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The Chameleon Connection: RISE
News for Families: Week 4: August 28-31 , 2023
A Message from GQES Administration
Working Together to Help Our Students!
Dear GQES Families,
We are so thankful of everyone's cooperation as we have embraced changes for the 2023-2024 school year, including the new expanded walk zone. We appreciate our parents' and families' cooperation to keep everyone safe! We truly value our parents partnering with our classroom teachers so our students can thrive!
There is no school on Friday, 9/1/23 (Teacher Professional Day) and 9/4/23 (Labor Day Holiday). Enjoy time with your child and family!
A few updates:
- Our students are enjoying our four recesses and learning and working in class daily! Ask your child about their favorite parts of their days, please.
- Our students are learning what we expect at GQES. We expect every child to understand how to BE KIND. We have SMILING faces, LISTENING ears, HELPFUL hands, and RESPECTING boundaries while DOING OUR BEST in all learning tasks. Please encourage your child to follow these strong habits for a successful elementary journey at GQES!
- We really, really appreciate our school cross walk guards who have helped us with the expanded walk zones!
- We ask parents/guardians to always update your child's emergency contacts, addresses, custody and/or phone numbers as changes may arise.
- We will have a lockdown drill for grades (1-4) this week at GQES in addition to one or more fire drills (PreK-4). We must do these drills in the first twenty days of school as part of the Code of Virginia's laws. These drills are mandatory by the state of Virginia to maintain a safe and orderly school.
- We ask parents to make sure your child comes to school every day, on time (school begins at 7:50 and ends at 2:30), and be ready to learn!
- For ARRIVAL or DISMISSAL of students by car, there are NO PARKING signs along E. SOUTHWERK STREET. The City of Winchester has NO PARKING SIGNS near the trees along E. SOUTHWERK STREET. Please comply with the City of Winchester's street notifications of NO PARKING at E. SOUTHWERK STREET. Our school resource officer has issued warnings. Please do not park where you should not, according to the City of Winchester. A mailed ticket notification may be sent to you if you are not parking in allowed areas. We know this is a challenge, so we offer the following suggestions:
- At arrival, enter our parking lot (7:20am-7:45am), have your child get out of the car, and then, when exiting, turn right on E. Southwerk to avoid congestion and move the process along efficiently. When everyone turns right, the process moves very expediently.
- At dismissal, parents or guardians can begin lining up at our awning at 2:20pm. We call students in order for dismissal to ensure a safe and orderly check out procedure. Please park along S. CAMERON STREET or S. LOUDOUN STREET or in our parking lot if you are taking your child home by car at the end of the school day.
If you have any questions, please call our school's main office at 540-662-3575. Thank you for working with us to support your child's learning!
Joanie Hovatter
Principal, Garland R. Quarles Elementary School
(540) 662-3575 (Phone)
(540) 662-8449 (Fax)
A message from Transportation about Walk Zones
Currently, our Crossing Guards will be the primary staff remaining in the neighborhood and will be stationed at the following locations:
-Loudoun & Southwerk
-Loudoun & E Whitlock
-Loudoun & Bellview
Please email walkzones@wps.k12.va.us with any questions or concerns.
Upcoming Dates: GQES
Academic Night #1 at GQES September 7, 2023 from 5:30-7:00pm
School Picture Day
General GQES Information
Important Forms
Student Expectations at GQES
Safe and Welcoming Information
Times:
School starts at 7:50 am
School ends at 2:30 pm
Students arrive every day, on time, and ready to learn!
Parent/Guardian Expectations:
Parents/guardians must provide proper identification(license) through our Identakid security system. Anytime parents/guardians enter GQES, they are expected to cooperate with all WPS and GQES staff members as well as follow all policies, procedures, and protocols.
Student Behavior Expectations:
Students and staff demonstrate:
SMILING faces,
LISTENING ears,
HELPING hands,
and RESPECTING boundaries.
All students will TRY THEIR BEST in all learning tasks by persevering, knowing they can do hard things, gaining confidence, and having fun!
IMPORTANT DETAILS: Anytime there is a change in a students’ address, emails, phone numbers, medical conditions, or custody situations, the main office must be provided with the necessary documentation.
Immunizations:
No student can begin at GQES unless their immunizations are up to date.
First 16 days: (Right before Labor Day):
We need all parents/guardians to help us help our students learn the expectations, routines, procedures to get settled into school and to learn, grow, and THRIVE!!!
Parents should be prepared to say goodbyes before the door.
Parents can call and then, come eat lunch in our cafeteria, after Labor Day after the first 16 days.
Arrival Procedures: (7:20-7:45 am)
AM CAR RIDERS:
- Cars may drop off students (one line of cars); two or more can drop off at a time SAFELY in our school’s main lot. Parents will unload their own children expediently and safely. GQES staff will welcome and supervise students safely onto our sidewalks and cross walks. We need for parents to arrive early and move safely through the process.
- Parents should be prepared to say goodbyes before the door. Parents have the right to park and walk their child up to the main walkway if desired. Students will be greeted by staff and our staff will help guide them to their destination. Again, we expect parents to always be vigilant and pay close attention to driving and moving pedestrians.
- We ask for parents to turn right when exiting onto E. Southwerk to make the arrival process go smoothly and efficiently from 7:20am-7:45am.
AM Bus Riders:
- Buses will unload students in the back of the school where GQES staff will welcome and supervise students. We teach children to walk on the right to maintain safety and order. Proper bus behavior is explicitly stated in the back to school packet given to every student and on the Winchester Public School website. Riding a bus is a privilege for students.
AM Walkers:
- When students walk to GQES, especially with the expanded walk zones, parents are expected to get their children safely to school. GQES staff will welcome and supervise students as they enter school property at the streets (Whitlock, South Loudoun, Southwerk, and Kent Streets).
Dismissal Procedures: (2:20-2:30pm)
- When school is over, students will be called over the public address system to exit as bus riders, SIGNED OUT: ON CAMPUS students, CHAMELEON CONVOY (walkers to designated street corners) and then, those students who go to Right At School, The Hive, or Kids' Club after school programs in an orderly way. Parents of SIGNED OUT: ON CAMPUS students may come stand in line at 2:20 pm under the main awning.
PM: SIGNED OUT: ON-CAMPUS:
- Students with the last name of A-L will go to the cafeteria where they will be welcomed and supervised.
- Students with the last name of M-Z will go to the gym where they will be welcomed and supervised.
- Parents must park, come into the building, provide a proper form of identification (driver’s license), await being allowed into the building and sign out their child(ren) in the main lobby. Parents and children will exit the building after the child is signed out. This is for safety. There are NO PARKING signs on E. Southwerk issued by the City of Winchester.
- Buses will load students in the back of the school where GQES staff will welcome and supervise students. We teach children to walk on the right to maintain safety and order. Proper bus behavior is explicitly stated in the back to school packet given to every student and on the Winchester Public School website. Riding a bus is a privilege for students.
- As students walk from GQES, to one of the designated corner streets (Corner A: Southwerk/Kent; Corner B: South Loudoun/Southwerk; Corner C: Whitlock/South Loudoun) GQES staff will supervise students as they exit school property. It is the parents’ responsibility to make sure their child walks safely to home daily. We expect and ask for parents to work with the Winchester Public School’s new policy of extended walk zones.
Eating Lunch at GQES:
- Parents are welcome at GQES to eat lunch with their students AFTER THE FIRST 16 days of school where we are setting up routines, please. . All parents must follow the procedures. Notify our main office of the intent to join the student at lunch by phone. No pictures of other students may be taken. Parents are to sit at the parent table and interact with their child. Parents must exit the building via the office when the child leaves the cafeteria to return to class.
Questions:
Contact our main office at 540-662-3575.
THANK YOU!!!!