School Policies

The building will open at 9:00am.  Morning announcements will begin at 9:15am.  Students will be considered late after 9:15am.  Buses will begin letting students off at 9:00am and they will proceed into the front door of WES to their homeroom classes.  Walker and car riders will enter through the Parks & Recreation door.  Please try and arrange your schedule to have your child arrive on time in order to take advantage of every moment of his/her learning experience.  Also, for safety and inclement weather reasons, please do not drop your child off prior to 8:55am.  There is not staff available to supervise students prior to 9:00am.

Students are expected to arrive at school on time. Students who are late to school are to report to the office before going to class. We require parents to provide a written note for late arrivals.

In elementary school class work constitutes 60-70 percent of the total grade. Students missing as much as 20 percent of the class time within each grading period are subject to a failing grade in class work and are given special attention by the administration, teachers, and the pupil personnel workers.

If a student is absent for a lawful reason the teacher will allow the student to make up work missed, whenever possible. The responsibility for making up work missed rests with the student. All absences must be accounted for in writing on the day of return. Students with a fever should not be sent to school until they have been fever free for 24 hours. Students who develop a fever during the school day will be sent home.

A written request to have a student excused from class early should be sent with your child to school. The time and reason for leaving must be included. We encourage parents to make medical and dental appointments outside school hours whenever possible.

A student will be released only to the parent, legal guardian unless the school has been notified in writing that permission is granted for someone else to pick up your child. The parent, guardian, or authorized person, must come to the office and present identification when signing out a student.

The school will NOT take phone messages that change your child's afternoon routine. If you wish your child to change his/her regular routine, a request must be made to the office in writing. This is for your child's protection.

In the event of inclement weather, parents should listen to the radio or watch television (instead of calling the school) to learn of school closings, late openings, or early dismissals. The Baltimore County website also posts notification when schools are closed due to inclement weather. Go to www.bcps.org and look at the top of the page.

Students are expected to dress appropriately for a two story school. Parents should not send students to school in items of dress that will be detrimental to classroom instruction or that will create distraction. Parents are asked to use sound judgment in the choice of garments. Footwear, such as roller skate sneakers or flips-flops and sandals that will not stay on a child's foot, are not acceptable.

The only time students should bring toys, games, etc. to school is when they are instructed to do so by their teacher. The student will assume full responsibility for any item brought to school. A "Lost and Found" will be maintained throughout the year. Unclaimed items will be donated to charity four times a year. Labeling clothing, lunch boxes, book bags, and other belongings with your child's name will help minimize lost items.

All parents coming into the school to meet with an administrator should wait and check-in with one of the secretaries.  Confidentiality is of the utmost importance.  Therefore, the secretaries will be able to inform you when an administrator is available to meet with you.  This includes prior scheduled appointments.  Please do not go back to an administrator's office until the secretary indicates that an administrator can see you.

All BCPS students’ records shall be available to parents/guardians or eligible students for review and inspection in conferences with appropriate school personnel. Maryland law provides that a student’s education record may be released by BCPS to other educational or specified governmental agencies, to a person involved in approved research projects, to comply with a judicial order or a lawfully issued subpoena, or in a health or safety emergency. School system procedures concerning the release of students’ records can be found in Superintendent’s Rule 5230: Student Records.

A parent/guardian or eligible student may request the school’s principal to amend the education record that they believe is inaccurate or misleading or violates the privacy rights of the student. The request should be made in writing to the school principal, should clearly identify the part of the record to be changed, and should specify why it is inaccurate, misleading, or violates the student’s privacy. If the principal refuses to amend the student’s record in accordance with the request, he/she will inform the parent/guardian or eligible student of the refusal and advise the parent/guardian or eligible student of the right to a hearing. Additional information regarding the hearing procedure will be provided to the parent/guardian or eligible student when notified of the right to a hearing.

Before and after school child care is available through Open Door, a private company. For more information regarding the hours and fees, call 410-825-6300.

Field trips are an extension of classroom instruction and enhance BCPS curriculum. We welcome parent chaperones on our field trips. As teachers evaluate and plan for trip itineraries, student safety and the instructional value of the trip is also considered, therefore, the format of the trips may vary from year to year. For safety reasons we urge all of our chaperones to ride the bus with the students in their assigned groups. In addition, as tour guidelines, building restrictions and transportation limitations are met, the number of chaperones accompanying our students may be adjusted.

Permission slips and money for the trip are due prior to the date. A field trip is considered part of the classroom experience, and students are expected to go. Students may be prevented from going on a field trip if their behavior in school has been such that an administrator feels the student would create an unsafe environment on a trip away from school. In this case, parents and students will be notified in advance.

County policy requires all visitors to report to the office to check-in and receive a visitor's badge, which must be worn throughout the duration of the visit, when they arrive at the school.  In addition, parents must have a specific room and teacher to whom they will be reporting.  Any volunteer work must be scheduled with the staff member ahead of time (by phone, email, or calendar).  Visitors should not walk throughout the school building to other classes or staff including the administration, without a prior arranged, specific appointment.  In order to further provide for the safety and well-being of our students, Westchester maintains a locked door policy and has a security system.

The following examples are given for some of the offenses which are divided into three categories.

Category I - Examples of offenses that may result in suspension:

Arson/Fire/Explosives
a. Possession and/or igniting of matches or lighters
(when not a part of the instructional program)
Attacks/Threats/Fighting
b. Fighting

Attendance
c. Leaving school grounds without permission
d. Unexcused lateness (class/classes)
e. Unexcused lateness (school day)
f. Unexcused absence or truancy (class/classes)
g. Unexcused absence or truancy (school day)

Dangerous Substances
h. Nonprescription violation (possession of nonprescription medications)
i. Use and/or possession of tobacco or cigarette rolling paper

Disrespect/Insubordination
j. Failure to follow a direction such as, but not limited to, failure to report to office when directed by school staff to do so
k. Harassment (nuisance phone calls to students or staff members; continued comments or passing of unofficial notes to another individual that he/she does not wish to hear or receive)
l. Refusing to cooperate with school rules and regulations
m. Refusing to cooperate with school transportation regulations
n. Refusing to do assigned work
o. Refusing to serve detention
p. Using obscene or abusive language

Personal Health
q. Personal health, when a student knowingly uses his or her state of health to threaten the health of others

Other
r. Academic dishonesty (cheating on tests, copying term papers, forging signature of teacher and/or parent/guardian)
s. Gambling
t. Unauthorized sale or distribution in school of items, goods, or services not related in any way to the school operation (e.g., sale of football pools)
u. Use of electronic communication devices, such as a pager (beeper), portable telephone, or any wireless communication device (which is not part of the educational program) during regular instructional school hours. Regular instructional hours are defined as beginning at the opening bell for the school day and concluding at the dismissal bell for the school day. Students involved in before-school, after-school and weekend instructional activities shall not use electronic communication devices within the assigned areas of the activity from the beginning of the scheduled activity until its conclusion. The device must be turned off and stored in the locker, book bag, automobile, or purse during school hours and while being transported on the bus. The ban on the use of electronic devices applies to buses used for all school-related activities.


Category II - Examples of offenses for which the student may be suspended, assigned to an alternative program, and which may result in expulsion:

Arson/Fire/Explosives
a. Fire alarm/false fire report
b. Possession and/or detonation of an incendiary or explosive material or device, including live ammunition (firecracker or greater)
Attacks/Threats/Fighting
c. Extortion or taking money or possessions from another student(s) by threat or causing fear and intimidation
d. Physical attack(s) on a student
e. Threat(s) on individual(s)

Dangerous Substances
f. Distribution, attempt to distribute, or possession with the intent to distribute a non-controlled substance that is represented as a controlled dangerous substance
g. Nonprescription violation (misuse of nonprescription medications) including failure to have medications administered by school nurse or delegated personnel
h. Possession, use, or distribution of controlled and/or drug paraphernalia
i. Prescription violation (possession of prescribed medication)
j. Purchase of a non-controlled substance that has been represented to be a controlled dangerous substance
k. Use and/or possession of tobacco or cigarette rolling paper, repeated offense

Disrespect/Insubordination
l. Conspiracy or planning between two or more persons to commit a Category III offense
m. Disruptive behavior that results in the interference with the normal school program, including repeated Category I or II offenses
n. Harassment for any reason
o. Interfering with another student’s right to attend school or classes
p. Participating in and/or inciting a school disruption

Sex Offenses
q. Inappropriate behavior of a sexual nature
r. Indecent exposure

Weapons
s. Possession of a look-alike weapon of any kind
t. Possession of a pocket knife

Other
u. Destruction and/or vandalism of school property, personal property of students and/or faculty. This includes receipt, sale, possession, or distribution of property stolen from Baltimore County Public Schools. Restitution is required, either monetary or school work project.
v. Exchange of money for an illegal purpose
w. Reckless endangerment resulting in injury to a person
x. Theft and/or knowingly possessing stolen property
y. Trespassing
z. Violation of the Telecommunications Acceptable Use Policy

Category III - Examples of offenses that shall result in assignment to an alternative program or expulsion:

Arson/Fire/Explosives
a. Arson (Expulsion only)
b. Bomb threat

Attacks/Threats/Fighting
c. Striking a staff member who is intervening in a fight or other disruptive activity (intentional or unintentional)
d. Physical attack(s) on a staff member (Expulsion only)
e. Violent behavior which creates a substantial danger
to persons or property

Dangerous Substances
f. Distribution and/or sale of alcohol
g. Distribution and/or sale of controlled dangerous substances [illegal drugs] (Expulsion only)
h. Possession of alcohol
i. Possession of controlled dangerous substances (illegal drugs)
j. Prescription violation (misuse of prescribed medications) including failure to have medications administered by school nurse or delegated personnel
k. Use of a controlled dangerous substance (illegal drugs), under the influence of a controlled substance, or showing evidence of having used a controlled substance
l. Use of alcohol, under the influence of alcohol, or showing evidence of having consumed alcohol
m. Use of any intoxicants which cause a loss of self- control or inebriation and which shall include glue and solvents

Sex Offenses
n. Sexual assault (Expulsion only)

Weapons
o. Possession and/or use of a firearm on school property (one-year expulsion)
p. Possession or use of any other gun or rifle (loaded or unloaded, operable or inoperable) which shall include, but not be limited to, pellet gun, paintball gun, stun gun, BB gun, flare gun, nail gun* (Expulsion for use)
q. Possession or use of a real weapon of any kind which shall include, but not be limited to, switchblade knife, hunting knife, star knife, razors (including straight or retractable razor), nunchaku, spiked glove, spiked wristband, any mace derivative, tear gas device, or pepper spray product (Expulsion for use)
r. Use of a look-alike gun or rifle (loaded or unloaded, operable or inoperable)*
s. Use of a look-alike weapon of any kind which shall
include, but not be limited to, switchblade knife, hunting knife, star knife, pocket knife, razors including straight or retractable razor, nunchaku, spiked glove, or spiked wristband
t. Use of a pocketknife or any object as a weapon

Other
u. Robbery