General Information

Admission Requirements

Pre-kindergarten: Must be four years old on or before September 1 of the year of entrance. Kindergarten: Must be five years old on or before September 1 of the year of entrance. To register you must have the student’s social security number, birth certificate, immunization records and proof of residency. (example: utility bill)

Attendance

Because of the direct relationship between attendance and academic achievement, all students are encouraged to attend school regularly. Students under age 16 must bring in notes for absences from school. For students who are 16 years old or who will become 16 during the school year, the Board of Education has developed an attendance policy that is intended to instill in students the importance of regular and punctual school attendance. Students under the policy who are absent from school for the equivalent of eleven (11) days during the school year for reasons not excused by the school system will automatically fail all subjects for the year with all final grades computed as “E”. When properly documented, excused absences include illness, death in the immediate family, court summons, and certain religious holidays. High school juniors and seniors have up to three (3) days per school year for documented college, vocational and/or military visitations. Students under the policy submitting certificates from physicians, dentists, and clinical psychologists who meet Peninsula Regional Medical Center’s standards for receiving hospital privileges, or other documentation to verify absences, must submit this documentation to the person in charge of attendance within five (5) school days following the student’s return to school. Parents or guardians may appeal decisions resulting from the Attendance Policy to the School Attendance Review Committee. Parents should send a note to school when absences occur that are not supported by a medical note. These notes will be considered if an appeal to the Attendance Committee becomes necessary. If the attendance appeal is denied at the school level, the parents or guardians may appeal the decision to the County Level Attendance Review Committee. The complete Student Attendance Policy is available in the school for review.

Harassment and Bullying Bill 407

During its 2005 session, the Maryland General Assembly approved House Bill 407 relating to reporting incidents of Harassment, Intimidation and Bullying of students in public schools. The Bill enables students, Parents/Guardians or a close adult relative to make a formal report of Harassment, Intimidation or Bullying on school property, going to or from school on a school bus or at a school sponsored activity or event off school property. Harassment, Intimidation or Bullying is defined by the Maryland State Department of Education as “conduct, including verbal conduct, that creates a hostile educational environment by substantially interfering with a student’s educational benefits, opportunities or performance, or with a student’s physical or psychological well-being, and is motivated by an actual or a perceived personal characteristic such as race, national origin, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion or disability, or is threatening or seriously intimidating.” A formal report of an incident of Harassment, Intimidation or Bullying may be made by completing a green report form, available in each public school office or completing the online form and returning it to the victim’s School Administrator. Every completed incident form returned to the school office will be investigated. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact your child’s school Administration.

Immunizations

The following excerpt from the Code of Maryland Regulations (COMAR) 10.06.04 applies to schools: A school principal or other person in charge of a school, public or private, may not knowingly admit a pupil to or retain a pupil in kindergarten who has not furnished evidence of primary immunications against Haemophilus influenza type B, Hepatitis B, varicella diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, poliomyelitis, measles (rubeola) mumps and rubella (German measles). In addition, students in kindergarten through twelfth grade shall furnish proof of immunity against measles (rubeola), rubella (German measles, diphtheria, tetanus and poliomyelitis. Beginning September 2006, students in preschool through ninth grade must show proof of Hepatitis B vaccination and varicella (chicken pox) vaccination (or doctor’s documentation of chickenpos). Students in preschool must show proof of pneumococcal (PCV7) vaccination. Proof of immunizations will be provided in the manner approved by the Health Office. Further information is available at the Board of Education.

Students Receiving Medications during School

All prescription and over-the-counter medications to be given in school must be accompanied by a completed Physician’s Medication Order Form. Parent/guardian signature on the order form is also required before medication can be given in school. If the physician does not have this form, the school nurse will provide one. All prescription medication must be brought to school in the original prescription container by the parent, guardian or responsible adult. Over-the-counter medications must be in their original unopened container.

School Transfers

The Wicomico County Board of Education determines the geographical attendance area for each school. To ensure maximum but equal use of available school facilities, children will be required to attend the school that serves the area in which their parent(s) reside unless a special exception is made. Exception may be made for the following reasons: daycare, academic reasons, last year in school, medical, completion of a program, home construction in another area, or a change of residence after the start of a school year. For further information, contact the building principal of your child’s school.