The ABCs of Glenkirk Elementary
Attendance and Arrival: Attendance is taken each day by 9 a.m. Calls go out from the school for absences that are not reported by 9 a.m. Students can enter the building at 8:35 a.m. Students who enter the building after 8:45 a.m. are considered tardy and must be signed in by an adult at the front office to be escorted to class. Attendance emails should be sent to our office staff at [email protected].
Breakfast is served every day, including early dismissal days. Students may choose from the breakfast menu. Mobile menus are also available to download.
Cell Phones & Smart Watches
The Glenkirk procedures for student use of cell phones and smart watches is aligned with the PWCS Wireless Communication Device Usage Guidelines. The expectations for our Golden Knights include:
- All cell phones and personal electronic communication devices must be turned off and stored away and may not be used at any time within the school building or on school grounds or during any instructional periods, regardless of location, including field trips.
- Students are permitted to use their cell phones and personal electronic communication devices while on school buses, while in parent/guardian vehicles, and before they enter or after they exit school grounds.
- Dual-purpose watches may be worn but must have wireless/cellular features turned off (e.g., in airplane mode).
- All students are issued PWCS laptops/iPads and will be unable to utilize personal laptops/tablets during the bell-to-bell school day.
In the event parents/guardians need to get a message to their child during school hours, please call 703-753-1702, and our office staff can relay the message to your child's teacher.
Contacts - Parent contact with teachers and administration is always encouraged. While teachers may not be available throughout the day, they make every effort to return calls and emails within 24 hours of receipt.
Mr. Meyer, Mrs. Kilgore, and Mr. Balgavy can be contacted by phone at 703-753-1702 or by email (Mr. Meyer) [email protected], (Mrs. Kilgore) [email protected], (Mr. Balgavy) [email protected]. If you have concerns within the classroom, please contact your child’s classroom teacher first. Attendance emails should be sent to our office staff at [email protected].
Dismissal - Early Dismissal- All students must present a written (or emailed) note for approval of early release to the designated office staff upon arrival at school, including the reason and time of release from school. Phone calls are not acceptable. Regulation 724-3-Early Release of Students During School Hours
Change of Dismissal. If changes need to be made to a student’s dismissal plan during the school day, changes must be sent in writing (or emailed) by 2:45 p.m. Please send dismissal notes to both the classroom teacher and the front office staff, to our office staff at [email protected].
Bus Dismissal- Students will be called to the bus loop at dismissal by bus.
Kindergarten Walkers- In our effort to ensure ongoing safety, we ask that kindergarten parents have a Kiss and Ride number with them when they walk to pick up their child. Students will have the number on them as well.
Encore Schedule - Students attend Encore classes each day. Glenkirk operates on an 8-day rotation. Students rotate between PE, Music, Art, Counseling, and Library. Students are seen twice within the rotation for PE. Counseling and library alternate classes every other week. Parents can see this on the schedule released each week in the Knightly Notes.
Food - Due to food allergies in classrooms, parents are asked to email teachers to discuss any treats provided for cafeteria/classroom celebrations with their child’s teacher. Many students who have allergies and other health-related concerns may opt to have a safe snack box in their classroom. If parents choose to provide a snack, they are asked to provide snacks that follow the classroom allergy policy. All food must be store-bought with nutrition labels visible and must be enough for all students in the class.
Grades are posted weekly on ParentVUE and graded work is sent home regularly. Questions regarding graded assignments should be addressed with the classroom teacher. Teachers are required to have nine grades per subject area per grading period. This year, there will no longer be interim reports sent home mid-quarter. Parents are encouraged to keep up with grades using ParentVUE throughout the year.
Homework - Per Regulation 663-1, homework should be given in accordance with the time recommendations listed below. Note: Teacher-assigned reading should be included in the daily homework amount.
- Kindergarten = Monday-Thursday – 10 to 20 minutes
Teachers encourage parents/guardians to either read to their child or listen to their child read. Teachers may also provide parents/guardians with activities to follow up on their child’s learning in other content areas.
- 1st and 2nd Grade = Monday-Thursday – 10 to 20 minutes
- 3rd, 4th, 5th Grade = Monday-Thursday – 30 to 50 minutes
Information - All pertinent information can be found in the weekly communication email for Knightly Notes, on our school’s website, on the county website and of course, on individual class webpages or newsletters.
Join Us! We are excited to welcome parents and families to attend our community engagement events this school year.
- September 25 - Back to School Night – 6 p.m.
- Fall 2025 - Literacy Night & Book Fair
- Spring 2026 - Knights Around the World & Book Fair
Knightly Notes is our school newsletter and it is sent out by email every Thursday evening for updates on everything Glenkirk! PTO and TPAC also post updates using Knightly Notes each week about upcoming events and meetings. Please see the front office if you are not receiving this useful weekly update.
Lunch menus can be found on the PWCS website and by using the mobile app. Lunch times are listed on grade-level webpages. Parents are always welcome to have lunch at school, but must sign in at the front office with a valid ID. For allergy safety, a peanut-free table is located in the cafeteria.
Money – Please see the MySchoolBucks website for information about cafeteria costs and adding funds.
Nurse - If your child is injured or becomes sick at school, a parent or guardian will be contacted. Students who are sent home with a fever, diarrhea, or vomiting must be symptom-free for 24 hours without medication before returning to school. All medications administered at school need to have the proper forms completed and need to be brought to the school by a parent. Forms are available in the front office or on the county website. For additional information or for any questions, please contact our school nurse, Venetia Johnson at 703-753-1702; [email protected].
Opportunities for Students - There are many clubs and after-school activities at Glenkirk. Each year, the PTO offers Student Enrichment Program (SEP) classes in the Fall and Spring. In addition, Singing Knights, Robotics, Student Council Association (SCA), Green Team, Safety Patrols, and others are also available for students.
Parties - Classroom celebrations are organized by the classroom teacher and if possible, the room parent. In an effort to keep all students safe, food for birthdays and class parties should be brought to the front office. Families can donate a book to our school library or choose to have extra recess as their birthday treat to the class. See the Food section for more information about allergies.
Quick Links -
Recess - PWCS regulations require elementary students to get 20 minutes of unstructured recess, either just before or after lunch. Schools are free to decide when to schedule an additional 10 minutes throughout the school day for movement/ brain breaks.
Safety (crisis plan) - At Glenkirk, safety is our number one concern. All staff are trained in our crisis management plan. Schools routinely practice their response to crisis and emergency situations.
Social Media - Follow Glenkirk’s Facebook page for another way to receive the latest information and highlights from our school.
Transportation - Kiss and Ride students enter and exit through the front of the building along the front loop. Parents can sign up for a Kiss and Ride tag in the front office at any time, all parents are encouraged to get a number just in case. Walkers enter and exit the building through the kindergarten doors. Parents are reminded to use crosswalks when escorting their child to and from the building. Do not walk between day care vans or buses. Bus riders enter and exit through the rear of the building. Bus routes and bus times are posted on ParentVUE in August. Students should arrive at the bus stop at least 5-10 minutes before the scheduled arrival time. If the bus is more than 20 minutes late, you should call transportation for Western Elementary Schools at 571-402-3902. Please download the EZ A2B Bus Tracking App. to follow your child’s bus.
Useful numbers -
Front office 703-753-1702
Fax Number 703-753-4981
Cafeteria 571-222-9986
AlphaBEST Glenkirk Site 703-453-7698
AlphaBEST Main Office 703-791-8844
Volunteers - Glenkirk loves our volunteers! Those interested will be given an overview of the procedures for volunteering and safety guidelines.
(Knight) Watch - A program previously known as Watch DOG Dads, now Knight Watch, that encourages male role models (fathers, grandfathers, guardians) to volunteer to support schools one day per year. Knight Watch is open to any positive adult role models that are interested in supporting our school in this role.
X-ing Guard, Crosswalk - A crossing guard is located at the school entrance for safety at arrival and dismissal. A crosswalk is located in the front of the building as well for parents and students crossing from the kiss and ride circle or the parking lot. *Please do not cross in between cars around the kiss and ride loop*
Your Information - If any phone numbers or email addresses change, please update your contact information on ParentVUE.
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