79      Satisfactory
D= 65-69      Marginal Progress
F= Below 65   Failing

 Finally, grades in art, music, and physical education reflect the following participation standards:

S= Satisfactory: When present, the student comes prepared and participates to the best of his or her ability.
N= Needs Improvement: When present, the student comes unprepared and does not participate. (Two or more class periods of non-participation requires a parent contact.)

 Report Cards and Interim Reports
Report cards are issued four times a year as indicated on the Henrico County Public Schools Calendar. Report cards are supplemented with written interim progress reports in the middle of each nine-week reporting period.  Please return your child’s signed report card envelope and interim progress reports promptly to the teacher.

Guidance and School Counseling
School guidance and counseling is a functional and integral part of the total educational process.  It is a continuous developmental process directed toward assisting all students in establishing and achieving worthwhile goals, developing personal potentialities, and becoming mature self-directed individuals.  Our counselor’s primary goal is to focus on the developmental process of each student in relation to educational progress, personal and social growth, and career goals.

Homework
Homework reinforces the learning process that takes place during the school day and develops responsibility and independent study habits in the children. Although homework is the responsibility of the student, parents are asked to review homework assignments with their children nightly. The following are time guidelines for homework at different grade levels:

 Kindergarten – 15 minutes
Grades 1 and 2 – 30 minutes
Grade 3 – 40 minutes
Grades 4 and 5 – 60 minutes

Participation section in the grade book should start at a 100%. For each homework assignment that is not completed, the student’s participation grade should drop the following points:

If your child is taking significantly longer to complete homework than the time indicated above, please discuss this with your child’s teacher.  The following are some homework tips for parents to share with their children:

•         Set aside a time to do homework every day.
•         Locate a quiet area with good lighting and school materials (pencils, ruler, dictionary) in which to work.
•         Encourage independence while letting your child know you are available to help if necessary.
•         Be available to check your child’s work for accuracy and completion.
•         Remind your child of the ways in which homework is like the adult responsibilities that you model in the home.
•         Remember that nothing can substitute for a hug, smile, and word of approval. Be encouraging and supportive!

As an integral extension of classroom experiences, parents should expect students to have homework assigned each day with few exceptions during the school week.  Homework can be used very effectively to provide practice for skill development, opportunities for enrichment and creativity, and to build good independent study habits.

House System
Please visit our school website for information about the House System. 

Hug and Kiss Zone
In order to keep all our students safe, we have implemented a Hug and Kiss Zone by the main office that will begin the 2nd day of school. We are encouraging our students to walk to their classroom. We have teachers and 5th grade safeties in the hallway to assist your child if they need help finding their classroom. 

Library Information Center
The school library is available to all students during the day for reference work, research, and book checkout. Student materials are checked out for one week and materials may be renewed. Overdue notices are printed and distributed each week. No fines are assessed for overdue books; however, a child may not check out a new book until the previous one has been returned. If a library book is lost, please notify the librarian. A replacement charge will be assessed. 

Lost and Found
The Lost & Found is located in the hallway near our preschool classrooms.  It is requested that all outerwear and other personal items be labeled with the child’s name whenever possible.  Unclaimed articles left at the end of each quarter will be donated to a local charity.

Monday Morning
Mondays are the best day of the week at Greenwood Elementary School. Our teachers are in the hallway with a contagious enthusiasm and energy. We have music outside and in the hallway. In the classrooms, students are playing games and started the day on the right foot. We have several morning clubs (dance, sports, step team, drumline, art, chorus, running, and etc) that our students can join. We are always looking for volunteers to play the piano or any other instrument. Give us a call if you would like to join from 7:15 – 7:45 AM at 804-261-2970. 

Parent-Teacher Association – Website
The Parent-Teacher Association offers parents many opportunities to become an integral part of our school community. All parents are encouraged to become members of the PTA and to attend the monthly meetings regularly. Interesting, informative, and entertaining meeting programs are consistently planned and held according to a schedule provided in the school Welcome Packet. The PTA maintains open communications with newsletters and “E-Mail Blasts.” The Greenwood faculty and staff are extremely proud and appreciative for the outstanding support received from the PTA. We encourage all parents to follow the Greenwood PTA Facebook account for pictures and highlights from our community events! 

2021 – PTA Unit of the Year awarded by the Henrico County PTA Association
2021 – PTA Volunteer of the Year awarded by the Henrico County PTA Association
2021 – Program of the Year awarded by the Henrico County PTA Association
2018 – PTA of Excellence Award given by the Virginia Board of Education

Room Parent Program

Teachers request assistance from PTA room parents for specific support of grade level activities throughout the year. In working to support the grade level program, room parents operate within the following guidelines:

Maintaining continuity within the grade level by planning all activities with the classroom teacher; Limiting the number of classroom parties according to School Board policy while ensuring that nutritional and healthful treats are provided; Remembering that School Board policy does not permit students or parents to collect money for class gifts for the teacher.

Volunteer Program

Greenwood Elementary School offers many opportunities for parents to volunteer their time and talents to enrich the educational experience of all the students. We appreciate the many hours of service provided by school volunteers each year. Some of the opportunities for volunteering include assisting the librarian in checking books in and out of the library; assisting the teachers with their classroom programs such as reading, writing, and computer technology on a weekly or biweekly basis; assisting in preparing instructional materials for teachers to use in the classroom; and assisting in the dining room during the lunch periods. Parents who are interested in volunteering must complete a Henrico County volunteer application form each year and follow the guidelines established by Henrico County Public Schools. For safety reasons, pre-school children may not accompany volunteers when they are working in the building.

Parties
According to Henrico County Policy, “elementary schools will be allowed one social function on school time during the school year, this being immediately prior to winter vacation.” Holiday parties for all classes will be held on the last day before winter break. Individual birthday parties are not allowed.  

Principal’s Message
Please click HERE for Mr. Stein’s 2021 – 2022 message. 

Promotion and Retention
Decisions as to whether a child will be promoted to the next grade level or retained are based on the needs of the individual student. Parents are important participants in this critical decision. When a teacher has reason to believe that a child needs additional time in a grade level, she consults with the principal, parents, and other school professionals who have worked with the student.

Registration

Report Cards 

Weighting Grades (2-5)
Participation 10%
Tests & Project 40%
Quizzes 30%
Classwork 20%

Reading Levels
Reading levels will be shared with parents at our conferences and Back to School night.

Sanford Harmony
This year our students will participate daily in a research based Social and Emotional curriculum daily from 7:45 – 7:55 AM. This is yet another reason why it’s so important for your child to arrive to school on time. Our after school day care program will implement Sanford Harmony into their daily schedule as well. Furthermore, our administrative team will be participating in the Sanford Harmony meetings daily, which will make it difficult to meet with parents during this time. 

School Safety
Safety is our number one priority EVERY day.  We have well-designed safety procedures in place, have an active safety committee, participate in a yearly state Safety Audit, and continually provide information and a myriad of safety-related training for staff. We practice emergency procedures with our students on a regular prescribed basis and teach them what to do in various situations.

We take a proactive / preventative approach to creating and maintaining a safe environment in our school through a daily focus on expectations and working together respectfully, classroom support from our school counselor, small group counseling, student mentoring, and daily classroom morning meetings. If a student has any concern, he / she is encouraged to let an adult know directly or by placing their concern in our “Suggestion and Concerns” box in the library with the choice of identifying themselves or submitting it anonymously.

It truly takes everyone in our school community to make our school as safe as it can be. You can do your part by:

• Calling us if you have any safety-related questions or concerns. We encourage input from our community and are always glad to talk with you.
• Being thoroughly familiar with the Greenwood Parent Handbook following all procedures outlined and being thoroughly familiar with the HCPS Code of Conduct.
• Letting us know right away if your emergency information changes (new phone numbers, places of employment, etc.).
• Calling school before 8:00 if your child is going to be absent.
• Following our Safety Traffic Plan:
  • Using extreme caution in our parking lot and never parking at the front entrance. This is a fire lane.
  • Displaying your car tag for student pick-up and following all transportation procedures.
• Identifying yourself when using our buzzer entry system and never allowing a person to enter behind you who has not yet been acknowledged by the office staff. ALL visitors must use the front entrance and immediately sign in at the office.
• Always wearing a nametag when visiting or volunteering and respectfully following any directions given by a staff member throughout your visit. This is especially critical in case of emergency or an emergency drill.
• Being positive role models for our students whenever you are with us, in your words, actions, and demeanor.
• If you live close by our school, helping us to be good stewards of our facility and reporting any after hours concerns to the Henrico Police via  their non-emergency (501-5000) or emergency (911) phone numbers.
• Being well-informed about HCPS School Safety Policies and Practices by visiting the HCPS School Safety Website at:  http://henrico.k12.va.us/SafetySecurity/index.html. This site includes a wealth of information and resources for families.

To learn more about how to keep your student safe online and with various media sources including video games, apps, music, and movies, visit the Common Sense Media website.

School Wide Discipline Plan
Our school will continue to implement our House System as our school wide discipline plan. The academic, behavior and attendance results have been outstanding with the implementation of this system. 

Silence Hurts
Silence Hurts is a form for Greenwood Elementary School students to report information anonymously. It is designed to keep students safe from bullying, drugs, suicide, gangs, violence, and any other threats to student safety. Silence Hurts is not monitored in real-time. If this matter involves the risk of injury or is life-threatening, you should call 911.

Smoking
Smoking is not allowed in any part of the building or areas outside. This includes vaping. Please refer to the HCPS policy.

Social Media
We encourage our families to follow Greenwood @Greenwood_Elem on social media (Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram) 

Spirit Wear
Our PTA will sell spirit throughout the year. Students will be encouraged to wear their house shirts each Friday and on special occasions. Please note that we are asking all students and staff to have a house shirt as we wear them weekly. 

Staff
Please click HERE to see our 2021 – 2022 staff. 

Standards of Learning
The Virginia Standards of Learning serve as a framework for the instructional program in grades kindergarten through five.  Teachers will make every effort to insure success for their students. Teachers will consult with the principal, resource teacher, school counselor, and other school personnel to develop strategies for working with the child.  Teachers will confer with parents and offer suggestions for assisting the child in overcoming difficulties.

Student Pictures
Individual student pictures are taken in the fall and in the spring. Class pictures are also taken either in the fall or in the spring. Purchase of student pictures is optional.

Student Recognition
In an effort to encourage high academic achievement and self-discipline, students in Grades K-5 will be recognized during the year at classroom award ceremonies, pep rallies, Student of the Month ceremonies, Be Well Award recipients, End of the Year Awards, and more! 

Substitute
A parent will be able to substitute at the school, once they have gone through the proper training and screening required by the County. We do not permit parents to substitute in the same class that their child is enrolled in. 

Supply List 
Click HERE for the 21-22 school supply list.

Telephone
Due to the number of students, staff, and faculty served by the school, the use of the telephone must be limited to the emergency use by students, or to the business and operation of the school. Students are encouraged to assume the responsibility for transporting notes, books, homework, supplies, and materials to and from school themselves. They must secure a telephone pass from their teacher in order to use the phone.

Transportation
During the week before school opens each year, teachers contact families to welcome them, to get acquainted, and to determine how the child will travel home from school each day. Parents also submit home travel information in writing at the beginning of the school year. Whenever a child needs to leave school in a different manner than usual or disembark a school bus at a different stop than usual, a written note from a parent describing the transportation change for the day is required. Students who do not have written directions from a parent will be sent home in the usual way. These important guidelines have been established for the safety of the children.

Bus Transportation
School bus transportation is a service provided to students who live outside the .3-mile walking zone. Riding the school bus is a privilege and students are expected to follow the rules stated in the Henrico County Department of Transportation Manual that is provided to all students. Appropriate and safe behavior that includes respect for other persons and their property is required at school bus stops. Because our school buses are at their seating capacity, students may not ride a bus other than the one to which they are assigned by the Henrico County School Transportation Department. If highly extenuating circumstances exist, please contact our School Resource Teacher.

Kindergarten Bus Students
According to Henrico County School Board policy, a parent/guardian or other previously authorized person must accompany a kindergarten child to the school bus stop in the morning and be present to pick up the student when the child is dropped off after school.  If a parent/guardian or other authorized person is not present at the bus stop to meet the student, the bus driver is required to return the student to school. The parent/guardian will then be contacted to come to school to pick up the child. Parents, guardians, and authorized persons must present a driver’s license as proof of identity when picking up a child either at the school or at the bus stop.

Car Riders/Parent Pick Up
Students are discharged in the morning and picked up in the afternoon in the circular drive area located directly in front of the school.  Designated staff members and volunteers supervise the arrival and dismissal of students by car. Children who are car riders will be assigned a pick-up number and receive a laminated number sign to display in their car’s front window. The number system is used to increase safety and efficiency at dismissal time.

For the safety of the children, please also follow these guidelines:

•         Remember that the entrance and exit drives from the school are one lane and one-way in each direction.
•         When arriving at afternoon dismissal time, please wait in line and do not attempt to pass other cars that are already in place.
•         Remember that visitors who need to enter the school at dismissal time may park in the spaces that are available in the back of the building.
•         Drop children off in the morning only in the drop off loop. 
•         If you are the first car in the morning front loop rotation, pull all the way around the front loop to the “stop” sign before stopping.

Parent Pick-Up List
To insure the safety of the students being dismissed from the front office Parents are encouraged to keep their Parent Pick-up List updated with the adults that are permitted to sign out a student from school. Adults not listed on the Pick-up list will not be permitted to check out the student. We cannot take changes for this over the phone. Parents must change the list in person in the front office.

Tutoring
Henrico County Public Schools Policies and Regulations #4-05-009 states: No employee is permitted to tutor for pay any child in a class to which the employee is assigned. No tutoring for pay shall take place by an employee during normal contractual working hours of the employee. If you are interested in getting a tutor for your child, you can email any of the tutors below or call the office at 804-261-2970 to answer any questions you might have about this process.

Volunteer
If you would like to volunteer in your child’s classroom or at any school event this year, please read the Volunteer Guidelines,  complete the fillable PDF Volunteer Application,  and watch the Safety Orientation Video. 

A Concluding Note
The strength of Greenwood Elementary School is based on a close and productive partnership among students, parents, teachers, and administration. Our entire school community is justly proud of the outstanding level of parent involvement we experience yearly. We encourage you to continue this excellent tradition by volunteering your talents to the school; by maintaining close communication with your children’s teachers; and by offering any suggestions that you have for school improvement. Thank you in advance for your attention to the guidelines in this handbook!