Families

The school day begins at 8:55 a.m. and the doors to the building open at 8:50 a.m. It is an expectation that our students arrive at school on time and are in their classrooms prepared to learn at 8:55 a.m. every day that school is in session. Students that are not in their classroom at 8:55 a.m. will be marked tardy. If you need to drop off prior to 8:50 a.m., please contact Prime Time Care. Do not leave your child at the school doors unattended.

All Hickory Woods Elementary students need to have an Dismissal Plan completed before the first day of school.

Please note - Apple Pickup is limited to 75 families and only available for walkers (students that live in the HWE attendance area that do not have an assigned bus) and not registered for daily Prime Time Care. Hawk Pickup is available for all students. 

Daily Dismissal Information

The school day ends at 4 p.m. We have four options for student dismissal at the end of the day:

1. Bus
   • We encourage all students who live in a bus area to ride the bus.
   • This way, you know your student will get to school on time and not be marked tardy. This also helps alleviate parking lot traffic.
2. Pick Up
   • Hawk Pick Up
     • Due to safety and security measures, parents/guardians who pick up their student(s) must wait outside the building and sign their student out on the sheet provided (unless you have a Hawk number).
     • If you will be picking up your student daily, you may sign up for Hawk Pick-Up. A Hawk number will be assigned to your family that you will turn in every day at the front door - you will no longer need to sign out your student.
     • These students are released through the front door.
   • Apple Pick Up
     • If you live in the HWE attendance area and your student is not provided district transportation, they are considered a “walker.”
     • Apple Pick Up is only available to students that are considered a “walker” that will be picked up daily.
     • Apple Pick Up students should not be enrolled in Prime Time Care.
3. Prime Time Care
4. Walk Home or Ride Bike Home
   • Only students designated “walkers” may use this option.
   • We do have crossing guards in place on Novi Road for students that walk or ride their bike to and from school.
   • If your child will ride their bike to school, please contact the main office at (248) 956-2600 for a form to indicate this.

Families are asked to complete a Dismissal Plan Form for each student and return this form to the classroom teacher. Changes must be submitted in writing or by completing a new form. Dismissal plans should be sent in your child’s backpack to the teacher on the first day of school. Hawk Pick Up and Apple Pick Up forms can be brought to the office the week before the start of school between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m.

If you choose to celebrate your child’s birthday at school, arrangements must be made with your child’s teacher in advance. Birthday treats are permitted as long as they do not contain any nuts. This treat should be small in size such as a cupcake, cookie, popsicle, etc. Items such as pizza, flowers, balloons or any deliveries are not permitted. Pencils, stickers or books are great food alternative options that may be considered to honor your child. Children should not distribute party invitations at school out of respect for the feelings of others who are not included.

• Administration of Medication
• Criminal History Background Check

The Walled Lake Consolidated Schools' Board of Education has an adopted policy for medication. A doctor must prescribe any medication taken by students. Please do not ask the school to administer any medication not prescribed by a physician and do not send medications to school with your child. This includes non-prescription/over the-counter medications such as cough syrup or drops, eardrops, Tylenol, etc.

Medication dispensing forms are available under the Important Forms tab and a new form is required each school year. The form must be completed by the parent and doctor. Medications are to be delivered to the office by an adult in the original container and are to be kept in the school office.

The school is not responsible for any lost or misplaced personal items. Please use caution when permitting your child to bring expensive or sentimental items to school. Toys and/or personal video game devices should not be brought to school. Cell phones, iPads, smart watches or tablets are not permitted during school hours to include lunch, recess or on our buses. 

Classroom teachers may permit personal devices using the district’s Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) Policy. These devices are only permitted in the classroom by teacher permission. The school and district are not responsible for damaged or missing devices. Teachers that utilize BYOD will send home additional information to parents. Students must leave cell phones or tablets in their backpacks so they are not a distraction. Smart watches may not be used for texting during the school day. If smart watches become a distraction, they will be stored in backpacks during the school day. Please refer to the Student Code of Conduct for additional information about electronic devices and their use.

During the year it may become necessary to close school due to weather or equipment failures. In order to notify students and families within Walled Lake Consolidated Schools of such closings, our district phone messenger will be used. Your contact information for this system is taken directly from Skyward Family Access. Please be sure that your contact information is up to date to receive these calls.

Every day students will have recess as a grade level. Students will go outside unless it is below zero degrees.

In a normal school year, parents and guardians are welcomed and encouraged to visit the school and volunteer in the classrooms of their children, as well as in our school.Arrangements to visit or volunteer in the classroom must be made with the teacher or staff member in advance. For the safety of our children, it is necessary that all visitors, volunteers and helpers stop at the office, sign in and fill out a nametag before going to the classrooms. Please adhere to the following when visiting and volunteering:

• Student lunches, coats, hats, etc. should be dropped off on the table in the vestibule and labeled.
• Please do not bring other children with you when you volunteer for classroom activities.
• Student friends or relatives from another school should not be sent to school with your child.
• A Criminal History form, located under Important Forms, is required to be on file before a parent can chaperone on a field trip.
• If you see anything suspicious on school grounds or in the building, inform the office immediately.
• Staff members are responsible for student discipline. If you see inappropriate student behavior, quietly mention it to the staff member in charge.
• Middle school and high school students may visit Hickory Woods Elementary at the close of the school day.
• Have fun and encourage others to be engaged in their child’s school by volunteering!