Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

a. You can do it online at www.mylunchmoney.com you will need your child’s student id number to do this.

b. Send a check with your child in a sealed envelope addressed to Sleepy Hollow Cafeteria.  Remind your child to give it to his/her teacher.

2. If my child’s after school plans differ from the usual, how do I communicate the change with the school?

Send in a note with your child, please!  Any change from your child’s routine schedule requires a note to your child’s teacher.

a. If your child is going home with a friend, BOTH families, your child’s and the friend’s parent must each write a note to your child’s teacher.  

b. If you are picking your child up from school at dismissal time, pick them up from the Kiss–n-Ride line  (car rider line) BUT you must write a note to your child’s teacher, so they know to send your child there.

c. If you want to walk home with your child who typically rides the bus, write a note to your child’s teacher that your child will be a walker that day.

d. When in doubt please write and send in a note, this is how the school can make sure your child is safely dismissed in the way you expect.

e. End of the day request via telephone need to be approved by Mr. Rowland or Mr. Ibarra.

3. What is the Kiss ‘n Ride line (aka car rider line)?

If you periodically need to pick your child up from school as an alternative to having them ride the bus home, you do not need to park and come to the office to get your child, if this occurs during dismissal.  You may pull into the SHES parking lot and follow the signs to the Kiss ‘n Ride pick up line (past Entrance 2).  Please be patient and follow the line of cars until you arrive at the pick up area, where there is a SHES staff member who will help your child get into the car.  Make sure you have written a note to your child’s teacher indicating your child will go to Kiss ‘n Ride for pick up at dismissal if this is different than your child’s normal schedule.

4. What is a “Wednesday Folder”?

The Wednesday folder is a bright yellow folder that comes home in your child’s backpack each week-yep, you guessed it…on Wednesdays!  It contains information from the school, community and PTA.  Many teachers include your child’s week of work in the folder as well.  It is a great way for the school to get information to all children at the same time.  Please, please, read all the information in it weekly and sign and date the folder before returning it the next day in your child’s backpack.  

5. How else does the school/PTA communicate with the student’s families?

In so many ways!

a. While the school and PTA try to limit the paper information you receive to the Wednesday Folders, occasionally there is a need to send information home to notify families of more immediate issues.  These fliers and letters come home in your child’s backpack, please be sure to check it DAILY!

b. The Wednesday folder.  

c. Keep in Touch (KIT)- you can sign up for these email notifications through the FCPS website at www.fcps.edu.

d. Blackboard-teachers will provide an explanation its uses at Back-to-School Night.

e. Telephone and email

f. The PTA website! See www.shespta.org

6. What is a room parent?  How can I volunteer my time at SHES?

Volunteers can be found in every facet of the school: Working in teacher-supervised one-to-one situations providing supplemental and enriching activities; teaching after-school enrichment classes; organizing and supporting school celebrations; chaperoning field trips; monitoring the cafeteria; assisting in the clinic; duplicating teaching materials; making bulletin boards; shelving library books; and assisting in extra-curricular activities and so much more.  If you are interested in a particular area of volunteerism-just ask.  A great place to start would be with Brenda Poole, Volunteer Coordinator for the PTA.  bpoole@saic.com or 703-642-3591.

a. Classroom teachers recruit, select, and contact their own room parents and classroom volunteers.  Teachers will notify the office and the PTA Volunteer Coordinator of their room parents and classroom volunteers.

b. Teachers coordinate and come to agreement with their classroom volunteers on days/time and roles.  Room parents, if they agree, may coordinate efforts after initial teacher contact.  

c. If a teacher does not have a room parent or classroom volunteers, the teacher contacts the PTA Volunteer Coordinator for assistance with class needs or special projects.

d. The PTA Volunteer Coordinator organizes sessions to train volunteers on use of the laminating machine, copy machine etc...

7. If my child will be late to school, or will not attend due to illness, do I need to let the school know?  Who do I call?

Yes, please call the school’s attendance line when you realize your child will be out due to an illness.  The Attendance line number is 703-237-7070*.  To speak to a staff member in the front office you may call 703-237-7000.  

8. What happens if I miss the bus dropping off my child?

Policy states that all Kindergarten students must be met by a parent at the bus stop.  If for some reason your bus was early and/or you were late to meet your child’s bus, the driver will retain your child on the bus, notify the school, and will drive your child back to school to wait with staff members in the front office.  Your child or a staff member will telephone you and you must pick up your child at school.  This is for your child’s safety!  If your child is in grades 1-5, yet the driver is used to seeing a parent pick them up and you are not at the bus stop, the driver may retain the child and return them to school.  Though this is not a hard policy for grades 1-5, if the driver perceives a drop off as a safety issue or if a child expresses reluctance to get off the bus by him or herself the driver will retain your child and return them to school.

*Note:  This is a new attendance line number!