Handbook

A child’s first teacher is a parent or guardian. Therefore, the continued involvement of parents and family members in the educational process is most important in fostering and improving educational achievement.  Administration, teachers, and staff at Frederick Douglass Elementary recognize the value of the ongoing cooperative partnership between home and school. We believe it is important that parents and other family members become shareholders in workshops, meetings, policies, and effective communication impacting the overall educational process to ensure student success. At Frederick Douglass Elementary, we offer 

Annual Title 1 meeting. 

The purpose of the annual meeting is to inform parents about services provided by Title 1 and the overall academic progress made by the school from the previous year. 

Ongoing Communication. 

Various modes of communication will be used to communicate with parents such as: Seesaw App, class newsletters, notes home, student agendas, Wednesday Folders, phone calls to parents, email, fliers, website, and social media. Parents are invited to provide input in making decisions regarding their child’s education. 

Family Learning Nights 

Parent workshops and family learning nights will be held to help families with resources and strategies to support students at home. 

Regular Parent Conferences 

Parent conferences are held throughout the school year to review student progress and address any concerns. 

School Family Compact 

Parents, teachers, and students agree on the responsibilities of each party in the learning process. The Compact is distributed, reviewed, and signed at the beginning of the school year and placed in the student's cumulative records. 

Coordinating and Integrating/connections with other programs which yield successful academic results MTSS(Responsiveness to Instruction/Multiple Tiered System of Support) addresses academic and a system of positive behavioral support in place in the classrooms and school-wide. 

Feedback opportunities and Parent Involvement Opportunities 

In addition to serving on decision-making committees, parents complete surveys and questionnaires to evaluate the effectiveness of parent workshops and meetings.
 

The staff believes in the total developmental and educational process of developing a successful child. Parent involvement is so vital in a child’s academic success. Parent cooperation, input, and support in the school helps to enhance the effectiveness of the school operations. We believe it is important that parents become shareholders in workshops, meetings, policies, effective communication, and the educational process to ensure student success. 

School Responsibilities: 

● Create a safe, nurturing, and positive learning environment for students and parents.

● Provide high-quality curriculum and instruction in a supportive and effective learning environment that supports children in meeting the State’s student academic achievement standards. 

● Provide parents with frequent reports on their child’s academic and behavioral progress. ● Initiate a parent contact/conference at the first signs of a pattern of behavior that interferes with student learning. 

● Provide clear expectations of student progress and achievement to both students and parents.

● Involve parents in the planning, reviewing, and improving the school’s Title I Site Plan and Schoolwide Improvement plan. 

● Hold an annual meeting to inform parents of the school’s participation in Title I and family engagement opportunities. 

Parent and Family Responsibilities 

● See that my child is at school by 8:00 a.m. and remains until 3:00 p.m.  

● See that my child participates in remote learning activities when necessary. 

● Attend conferences, look at behavior charts and school work, and contact the teacher as needed to monitor my child’s progress. 

● Establish a time and place for students to participate in remote learning (when applicable) and complete homework assignments. Work with my child to turn in assignments to their teacher on the due date. 

● Ensure my child reads at least 20 minutes a night. 

● Check my child’s homework folder, Seesaw App, and/or google classroom for information sent home from school. 

● Check my child’s PowerSchool parent portal for academic information. 

● Sign my child’s agenda daily and Wednesday folders, read it, and respond if necessary. 

● Actively participate in parent meetings and family learning nights provided by Frederick Douglass Elementary. 

● Participate, as appropriate, in decisions relating to my child’s education. 

Student Responsibilities 

● Come to school each day prepared, ready to learn, and ready to S.O.A.R. 

● Actively participate during remote learning and face-to-face instruction, asking questions when there is something I don’t understand or need extra help completing. 

● Complete and turn in assignments and homework on the due date. 

● Read at least 20 minutes every day outside of school time. 

● Give my parents or guardian all papers, agenda, Wednesday folder, and information sent home with me from the school. 

● Give my parents or guardian all papers, agenda, Wednesday folder, and information sent home with me from the school. 

More information about each event will be communicated through Wednesday folders, phone calls, and social media posts. 

Save the date for important Title I Events

• Aug. 20 - Open House/Annual Title I Meeting
• Oct. 29 - Trick, Treat & Read
• Jan. 14 - MOY Parent Conferences
• March 11 - STEM Night
• April 15- Transition Night Rising K, 3rd and 6th Grade Parents

1^st Term 

Progress Reports: September 21, 2026 

Grading Period Ends: October 15, 2026 

Report Cards Go Home: October 26, 2026 

2^nd Term 

Progress Reports: November 17, 2026 

Grading Period Ends: December 18, 2026 

Report Cards Go Home: January 11, 2027 

3^rd Term 

Progress Reports: February 8, 2027 

Grading Period Ends: March 11, 2027 

Report Cards Go Home: March 22, 2027 

4^th Term 

Progress Reports: April 26, 2027 

Grading Period Ends: June 3, 2027 

Report Cards Go Home: June 21, 2027

Updated 6-15-2026

The building opens at 7:30 a.m. daily. Our instructional day is from 8:00 to 3:00. Students should not arrive before 7:30 a.m. They should also arrive in time to eat breakfast and be seated in their classroom by 8:00 a.m. to avoid being marked tardy.  

Only FDES staff will be permitted in the building before 7:30. 

At the beginning of the school year, we understand the need for parents to accompany their student(s) to the classroom, especially for parents whose child (ren) have not attended school before. We want your child – our student – to feel secure and comfortable while at FDES; however, we encourage you to have your child go to the classroom unassisted to build independence. After the first week of school, parents will not be allowed to walk their students to class. Staff will be present to accompany students if needed.

All students are expected to attend school daily unless they are ill. A written note explaining the absence is required when the child returns to school. Students who accumulate repeated tardies or absences (5 or more) might be asked to provide evidence of a doctor’s appt. or other medical reasons for being tardy or leaving early. For excessive absences, tardies/early pick-ups, the problem may be turned over to the counselor and/or the school’s social worker. The counselor and/or social worker will be asked to investigate and help the child/family develop a plan to get the child to school on time or a plan to ensure the student remains in school for the entire instructional day.

Parents will be notified of accidents that require medical or immediate attention. You should be certain that the school always has your current contact phone number and address. Also, emergency contact information must be provided in case we are unable to reach you.

Student addresses and phone numbers should always be kept up to date. Notices from the school/teacher will be mailed to the address on file at the school. Unless you notify us of any changes, we use what we have on file for mailing. Please furnish the front office with your latest contact address, phone numbers, homework, emergency contact person(s), etc. These numbers should allow the office/teacher to contact you between 7:30 am and 3:30 pm. Messages, notes, papers to be signed, and progress reports delivered by the student from the school, or messages deleted from answering machines, causing a parent not to receive a message, are matters between the parent and child, not to be handled by the school but by the parent. In some cases, the parent/guardian may be required to attend a parent conference before the student may return to school. Information will be provided to the legal guardian when legal guardianship is in place. If one parent does not live within the FDES School District, messages will be delivered to the address that provides the student the right to attend FDES. In the case of joint custody, messages will be sent to the parent with whom the child will spend the night. 

Every effort will be made to make sure that students can use the bathroom when needed. However, students should not be in the bathrooms unless they have permission or it is a scheduled break. Teachers have bathroom breaks scheduled every 90 to 120 minutes. Students may be asked to wait for the bathroom if it is close to break time. Students will never be denied the opportunity to use the bathroom. If a student’s requests to use the bathroom are frequent and appear to be a possible medical issue, the student will be referred to the counselor. The counselor may want to speak with the parent or request a doctor’s note confirming a medical problem. Please let us know of any problems by sending a doctor’s note to the counselor as soon as possible, so that all concerned teachers can be alerted.

Parents should supervise their children in packing their book bags. Only necessary school items should be in the bags—no toys or unessential items like playing cards, handheld computer games, electronics, or fidget spinners. Items should be limited to school-related materials (books, pencils, pens, paper, assignments, etc.). Students do not need to carry backpacks to lunch or the playground. Book bags may be moved from one classroom to another during the day. Rolling book bags are not allowed at FDES for safety reasons. Students who ride the bus must hold their book bags in their laps. Book bags cannot be set in the aisle of the bus.

Students are expected to treat library books with respect. When books are damaged or lost, they must be paid for promptly. Students and parents are responsible for all books assigned, loaned, or checked out of the library or classroom.

To maintain a safe and focused learning environment, students are not permitted to bring in outside food for breakfast (such as fast food, restaurant meals, or takeout) after arriving at school. Additionally, food deliveries (including DoorDash, Uber Eats, or any other delivery service) are not allowed at any time during the school day for students. 

This helps us: 

Ensure student safety, including those with food allergies 

Minimize disruptions to the school day 

Support our school’s nutritional guidelines and meal programs 

Students may eat breakfast provided by the school or eat before arriving on our school campus in the morning. Thank you for your cooperation and support in maintaining a positive and safe school environment. 

Students are provided with Chromebooks as classroom resources. At the beginning of the year, parents and students must complete a Technology User Agreement form during Open House and pay the annual technology fee. Chromebooks will be used to provide students with the resources needed for each lesson.  

The annual technology usage fee funds the essential infrastructure, security, and digital platforms that all students use daily. This fee applies to everyone, including students who bring their own devices (BYOD) since all students benefit from these shared services. Students who qualify for direct services from government assistance programs (SNAP, Medicaid, TANF) or have an approved Wilson County Schools fee waiver are exempt from the annual technology usage fee; however, they remain responsible for any damage fines accrued due to negligence (see Form 3225/4312/7320-F1 Student Technology Use & Digital Citizenship Agreement for School and/or Home Usage).

Stay connected to the school through the Frederick Douglass Facebook page, Frederick Douglass Instagram page, weekly phone calls, emails, the Frederick Douglass PTO page, the school's web page, Class Dojo, and the WCS App. You must keep your phone numbers and email addresses up to date in the office so that the notification system can reach you via phone and/or email with any announcements regarding the school or school system. Mrs. Wooten will send out weekly Sunday night phone and email messages every Sunday at 5:30 pm. 

Teachers will maintain contact with parents and students through Class Dojo, newsletters, phone, and/or email. Teachers will be the primary point of contact for parents and students to address any questions or concerns.

Policy Code: 4316 Student Dress Code 

Frederick Douglass will adhere to the Wilson County Schools student dress code policy, as outlined in the board policy linked above. Please check with your child every morning to know what they are wearing before they leave for school. 

We cannot stress enough the importance of keeping your telephone number and address up to date. Notify the office immediately if you move or change your home, work, or cellular phone numbers during the year. Also, please provide the office with the contact number and address of a trusted friend or relative we may contact in case of an emergency, or who can reach you at all times.  

Please make sure this person is trustworthy and will deliver messages to you, the parent/guardian, about a sick child, school problems, homework, discipline, and attendance problems. This may be the only way to contact you in an emergency, so please ensure that you update this information if it changes. Children get very anxious during emergencies if their parents cannot be reached. 

Parents or guardians who have not provided numbers/addresses or an emergency contact person who can be reached between 7:30 am and 3:30 pm will be contacted by a social worker to update this information. 

Any student without a signed permission form will not be permitted to leave campus for field trips. The teacher will properly receipt all field trip fees paid by the student/parent. Students who raise safety concerns at school may not be allowed to participate in field trips unless accompanied by a parent or guardian. Money for field trips will not be refunded unless the school has to cancel the trip. You should keep your original FDES receipt if the school has to issue a refund for a canceled trip; receipts must be returned to the school before a refund is issued. When the field trip is over, students may be checked out and leave with their parents. Students who leave with their parents will be counted as an early checkout and will be logged in the attendance data for that day. Keep in mind that early checkouts are considered tardy. 

Parent Volunteer Information for Field Trips 

When appropriate, educators may utilize field trips to enrich and extend instruction. Any parent who wishes to attend or chaperone a field trip must be approved through the district volunteer system, which requires a clear background check. Sign up by visiting www.wilsonschoolsnc.net and entering volunteer in the search bar. The volunteer application should be completed at least one month prior to the field trip.  Pending applications and expired approvals will not be honored. 

We encourage parents to consider volunteering as a chaperone when appropriate. Per administrative discretion, approved chaperones may be assigned a small group of students to supervise during the trip. Field trips are considered an extension of the school day; therefore, applicable policies, rules, and procedures apply for the duration of the field trip. Please refer to Wilson County Schools Board Policy and Regulation 3320, School Trips, for more information.  

Approved volunteers who do not serve as chaperones may not be able to participate in the field trip activities due to venue limitations. If tickets must be pre-purchased for a trip, the school will secure tickets only for adults volunteering as chaperones. Older or younger children/siblings/cousins, etc., who are not members of the class are not permitted to attend field trips. Please visit the Volunteer section on the Wilson County Home page at the Volunteer link to fill out the Volunteer Tracker Application.

Process for Alternative Transportation Request 

If students ride home from a field trip with their parents/guardians, the school should keep a written record of the parents’ signatures (form or roster). This record should be kept on file (hard copy or electronic) for at least one year from the field trip. Depending on the end time of the field trip, students who go home with their parents may be coded as an early checkout. 

Every student entering Kindergarten and those in the first through fifth grades must have a current immunization record and a health assessment on file in the office within 30 calendar days from the first day of school. Failure to do so may result in being unable to attend school. Students who enroll after that date have 30 days from the date of enrollment in the Wilson County Schools system to furnish proof of immunizations; otherwise, the student will not be allowed to return to school until such proof is provided. Please contact our school nurse or the Wilson County Health Department if you are unsure which immunizations are required.

Through the Blackboard Connect System, parents will be notified of any school schedule changes due to inclement weather. Information will also be posted on the WCS website and on Social Media. FDES will post to social media as well. TV stations will also share if school is closed or delayed. Make-up days will be announced by the district once students return to school. Please do not call the main school number for this information as it ties up the lines and prevents calls from weather services or the superintendent. 

Dismissal during inclement weather can be hectic. Please ask your child to follow the instructions given to them by any FDES staff member. We ask that you not enter the building while we are trying to get students out, as we are trying to dismiss them in an orderly manner. Students will be allowed to stay in the cafeteria out of the weather until their ride picks them up. Teachers will stay until all students are safely on their way home.

All kindergarten students must complete a medical assessment. Forms are available at medical doctors’ offices throughout the county. Students who do not complete the assessment will not be allowed to attend school until it has been completed. If you have any questions or problems completing this assessment, please contact the school nurse, who will be glad to assist you.

Please mark your child’s clothing with his/her name so that it can be returned when found. Items not marked/identified are placed in the lost and found area. Unclaimed clothing will be stored in our school clothes closet.

FDES students will receive free lunch this school year. Lunch will be served in the cafeteria, and parents/guardians are always welcome to dine with their children. Students may purchase additional items. 

If students bring their lunch, they may get milk, vegetables, and fruit as they walk through the lunch line. Sodas should not be sent to school since they tend to be dangerous when shaken or, at the very least, messy when opened after being shaken. 

Technology use by the student is not allowed while eating lunch. 

We invite you to eat lunch with your child at any time. Lunch is scheduled according to the classrooms. Be sure to ask the teacher when your child’s lunchtime is so you can be on time to eat with him/her. If you are eating lunch with your child, a visitor's pass is still required, and you are only permitted to go to the cafeteria. When lunch is over, visitors cannot accompany their student(s) back to the classroom; instead, they must return to the office to sign out of our check-in/check-out computer system. While we recognize that many families are friends outside of school, students who are not your child will not be allowed to eat lunch with you for safety reasons. Parents visiting for lunch are not permitted to approach or address any student other than their own. Violation of this may result in you being asked not to return for lunch.  

Students are not allowed to use school microwaves for their personal lunches, and staff are prohibited from heating student lunches in the microwaves. 

School personnel may not administer medication, prescription or otherwise, without written instructions and a completed medication form signed by the prescribing doctor and the parent/guardian. 

School personnel may not apply any treatment beyond first aid, which is to wash the affected area with soap and water and apply a band-aid if the injury is bleeding. Prescription medications must be brought to the school by the student’s parent/guardian in a pharmacy-labeled bottle that contains instructions on how to administer, how often, and in what dosage. Most pharmacists are aware of this and, if asked, will split the prescription into two bottles so that one can be brought to school and be properly administered. Bottles containing any type of medicine should be given to the teacher. Over-the-counter medications must be in the original container and will be administered according to the physician’s and parent’s written instructions. Students are not permitted to bring medication to school. 

Our office is located to the left of the main entrance. All parents, PTO officers and members, grandparents, spouses, children, and visitors/volunteers are expected to sign in and receive a visitor’s badge. Mrs. Whitley, our school secretary, will be happy to help you. She can also help give you directions to all parts of our building and check the schedule to see if children are in their regular classrooms. Messages are delivered to teachers, teacher assistants, and other support staff members during non-instructional periods so that they may return telephone calls. This is to minimize the disruption of instructional time. 

We are very proud of our Parent-Teacher Organization and the support it has provided in the past years. Parents are encouraged to attend meetings and be actively involved. Join our Frederick Douglass Elementary PTO Facebook page to keep current with PTO information.

If you would like to provide a small amount of store-bought refreshments for your child’s class on his/her birthday, you may do so (cupcakes or cookies and a juice box). According to Federal School Lunch Guidelines, refreshments may only be served after 1:30 pm. Please check with your child’s teacher before bringing or sending any snacks to the class so that the teacher can help plan a time for students to enjoy the refreshments. We ask that you do not plan an elaborate “birthday party” at school; only one food item and juice, please. 

We have school-wide classroom parties and snacks during the school year. Your child’s teacher will contact you with information before any parties. All food brought in must be purchased from a store. 

Balloons, flowers, and other similar gift items should not be delivered or brought to school for students. Such items create distractions and interrupt instruction. Due to safety, this practice is not allowed.  

Parent attendance for parties will be limited to ensure safety. Please check with your child’s teacher. 

The telephones are for teachers and staff to make necessary school-related business calls. Students should know how they will get home in the afternoon before leaving for school in the morning. They should not be expected to call during the day to obtain this information. Students should be prepared to come to school. That means they should have all necessary items, such as books, homework, and lunch money, organized the night before, so they will not need to use the phone after they arrive at school. 

Students are not allowed to have cell phones or other personal devices turned on at school or on the school bus. Use of cell phones or personal devices must be authorized by school personnel. The use of cell phones and personal devices must adhere to the protocols set forth by WCS board policies. 

Technology Responsible Use (Policy 3225/4312/7320) 

Board policy guidelines will be used when making promotion/retention. 

Student Promotion and Accountability (Policy 3420: Regulations 3420A-R, 3420B-R) 

Students in grades 2-5 will use Mastery Connect to participate in the district benchmark assessment. K-5 students will be assessed using mClass reading. Students in grades 3-5 will take a reading EOG at the end of the year. Students in Grades 3-5 will take a math EOG at the end of the year. Students in grade 5 will take a Science EOG at the end of the year. 3rd-grade students will also participate in Read to Achieve testing throughout the year. Students will be given passages with five questions for each passage to show mastery of the standards. More information can be shared with you through your child's teacher. 3rd-grade students must meet a pathway to be promoted to 4th grade. The pathways include EOG, mclass scores, or read-to-achieve passages. You can find the testing calendar on the district website, linked HERE. 

All visitors to the building need to use the front door. To enter the building, please use the buzz-in system. You will need to press the silver triangle and be prepared to share your name and the reason for your visit. Before entering the building, guests must stop by the front office, sign in, and secure a visitor or volunteer pass. Please be prepared to show your ID. Having your driver's license available will speed up the process. 

FDES values instructional time. Visitors will not be allowed to visit classrooms at any time without prior approval from the administration, and a specific time for the visit will be arranged. An administrator or counselor must be present during the classroom visit for safety reasons. Again, this is to ensure the safety of all our students. 

When asking another person to pick up your child from school, please send a written note with your child to the teacher. This person should be listed on the student identification sheet you complete at the beginning of the year. Ask the person to be ready to show identification to us upon arrival, and request the child. Please do not ask for your child to be called to check out after 2:45 pm. Dismissal time can be confusing, and we want to be sure every child gets home safely. If classrooms are interrupted during this time to release children early, the interruptions often result in children being left by a van or bus. Early release of children interferes with keeping everyone on schedule for their departure places and times. 

Standard Response Protocol (SRP)

To help ensure the safety of all students and staff, Wilson County Schools has adopted The “I Love U Guys” Foundation’s Standard Response Protocol (SRP). The SRP is a nationally recognized, all-hazards approach to school safety that provides clear, consistent language and actions during emergency situations. Throughout the school year, students and staff will participate in training, practice drills, and emergency exercises to become familiar with the protocol. The SRP uses five specific response actions—Hold, Secure, Lockdown, Evacuate, and Shelter—to address a variety of situations. Each action includes a clear directive that helps students, staff, and emergency responders work together quickly and effectively to maintain a safe learning environment. Please see the documents linked below. 

SRP-K12-Parent-Handout_EN (4).pdf

SRP-K12-Parent-Handout_ES (5).pdf

Each teacher decides if and when her class will observe snack time. This is partially determined by when students eat breakfast and when they eat lunch. The teacher will notify you about the rules regarding snacks. Parents are encouraged to send nutritious snacks if their child will be observing snack time.

It is preferred that transportation changes be sent to the school in writing.  

CAR RIDERS MORNING DROP-OFF 

Students may be dropped off beginning at 7:30. All car riders will be dropped off at the front of the building. Two lanes will be used for morning carline drop-off. When you arrive, follow the instructions of the staff directing traffic. Students should stay in the car until they see the staff member on duty motion for them to get out. Your child needs to be ready to exit the vehicle when they are at the drop-off zone. Please note that the tardy bell rings at 8:00, and students must be in their classroom at this time. Please refrain from cutting through the parking lot for safety reasons, as this has resulted in a few vehicle accidents. If you pull up to drop off your child and no staff member is at the door to assist, please park in the front parking lot and come into the office to sign your child in as tardy.

CAR RIDERS AFTERNOON PICK-UP 

K-2 car riders and their siblings will be dismissed at the school's front entrance. 3-5 students will be dismissed at the back exit of the school. Please refer to the visual below. We will have staff members stationed to load 10 or more cars at a time by running double lanes. If your child is a car rider, we kindly request that you do not park and walk up to pick them up; instead, please wait in the car line. All students will be loaded into cars as they come through the car line. Please stay in your vehicle. This is to ensure the safety of all students during this very busy time at school. The school will provide two signs that list the names of the student(s) based on information provided by the parents/guardians. (You may not create your sign.) Each afternoon for pickup, the sign should be placed on the rearview mirror, facing outward. Students will come to the car when they are called. If someone arrives to pick up your child without the appropriate sign, they will be asked to park and enter the building to verify child pick-up privileges. Upon verification, the child (ren) will be released from the main office. It is also important to ensure that the person picking up your child is listed in the office with their contact information. 

BUS RULES AND REGULATIONS 

Our #1 goal is to safely transport all student bus riders to and from school. To accomplish this goal, we need the cooperation of parents and student bus riders. Good student behavior while entering, riding, and leaving the bus contributes in many ways to safe transportation. Such conduct enables the driver to give full attention to the roadway and other drivers. Please take a few minutes to review the information below concerning student conduct on the bus with your child. The primary purpose of rules and procedures on the buses is for the safety of all students. It is important to remember that all school rules apply while on the bus. Your child’s cooperation in following all rules and procedures is appreciated by the drivers. 

The district’s transportation department determines bus stops. Bus stops cannot be changed or reassigned based on individual or personal preferences. 

Bus discipline consequences will be considered separate from other school disciplinary infractions. For milder infractions, the first offense will result in a warning by the bus driver/school administration, followed by 1, 3, 5, and 10-day(s) suspension of bus riding privileges. At the fifth disciplinary infraction, the student will be recommended for revocation of bus riding privileges. For more serious offenses (fighting, actions that put lives in jeopardy), the administration shall reserve the right to suspend bus riding privileges for 10 days, regardless of the number of offenses. 

SCHOOL BUS PASSENGER SAFETY 

1. Use the handrail when entering or leaving the bus 

2. Take a seat as quickly as possible. 

3. Observe classroom conduct while riding. 

i. Be courteous 

ii. Respect the rights of other students. 

iii. Cooperate with the driver in every way. A distraction could cause an accident. iv. Stay in your seat. 

v. Talk softly and don’t talk to the driver. 

vi. Help keep the bus neat. 

vii. Enter and leave the bus without pushing or crowding. 

viii. Do not throw objects inside the bus or from the bus. 

4. Keep head, arms, and hands inside the bus. 

5. Keep the aisle clear of objects that could cause a passenger to stumble. All passengers are to stay behind the vertical bar. 

6. Do not eat or try to do homework on the bus. A sudden stop could send food, papers, books, pencils, etc., flying into someone. Garbage on the floor could cause someone to fall. 7. The bus driver is authorized to assign seats if necessary. 

8. Students are permitted only to ride the assigned bus. 

9. Cell phones and other personal devices are not allowed to be out and used on the school bus. 10. All school rules apply to the bus. 

The bus driver is responsible for transporting passengers to and from school daily and reporting students who misbehave to the school administration. It is the passenger’s responsibility to obey the rules listed above. Failure to abide by these rules could cause a student to lose the privilege of riding the bus.  

Thank you for your assistance in keeping our school buses safe. 

If you are interested in volunteering for FDES OR attending any field trips, please complete the
following: The WCS volunteer application (this can also be found on the WCS website) is at this link - Volunteers. 

Parents will not be allowed to volunteer directly in the classroom where their child is currently enrolled. As your help is needed, FDES staff will reach out to you to schedule a date and time to volunteer.

Money, cards, electronic equipment/games, and other valuables should not be brought to school or on field trips. If the item is taken by the teacher, it will be held in the office for a parent to pick up at the end of the day or year. Although school personnel try to prevent losses, they are not responsible for students’ personal property.

Any items not needed for school/class should be left at home (i.e. cards, toys, electronic devices, balls, etc.). Items such as matches, sharp objects, lighters, knives, fireworks, ammunition, firearms (or any likeness of a firearm, including water pistols and toy guns), tobacco products, alcohol, and illegal drugs are all banned from the school's campus and violate state and local laws. Possession of any of these substances will result in an automatic suspension, with the possibility of a long-term suspension.

Please notify your child’s teacher and the office if you plan to move or change schools. We must know one day in advance to prepare a progress report and transfer slip. Library books and technology devices must be accounted for or paid for before withdrawing your child. If you are moving outside the county or state, please be prepared to provide the name and address of the school to which we will send the student’s records. School records are sent by FDES when the school the student has transferred to requests them.

DISCIPLINE 

Students are expected to follow the discipline rules in their classrooms, on buses, playgrounds, field trips, and school-wide. We will not allow a student to disrupt instructional time from his/her peers or prevent others from having learning opportunities. Students who interrupt instruction or are disruptive anywhere in or on school property may be assigned a consequence. 

EAGLE HIGH FIVE 

Students may earn Eagle High Fives when they display good character or exemplify model behavior. Several times a month, there will be a drawing for Eagle High Fives for the prize cart! The more high-fives a student has accumulated, the more chances they have to win. Each month, we will start with new Eagle High Fives. 

Parent’s Guide to K-1 Standards-Based Grading & Elementary Report Cards 

In Wilson County Schools, we envision a student-friendly report card with clearly identified learning targets aligned to the North Carolina Standard Course of Study while providing high-quality instruction and assessments. Our Standards-based report card provides meaningful feedback so both students and parents can track student progress toward mastery of key academic concepts/standards and reflect upon strengths and areas for improvement. 

What is standards-based grading? 

Standards-based grading is a grading system that measures students’ mastery of a set of clearly defined standards. Its purpose is to identify what a student knows or is able to do based on these pre-established standards rather than averaging grades/scores. 

What is a standards-based report card? 

A standards-based report card lists the most important skills students should learn in each subject at a particular grade level. 

How does standards-based grading differ from traditional grading? 

A student’s performance for an entire quarter is averaged together in a traditional grading system. 

A standards-based grading system measures a student’s mastery of standards by prioritizing the most recent, consistent level of performance, allowing a student who struggled early to demonstrate mastery by the end of the grading period. Variables such as effort, participation, timeliness, cooperation, attitude, and attendance are reported separately, not as an indicator of a student’s academic performance. 

How are my child’s grades determined? 

A student’s performance on summative assessments will be used to determine a student’s overall grade.  Formative assessments, which occur throughout the grading period, are used to identify areas of strength and weakness of students in order to guide the teacher in providing targeted instruction. 

Will my child still receive teacher comments on the report card? 

Yes. Individualized feedback is an essential component of standards-based grading. Effective feedback is a more useful source of information than simply assigning a numeric value or letter grade to student work. 

What will the grading scale represent? 

M- Indicates that a student has mastered a standard 

S - Indicates that a student has exhibited satisfactory progress towards a standard 

N - Indicates that a student needs additional support and practice with a standard 

U - Indicates that a student has exhibited unsatisfactory progress towards a standard 

How will I know if my child needs help? 

Receiving an ‘N’ or ‘U’ on a progress report/report card can signify that a student needs extra support in the areas where he or she is receiving low grades. This is another benefit of a standards-based report card – areas in need of support are clearly evident. 

2-5 Grading Traditional Grading 

How are students' grades 2-5 given grades? 

Students in grades 2-5 will receive traditional grades on their assignments, progress reports, and report cards. WCS follows the 10-point grading system. 

A - 100-90% 

B - 89-80% 

C - 79-70% 

D - 69-60% 

F- 59% or below 

All averages lower than 50% will be corrected to 50% on the report card. The actual grade earned will be noted in the comment section. 

What courses will my child receive a grade in? 

Each student will receive a grade in at least one standard for the following subjects per grading period: 

● ELA (English Language Arts) 

● Math 

● Science 

● Social Studies 

● Physical Education 

● Music 

● Visual Arts 

● Homeroom (The Homeroom grade will be based upon a student’s conduct/behavior.) 

Grading periods will be marked as 

● Q1 (First Quarter/Nine Weeks) 

● Q2 (Second Quarter/Nine Weeks) 

● Q3 (Third Quarter/Nine Weeks) 

● Q4 (Fourth Quarter/Nine Weeks) 

PARENT PORTAL INFORMATION 

Parents can obtain the parent portal information to check grades through the front office. They must bring an ID to receive the login information. 

Recognition Criteria for Elementary Schools 

FDES PBIS Recognition Criteria 

Students may earn Eagle High Fives when they display good character or exemplify model behavior. Several times per month, classroom teachers will do drawings from their Eagle High 5s to send students up to the front office for the prize cart. Each month, we will start with new Eagle High Fives. 

● No more than six absences or tardies in the grading period 

● No behavior (bus or school) referrals for the grading period 

● No missing work assignments 

PBIS Behavior Celebrations will be held throughout the school year, with three mini-celebrations. These celebrations are designed to recognize students who meet the PBIS criteria, which include having no more than six absences or tardies, no behavior referrals (bus or school), and no missing work assignments during the grading period. In addition to these celebrations, we will continue our weekly and monthly Eagle High Five recognitions to celebrate students who consistently demonstrate good character and model behavior. 

FDES Academic Recognition Criteria 

● K-1 Honor Roll (80% M's and S's in quarter 4) 

● K-1 Principal List (All M’s in quarter 4) 

● 2-5 Honor Roll (All A's and B's across all subject areas each quarter) 

● 2-5 Principal List (All A's across all subject areas each quarter) 

Academic Growth Award 

● Students who have shown significant growth in one or more academic areas 

Special Area Award 

● Students who have demonstrated exceptional behavior in a special area class 

Soaring Eagle Award 

• Students who have demonstrated the following SOAR expectations throughout the year 26

S - Show safety, O - Own my actions, A - Act responsibly, R - Respect yourself and others

At the end of the year, the school will host an award day ceremony, which will include parents and guardians.