Absences... Reporting them to the school
If your child is going to be absent, please call the school at 356-8430 between 7:30 and 9:00 a.m. to report that your child will not be coming to school that day.  A note to the teacher explaining the reason for an absence is also required within three days of the time your child returns to school.

Absences... and Homework
If your child is going to be absent but you believe he or she can do some work before s/he returns, you can call the school BEFORE 8 a.m. to request that homework be ready to pick up after 2 p.m. that day in the school office. When you call, please indicate the expected length of absence.

Buses...
Children must ride the bus to which they are assigned.  Requests to ride a different bus on any given day requires a written note with specific information, (i.e. bus number, bus stop, family, name and phone number of house).  This note must be approved by the main office at the beginning of the school day.

Conferences ...
Pinewood schedules parent-teacher conferences in late Fall and Spring -- great opportunities for parents and teachers to share insights, ideas, and concerns about students. The parent-teacher conference is a great way to find out what your child will be learning about this year -- and what you can do at home to support that learning. The conference is also a prime time to find out if your child is on-track for meeting new standards. Read more here about key questions to ask in the parent-teacher conference.

Contacting us ...
If you have a concern about your child's progress, homework, discipline or some other issue, please contact us right away. Here are just a few of the ways to reach teachers and other staff at Pinewood.

Directions to our school(s) ...
Print out these directions and you'll find us with no trouble!

Dropping your children off...
If you drive your children to school, please drop them off between 8:10 and 8:20 a.m. Parents need to sign students in at the office, but let them walk to their classroom on their own. FOR OBVIOUS SAFETY REASONS, PLEASE DO NOT ALLOW CHILDREN TO WALK INTO SCHOOL WITHOUT BEING SIGNED IN BY AN ADULT! 

Early dismissal times...
Early dismissal for parent-teacher conferences is generally at 11:30 a.m. for grades 1-5.

Homework Expectations...
n Third Grade: Students should spend approximately 30 minutes total each night on homework. Students should also spend 15 to 20 minutes each evening reading. Homework may include spelling words, writing sentences, reviewing math facts, working on math activities and reading.
n Fourth Grade: Students should spend about 40 minutes each night on homework for all subjects. In addition, students should also be spending at least 20 minutes reading. Homework may include spelling words, writing assignments, working on math problems and reading.
n Fifth Grade: Students should spend approximately 50 minutes in total each night on homework. In addition, students should also spend at least 20 minutes reading each night. Homework in fifth grade may include spelling words, writing assignments, working on math problems, social studies, science and reading.

Instrumental music lessons...
In grades three through five students can take instrumental lessons on string instruments. Band instrument lessons begin in grade four. For additional information visit our Music and the Arts Web page.

Medications during the school day...
The following is the New York State and the school policy regarding medication during the school day:
n The nurse must have a written request from the physician on file, which indicates the frequency and dosage of a prescribed medication.
n The nurse must have a written request from the parent on file in order to administer the medication as specified by the physician.
n The medication is to be delivered directly to the nurse by the parent. (Between 8 a.m. and 3:30 p.m.) Under NO circumstance should the medication be delivered by the student.
n The medication should be in a properly marked pharmacy container. The label should include:  student’s full name, address, name and strength of medication, dosage, and frequency of medication.

New students...
If you've just moved into the district and want to register your child for school please call the school office at 356-8430 and make an appointment with one of the secretaries to register your child. You will need to bring the following to that appointment:
n Three proofs of district residency in your name (such as: lease, mortgage, homeowner's policy, utility bill)
n A copy of your child's birth certificate
n A copy of your child's immunization records
n Your child's social security number
n A copy of your child's most recent report card. (Standardized test scores are also helpful.)
n The full name and address of the child's previous school
n Information about any special needs your child may have
n If applicable, a copy of any legal documents regarding parent custody issues.
 

Parking...
When picking up your child, please park in the lot adjacent to the playground. The front of the school is used for loading and unloading of students on school buses. This driveway in front of the main entrance to the school is ONE WAY and may not be used for through traffic from 8:10-8:40 a.m. and 2:30-3 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Physical Education Classes...
All students at Pinewood participate in physical education class two times each week. Sneakers are required for all classes. Fifth-graders will need to have a change of clothing; shorts or warm-up suits are recommended. Fifth-grade students also participate in a swimming unit at the high school each year. A bathing suit (one-piece for girls) and towel is required during that unit.

Picking children up during the day...
To pick your child up during the school day, please send a note to the classroom teacher that morning to let him or her know when to have your child ready. Stop in the main office and sign your child out in the student log. Our office staff will then give you an orange pass that you take to the classroom teacher. This pass tells the teacher that your child has been signed out and cleared for dismissal. Please keep in mind that while our office staff tries to know all of our parents, they aren't always familiar with every adult picking up a child so you may be asked to show a photo ID. This is for the safety of all students and we appreciate your patience.

Picking children up at dismissal time...
School officially dismisses at 2:50 p.m. Unless we receive written instruction from a parent, all students will be sent home on the school bus. The process for signing your child out at the end of the day is the same as the one outlined above. However, to avoid the rush when the dismissal bell rings at 2:50 p.m., many parents find it helpful to arrive by 2:40 p.m. to take care of the office paperwork/sign-out process.
n NOTE: Some parents from time to time will try to call the school to arrange special dismissal instructions. Please realize the problem this presents in identifying the caller. We ask that you resort to this ONLY if there is a serious situation that prevents you from sending in a note first or appearing in person to pick up your child.

Principal’s Parent Advisory Council...
Pinewood has a Parent Advisory Council that meets for an hour, one evening per month from October through May. Council members work with the principal to make sure that students receive the best possible instructional opportunities and in a positive school environment. If you would like to serve on Pinewood’s Parent Advisory Council, please email Principal Michele Hunter or send her a note at the school.

Telephone Calls...
n To contact your child's teacher, call the office at 356-8430 and ask to be connected to his or her voicemail. For obvious reasons, calls will generally not be put through directly to classrooms during instructional time. Teachers are generally very good about returning phone calls to parents in a timely fashion.
n Office telephones are not available for use by students. 

Testing...
Attendance is very important on days when students take the New York state tests or Terra Nova tests. Parents can also help by making sure their children get a good night sleep, eat a good breakfast and arrives to school on time. We need test results for all students in order to assess their progress in meeting state standards. Test scores for all children must also be reported to the State Education Department for inclusion in the annual School Report Card results. Test dates for each calendar year are reported in the district calendar and highlighted on the Pinewood home page as the dates draw near. 

Unplanned early dismissals...
Information about early dismissals is quickly posted on Mohonasen's school closings and delays page. It is also released to all local TV stations and major radio stations. The Elementary PTO also maintains a "phone tree" to contact parents of K-5 students in the event of an unplanned early dismissal. It's ESSENTIAL that parents keep their phone contact numbers up to date for this purpose. [Call the school office at 356-8430 if your phone number changes!] There may be times when the phone tree cannot be activated (loss of phone service, not enough time, etc.) No matter what grade level, MAKE SURE YOUR CHILDREN KNOW WHAT TO DO IF THEY ARRIVE HOME UNEXPECTEDLY AND YOU'RE NOT THERE.   

Visitors and volunteers
All visitors and volunteers are required to report directly to the main office. You will need to sign in and wear a visitor badge while in the school. This policy helps us keep track of who is in the building at all times -- an important safety concern.

Volunteering in our school...
Pinewood School encourages parents and others to volunteer in the school. We have an active and involved PTO and many opportunities for parents to help out in the classroom, on field trips and to participate on school and district-wide committees. Call or e-mail Principal Michele Hunter for more details.

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