do you offer after care?
Our After Care program is offered daily from 3:00pm to 5:30pm for students in grades K-1 and 3:10pm -5:30pm for students in grades 2-8, with a designated quiet time for students to focus on homework. Students play outside on the playground, or indoors during inclement weather. Students should bring their own snack and drinks. The student handbook outlines additional details about the After Care program, including schedule and fees.
How can my child receive extra help?
After School Help takes place weekly on Mondays and Thursday after school until 4:00pm. All teachers are available during this time for questions, extra help, and make-up work.
HOW DOES CAR LINE WORK?
We strive to make student drop off and pick up a smooth transition for everyone, with the safety of our students as our top priority. There are two drop off areas on campus: the car loop near Stinson Hall and the driveway by Woods Hall. All K-8 students should be dropped off near Stinson Hall. Students in grades 9-12 should be dropped off at Woods Hall. Students may not be on campus earlier than 7:45am unless they have made prior arrangements with a teacher. There are three pick up areas on campus: the car loop near Stinson Hall, the gravel lot near Stinson Hall, and the driveway by Woods Hall.
- Students in grades K-1 are dismissed at 3:00pm and must be picked up in the Stinson car line. Anyone picking up a K or 1 student must be in line at 3:00pm. For safety precautions, we fill six cars at a time with students before dismissing that group of cars. We continue this procedure until all K-1 students have been dismissed. Parents walking onto campus from the Presbyterian Road parking lot are asked to not cross the car line while K-1 dismissal is in progress.
- Students in grades 2-5 also use the Stinson car loop for pick up. Parents should plan to arrive in the car line no earlier than 3:10pm to be sure the K-1 pick up line has dismissed safely. Parents walking onto campus from the Presbyterian Road parking lot are urged to use caution when crossing the car line during dismissal.
- Students in grades 6-7 are picked up in the gravel lot at Stinson Hall. Students in grades 8-12 are picked up at Woods Hall.
For pick up of students in multiple grade levels, please follow the above instructions sequentially for children in different groups or have all riders report to the pick up location of the youngest child. Drivers may cycle through different pick up lines, or park in one of the parking lots to wait.
Who do i contact if i have questions?
Woodlawn is committed to open communication between parents, faculty, staff, and students. Your first point of contact is your classroom teacher. For questions regarding curriculum, discipline, or policies & procedures at the lower school level, contact Holly Honeycutt, Head of Lower School, [email protected].
WHAT IS THE DRESS CODE? IS THERE A UNIFORM?
Woodlawn embraces individuality and does not require a uniform. However, students are expected to make appropriate choices in terms of clothing and appearance. Woodlawn is a place of active learning and expects that students will dress accordingly on a daily basis. Woodlawn School reserves the right to tell any student that their clothing is not appropriate. Please consult the Student Handbook for specific information regarding the lower school dress code.
WILL MY CHILD HAVE HOMEWORK?
Homework is part of the learning process, helping to teach self-discipline and responsibility. At Woodlawn, homework is meant to reinforce what is learned in the classroom and is not given as busywork. We hope parents take an interest in what their child is learning in school and act as a resource and guide as they help students search out answers but not provide the answers. Homework in lower school is developmentally appropriate and should not take long to complete. In third through fifth grade, students can expect more homework than in the primary years, but if your child is spending an unreasonable amount of time on homework each night, please contact the teacher to discuss strategies to help your child manage their work.
DO YOU HAVE A CAFETERIA?
One of the wonderful things about Woodlawn School is that lunch is typically eaten outdoors on the patio, weather permitting. Woodlawn does not have a cafeteria, but does offer an optional hot lunch program on a daily basis. Parents are responsible for providing their children with a lunch and drink on a daily basis. State code suggests that a student’s lunch contain a dairy product, a protein food, bread, and fruit or vegetable. Please notify the student’s teacher and school nurse of any food allergies. Chewing gum is not permitted on campus.
Lower school students have a designated snack and “brain break” time during the school day in which they can eat their snack, while re-energizing and refocusing for the morning. Parents are responsible for providing their children with a healthy snack. Please contact your teacher for suggestions for birthday treats.
WILL MY CHILD SPEND TIME OUTSIDE?
Woodlawn is a place of active learning, and being outside is an important part of the Woodlawn experience. Woodlawn’s 61-acre wooded campus provides a unique, almost pastoral atmosphere that enhances students’ learning experiences. Our students enjoy outdoor activities every day. Students should dress appropriately for the weather, including athletic shoes, and keep a small umbrella in their locker or cubby for rainy days.
We believe in natural play and Woodlawn students enjoy the benefits of a natural playground. Play structures built out of Robinia wood, a tree house, and the Nature Club are a few key elements that make Woodlawn’s natural playground a favorite spot to imagine, create, and climb!
The playground engages the children’s imagination and creativity. Reminds me of play when I was a child. I see the children building forts, making pathways, and achieving a high level of pretend play.
Shannon Blakely, Lower School Parent
