Your Guide to Our School

To ensure student safety, please have your child arrive no earlier than 8:45 a.m., when adult supervision begins. Upon arrival, students should go directly to their designated outdoor area based on grade level.

• The first bell rings at 8:55 a.m., signaling students to enter the building.
• Instruction begins promptly at 9:05 a.m. Students should be in their seats and ready to learn by this time.
• Any student arriving after 9:05 a.m. will be marked tardy.

Dismissal takes place at 3:55 p.m. 

IMPORTANT: Wednesday Early Dismissal is 3:10 p.m. 

Thank you for helping us support a safe and smooth start and end to each school day.

There will be five colored zones for families to drop off or pick up. 

Blue Zone/56th Street

• Drive north on 56th Street.
• Drivers can park but should not exit the vehicle on 56th Street. Please keep the line moving. 
• Students can exit the vehicle curbside in the morning or enter curbside at the end of the day.
• This lane is for dropoff/pickup. Pull all the way to the end of the lane by the sign that reads “Stop Here for Dropoff/PickUp; Do not exit vehicle.”
• After dropoff/pickup, exit onto EP True Parkway. 

Orange Zone/Near North Entrance

• RIGHT TURN ONLY into the lane near the north entrance
• Once in the lot, turn right and follow the path around to the crosswalk.
• Drivers should not park or exit the vehicle at any time.
• Continue ONE WAY and exit the RIGHT TURN only lane onto EP True Parkway

Gray Zone/Parking Lot

• Head south from EP True Parkway and turn left into parking lot
• Cones will allow vehicles to loop through the parking lot for drop off/pick up.
• Families can park ONLY in the gray zone to drop off/pick up students. This should be for a limited number of students.

Back Zone/Preschool

• Preschool families will park in the lot near EP True Parkway. They will walk students to the kindergarten doors and wait for the preschool teachers. 
• At dismissal, parents will meet their student in the same location

Yellow Zone/Bus 

• Transportation will drop off and pickup students along the curb in the lot off EP True Parkway

Crosswalk

• Students walking home and having to cross 56th Street must utilize the crosswalk at 56th Street and Highland Court.

Breakfast Prices

• Grades PK-6: $2.40 ($0.30 reduced rate)
• Grades 7-12: $2.50 ($0.30 reduced rate)
• Adults: $3.15 (no reduced rate)
   

Lunch with Milk Prices

• Grades PK-6: $3.55 ($0.40 reduced rate)
• Grades 7-12: $3.65 ($0.40 reduced rate)
• Adults: $5.15 (no reduced rate)

VIEW MEAL MENUS

Meals are free at some WDMCS schools because of the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP). This means students get breakfast and lunch without paying, and schools don't need individual applications. The schools that qualify for this are:

• Clive Learning Academy
• Crestview School of Inquiry
• Hillside Elementary

If your student does not attend one of these schools, please add money to your student's account for meals. Your family may still qualify for free or reduced meals.

VIEW ONLINE APPLICATION

The use of student personal electronic devices is strictly prohibited in all elementary schools for the duration of the school day. 

• If you need to communicate with your child, contact the school office. 
• In an emergency, the school will contact the parent/guardian.

Exemption: Personal electronic devices specifically authorized under a current individual education plan (IEP), a Section 504 plan, or an Individual Health Plan (IHP) are exempt from this policy.

Petition: You may request to building level administration that your child retain access to a personal electronic device if there is a legitimate reason related to their mental or physical health. 

Refer to Board Policy 503.09: Student Use of Personal Electronic Devices for more information.

Students in grades K-6 will leave their Chromebook at the school building to be charged overnight. All students in grades K-12 will still use Chromebooks. 

Get Chromebook Support

Students in grades K-5 will be limited to 60 minutes of digital instruction (screen time) per day (with exceptions). And schools will provide at least 40 minutes of physical activity per day for grades K-4, at least 30 minutes per day for grade 5, and at least 120 minutes per week for grades 6-12. Contact your school for more information or refer to House File 2676.

Homemade treats are not allowed, in accordance with Board Policy 608.01. Classroom treats must be purchased from a store and selected from the items on the store-bought snack list. All treats must be store-bought and meet the USDA guidelines for snacks. 

Classroom Treat FAQs:

Can I bring homemade treats for a classroom party to share with others?
No. Homemade treats cannot be sold or shared with multiple students during the school day.

What about pre-packed treats from a store?
Yes. Please select one of the items listed on the store-bought snack list.

Can I still pack whatever I want in my student’s sack lunch from home?
Yes. Packing a healthy school lunch is encouraged under the student wellness policy, but there are no restrictions as to what you must pack in a student’s lunch brought from home.

Do I have to purchase a snack for my student that is on the approved snack list?
No. Students can bring their own individual snack.

Eating Meals with Students

Families are invited to eat lunch with their child throughout the school year. Bring a sack lunch or pay for your lunch as you go through the lunch line using your child’s nutrition account or in cash with exact change or small bills. Please call the school office by 9:15 a.m. of the morning you will be joining us. We may limit the number of families who may eat lunch on a particular day based on space and/or meal availability.

For a special occasion, such as a child’s birthday, we invite you to bring lunch from a restaurant for you and/or your child. However, we will find a quiet area in the building or on school grounds separate from the lunchroom for you to eat. Families are welcome to take their child out for lunch during their specific lunch/recess time.

Food Deliveries

Families can drop off a sack lunch or school materials when needed at the school office. 

Please do not deliver restaurant food (including UberEats, GrubHub, etc.), balloon bouquets, flowers, etc. to school for your child. This causes disruption to the class and disappointment to those never receiving the same. If they are delivered, they will be held in the office and given to your child at dismissal. We appreciate your cooperation in these matters.

Beverages

The only beverage students should consume in the hallways and classrooms is water. If students choose to carry a water bottle, it must be a water bottle that will not spill if it is tipped over in a classroom. Beverages other than water (juice, Gatorade, etc.) are only permitted in the cafeteria before school starts and during lunch.

Families are invited to cheer on the Valley Tigers during athletic events throughout the year. Elementary students can only attend home football games at Valley Stadium with an adult (no drop-offs). The adult is responsible for the students they bring to the game. This guideline is in place to support student safety and provide a positive experience for all fans.

At Westridge Elementary, we use something called Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) to make our school a safe and positive place. This means we teach and encourage good behavior from the start.

We have clear rules, and we teach these rules during our morning meetings in the first few weeks of school. These rules cover different areas including classroom time, during lunch and recess, and when it's time to leave. We call these rules The Westridge Way, and they're about being respectful, responsible, and safe.

Following The Westridge Way helps us create a great learning community where everyone feels well and safe.

Students and their parents/guardians are responsible for what a student wears to school each day. When a student is comfortable in what they wear, including expressing their individuality and/or personal and family culture, they can better focus on learning. WDMCS expectations for student dress and appearance are based on safety and showing respect for others.

• Students are asked to dress appropriately for the weather, including coats, hats, gloves, and boots. Any family who needs support in obtaining clothing or shoes should contact the school office.
• Shoes must be worn at all times for student safety.
• Clothing or other apparel promoting products illegal for use by minors or displaying obscene material, profanity, or reference to prohibited conduct are not allowed. If worn, a student will be asked to change or be given something different to wear for the day.

School administration will work with the parent/guardian and student to address any concerns and create a positive solution. Board Policy 502.01 Student Appearance gives administration final discretion regarding student dress and appearance.