It is very important that your child knows their dismissal plan. This is especially important when we have a change in schedule such as a scheduled early dismissal day or an emergency dismissal for weather emergencies.

How is your child to get home? Who are they permitted to go home with?

While it may seem like an act of kindness, please do not take home additional children at dismissal until you have asked permission from their parent and informed the school.

Please review your dismissal plan with your child each day so we can work together to keep them safe.

#BePresent is a community/school partnership designed to increase and improve community relationships within schools. Mentors and volunteers will assist school-based staff and administration with ensuring a safe and orderly school environment by being present during the school’s daily function. Mentors and volunteers are invited to have a greater presence in schools as a way to enhance relationships and make school operations safer and more efficient.

What will you do in a school? Although each school has unique needs, some possible activities might include:

• helping with arrival and dismissal.

• assisting staff during lunch and recess.

• being present in hallways during class changes.

• supporting specific programs/activities.

• mentoring a student or small group of students.

• reading with a student

Are you interested in learning how you can #BePresent to support Nantucket's Starfish? Please contact our School Counselors Mrs. Dring and Mrs. Brauer for more information!

The WIDA ACCESS for ELLs language proficiency test began on January 8th and run until February 18th. A letter with testing information was sent home with all students in the ELD program this evening and an Announcement will be posted on Rooms with practice resources tomorrow. If you have any questions, please reach out to Ms. Makadia (K-1) or Ms. Ahmed (2-5). 

We understand it can be difficult to know when to keep your sick kid home or when to send them to school, especially after the past few years of ever-changing protocols. Similar to last year, this year there are no specific COVID Protocols that AACPS is following.  Students should be kept at home for serious illness, injury, or a condition that can be passed on to other children. Students should promptly return to school when they have symptom improvement, they do not have to be symptom free (other than fever free!).  

Preventative measures are helpful! Please teach your kids how to properly wash their hands and ensure they are actively practicing that habit, discourage them from putting their hands in their mouth, practice blowing their nose, enforce healthy water consumption,  cover their cough, or opt to mask up when they aren't feeling well.  Getting back into the school routine after long breaks and cozy snow days at home with our loved ones is an added challenge. Try your best to differentiate between when a kid does not feel like going to school versus being sick and unable to show up to learn. Get curious, ask questions, and make small plans on how you will reconnect when they get home.   In a world where "Attendance Matters" and "Stop the Spread" coexist, decisions are less black and white and require us to balance in the grey areas, because both things are important.  

Regular school attendance is very important to your child’s academic progress and success in school. Please try to schedule dental/medical appointments and other commitments for after school hours whenever possible. Please read the Attendance Section in our Family Handbook for more information regarding Attendance.

At our Attendance Committee Meeting in January, the committee discussed all students who have 10 or more cumulative lawful and unlawful absences and 20 or more tardies and/or early dismissals.

Chronic absenteeism includes students who miss 10% or more of enrolled instructional days. AACPS recognizes a direct correlation between attendance and other academic measures, including grades and state test scores, so monitoring, communicating, and supporting families is necessary for improvement. Even if your student has had lawful absences and you have provided doctor's notes, you may be contacted about your child's chronic absenteeism.