Q: What are the official school day hours?
A: School starts at 8:05 a.m. Children need to be in their classrooms on time to hear announcements, and prepare for the day.

Q: How much is lunch money?
A: At the Walton Central School District, lunch and breakfast are free for all students. The school information guide contains a free/reduced lunch form that should be filled out and sent back in. That enables the District to get reimbursed by the government for the program, and helps keep the program free for all (as well as helps other programs). Copies of the form are available in the Townsend office. There are no snacks available to purchase in the cafeteria.

Q: Can I prepay for snack milk?
A: Yes! Snack milk can be prepaid by the quarter ($16), half year ($32), or the whole year ($64). Taking care of this with prepayment saves you money and the teacher's time, so if possible, we encourage you to do so. There will be no money collected weekly this year. Children may choose from 1% and skim white milk, and fat-free chocolate.

Q: When are the other payments of snack milk due?

A: If you pay by the semester, milk money will be due with each report card. To pay by the quarter, please send a check for $15 on the day the report card is due home. If you want to pay for the whole year, please pay $60 in September. Half-year payments end in January. Second-half payments are due January 30.

Q: Should I stay at Friday Fun Night with my child?
A: Yes! The children have a great time playing games, listening to music and making crafts. And you don't want to miss spending that time with your child! It's a great time to play together, so be sure to stay. Also, the PTA needs many volunteers in order for these to be safe, successful nights of fun, so please plan to stay whenever you can.

Q: When does my child need snow gear to come to school?
A: Every day! Students will go outside on any day that the temperature is 20 degrees or higher. Please send hats, mittens and boots so that they can play with their friends outside and not have to stand around out of the snow. If there is no outdoor noon, it is still appropriate for coming and going home from school. If you have an extra set of snow pants, etc. they can be left at school.

Q: Should I check my child(ren)'s backpack(s) every night?

A: Yes! We send home a lot of information in backpacks. Info on PTA events, special school days, test dates, parties etc., are all sent home with students. Having them give you the papers each day will keep you informed about what's going in in and out of the classroom.

Q: How important are the State tests?
A: The New York State tests are very important for your child and for the school. Assessment testing lets us know areas where we excel and those we might need to address. For your student, it means the right placement, curriculum and help is provided so that they can get the most out of their classes and be successful in school. It is important that your child be present for the tests, and get a good night's sleep, and eat breakfast. This will give him or her the best possible advantages to do their best.

Q: When is my child's class picnic?
A: Dates are posted on the website for all the grades class picnics to Austin Lincoln Park. Families are always welcome to join their students for lunch and some playtime with their peers. The Townsend School annual picnic is scheduled in June and families are welcome at the school as well. A reservation form for lunch will go home closer to the event.

Q: Is there an attendance policy at Townsend Elementary?
A: While there is not a formal attendance policy, we stress the importance of daily and on time attendance for your child. Missing days, or coming in late, puts your child at a disadvantage when they miss important information that is being taught in the classroom. If your child needs to be absent because of illness, picking up the work they miss is certainly important, but it does not replace being taught the lesson with the class. Please stress the importance of daily attendance in class to your child, and they will respect your example.

Q: What do I do when my child is sick?
A: If your child is ill and will miss school, please call the office and leave a message at 865-5220, ext. 4063. Please give your name, your child's name and teacher and the reason for the absence. This will help us account for each student daily and prevent us from calling the emergency numbers you provided at the beginning of the school year. Please send a note when they return to school.

Q: How do I get my child's after-school plans changed?
A: A note on the morning of the change is the best way to let us know what your child will be doing after school. If your child regularly rides a bus and needs to ride a different one that day, please send a note telling us what bus he or she needs to ride and to where. Please include his regular bus number and teacher on the note. If they will not ride the bus at all that day, please send a note to that effect with the same information. If your child is a walker and needs to ride the bus, the same procedure should be followed, name, teacher name, bus number and destination. In emergencies, phone calls can be made to the school. However, this should be used in cases of emergency only as messages don't always get to the proper staff during the busy school day. When possible, please send a note to your child's teacher on the morning of the change.

Q: What happens at dismissal?

A: Dismissal is at 2:45 p.m. Walkers will go outside immediately. Pickups will go to the playroom, where they will wait for whoever is meeting them. Bus students will go out the back doors to board the bus, following the announcement.

Townsend Elementary School