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I'm humbled and thrilled to be the principal of Flintstone Elementary School. I have over 25 years of educational experience in Prince George's County Public Schools. I love being an educator and I am here to serve the Flintstone ES community. My goals are to support, build capacity, and lead. I am excited about our upcoming school year and I look forward to the great experiences to come. It is my hope that you will join me and work together to give our children all the love and educational experiences they deserve. ~ Dr. Brandi Stinson
In order to prepare students to meet the demanding and rigorous expectations of being college and career ready and ensure endless possibilities and opportunities for all of those entrusted to us, everything we do reinforces our beliefs and desires to achieve. We will reach our goals by focusing on the following:
Flintstone Elementary School will build a culture that inspires students, staff, and community to be the social activists, environmental protectors, artists, innovators, and academics of the future. Working collaboratively with all stakeholders, Flintstone will ensure our school is a place where everyone feels safe, needed, and cared for every day. We proudly proclaim our strength in diversity, and through equity and social justice, we will provide students with varied opportunities to reach their fullest academic and character potential through a rigorous education program.
Today at Flintstone, I will do my best, to the best. Today I will: be Prepared, be Respectful, show Integrity, be Determined, and strive for Excellence. Today I will demonstrate my Flintstone PRIDE!
Students may begin to arrive at 8:45 a.m.
School begins - 9:15 a.m.
Students are tardy - 9:16 a.m.
Early dismissal ends - 2:30 p.m.
School ends - 3:25 p.m.
If your child is a walker, car rider or van rider, they must be picked up no later than 3:40 p.m. Failure to adhere to this policy will result in a referral to our Pupil Personnel Worker.
2-Hour Early Dismissal - 1:25 p.m.
3-Hour Early Dismissal - 12:25 p.m
2-Hour Delayed Opening - School starts at 11:15 a.m.
3-Hour Delayed Opening - School starts at 12:15 p.m.
To receive the maximum instructional benefit from classroom instruction, a child must be in attendance daily. Each child who resides in Maryland and is five (5) years old or older, and under 18 shall attend a public school during the entire school year unless the child is otherwise receiving regular, thorough instruction during the school year in the studies usually taught in public schools to children of the same age, or is exempted by law. For each absence, the parent/guardian must communicate the reason for the student’s absence with written documentation no later than three days after return to school. It is the student’s responsibility to make-up all assignments. Please refer to Board Policy 5113 for more information regarding the Attendance Policy.
Unlawful absence and/or truancy is defined as the act of a student being absent from school for a day or any portion of a day or from an individual class or any portion of a class for any reason other than those defined as a lawful excuse for absence from school. This definition applies to students over 16 years of age as well as students under 16 years of age.
Maryland State Law requires students to attend school regularly. Students are expected to be in school except for the following reasons:
Only students who have a lawful absence will be provided with make-up work. Students will have the same amount of time to make up missed work as the days that they were absent. If make-up work is not received or the student was considered unlawfully absent, the student will receive a 0.
When a student is to be excused early, the parent/guardian/authorized person rings the front door and states the purpose and the child’s name. The parent/guardian must present picture identification in order to pick up a child. (Only individuals listed on the child’s emergency contact file will be able to pick up students.)The office will then call the child to the office for dismissal. No exceptions! When possible, medical and dental appointments should be made after school hours. Early dismissal ends at 2:30 p.m. In extreme emergencies, please see an administrator for assistance.
Per Administrative Procedure 5113, students who are away from school for unlawful reasons are considered truant. Truancy is monitored closely with the assistance of our Pupil Personnel Worker.
If there is no school, a delayed opening, or it is necessary to close schools during the day due to inclement weather or road conditions, the announcement will be broadcasted over the radio and the television. Stations WTOP, WWDC, WMAL, WRC and WOL, will make announcements several times during the morning. Please listen to the radio and T.V. (especially during the winter). You may also access the Prince George’s County website at www.pgcps.org for school closings and delays. A two-hour delay results in a 11:15 a.m. arrival time for students. Breakfast is served if there is a delayed opening. In case of a local school early dismissal, it is imperative that parents discuss and review with their children what they are to do in the event of an early dismissal. Each child should know exactly where to go. Babysitters/Daycares should be made aware of plans as well.
All parents/guardians should complete a lunch application form at the beginning of each year. You may do this through Myschoolapps.com and receive notification within 48 hours. Should you choose to complete a paper application, the wait time can be up to 3 weeks. You will be responsible for paying for your child’s lunch until a decision has been made. Remember we are a Title I school and that status is based upon the number of students who receive free and reduced meals.
The cafeteria is now computerized. All students have a pin number that must be entered daily. They may either pay daily or in advance, in which case the money will be held in their account until needed. In the event of a student forgetting their lunch money, have the students notify a parent immediately using the telephone located in the classroom. In an emergency, the cafeteria will provide a cheese sandwich and milk. Lunch costs $2.75. Breakfast costs $1.60.
Birthday celebrations are never permitted during the school day. Do not send food for birthday parties, as it will have to be returned home. Birthdays will be acknowledged daily during the morning announcements.
Bullying, harassment or intimidation is not tolerated in Prince George's County Public Schools. If you suspect that your child is being bullied, you should complete and submit a Bullying, Harassment or Intimidation Reporting Form. Prior to completing the form please ensure that your child has communicated the concerns to an adult at the school. The reporting form can be obtained from our Counselor, the Main Office, or http://stopbullying.pgcps.org/.
School personnel are required by state law to notify Child Protective Services about possible neglect or abuse. Discipline measures from parents or other adults that leave bruises or wounds on a child must be reported for further investigation.
ClassDojo will be the two-way communication application that all staff will utilize to speak with parents/guardians. It is the expectation that all parents/guardians are connected to ClassDojo by the close of the 1st week of school. It is the responsibility of all parents/guardians to check ClassDojo frequently for communication from teachers, as well as Flintstone Elementary School.
We welcome and encourage parent involvement in your child’s education. Teachers schedule formal report card conferences at least once a year. Parents are encouraged to communicate with teachers utilizing ClassDojo. You may contact the school office between 8:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. with a message for a teacher. If you wish to schedule a conference with the Principal, teacher, or other staff members, please be certain to call our office 24 hours ahead of time to request your appointment. Our schedules frequently do not allow time for unscheduled conferences during the instructional day.
It is the responsibility of each parent/guardian to ensure that Flintstone Elementary School has an Emergency Contact Form on file. The form communicates to staff what they need to know about you and your child in an emergency situation. It is the expectation that every time a phone number changes the Emergency Form will be updated. Students will not be released to anyone who is not listed in SchoolMax, emergency form, or birth certificate.Should we not have an Emergency Contact Form on file or be unable to get in touch with parent/guardian when we need to, the School District’s Pupil Personnel Worker (PPW), police department, and Child Protective Service may be contacted. In addition, wellness checks may also be conducted by the police department.
Administrative Policy 5121.1
Grading Policy Website: Grading and Reporting
Below is an overview of the policies, however all educators are expected to be knowledgeable of these policies and procedures in full. This information comes from Administrative Procedure 5121.1 linked above.
Reading Level
Factors used to determine K – 5 student grades include the following: (see attachment)
Students needing medication while at school must have a completed “PHYSICIAN’S MEDICATION AUTHORIZATION FOR PRESCRIPTION AND NONPRESCRIPTION MEDICATION” form to be completed by the doctor. You may obtain this form from the school. This form must be updated every year. Medication must be brought to school in the pharmacy’s prescription container labeled with the child’s name, dosage, directions, and duration of time medication is to continue. All medication is kept locked in the school’s health room for the safety and well-being of the students. Should your child need medication at school the appropriate medical forms must be on file with the school nurse prior to the medication being administered at school. Please do not send any medicine to school or ask us to send it home with a child. As with prescription medication, the nurse is not permitted to give your child aspirin, cough drops, or any over the counter medications without the properly completed forms.
Under normal circumstances children should not bring any money to school. You will be advised when teachers ask students to bring money for field trips, school pictures, book clubs or fundraisers. Do not allow your child to bring toys, trading cards, sports equipment or electronics of any kind to school. The school does not assume responsibility for students’ possessions, which may be misplaced, lost or stolen. All such items confiscated by teachers or administration will be locked in the office and returned only to a parent/guardian.
Parent volunteering in the classroom benefits students, parents, teachers, and the school. These benefits focus on student achievement, school events, field trips, career awareness, and communication. Parents are allowed to volunteer time and service. Examples of volunteer experiences are listed below.
PGCPS District requires parents to complete the volunteer process. This process is lengthy and may require 6-8 weeks to complete the process. This means we need to get the volunteer process complete ahead of time. If you would like to know the status of your Volunteer Process, please contact shatice.wright@pgcps.org.
Just as our students have a Code of Conduct to follow while at school, Prince George’s County Public School System created a Code of Conduct for Families, Volunteers, and Visitors. Flintstone Elementary School will hold all visitors accountable for appropriate behavior. Failure to adhere to these policies could result in visitors being banned from the school for up to a year. Remember we are the models for our students.
Interim Progress Reports will be issued at the middle of the quarter for all students. Final report cards are issued after the close of the school year. Report cards are completed four times a year. As Prince George’s County has adopted a SchoolMax Family Portal, parents will be required to look online for their child’s progress report and report cards.
Parent/Teacher conferences have been scheduled for twice a year. Parents may request additional conferences by contacting the school. If your child appears to be having difficulties, do not wait until the scheduled conferences, call the school and schedule a convenient time to meet with your child’s teacher. You may also utilize ClassDojo to speak directly with your child’s teacher.
This section is in accordance with Prince George’s County Administrative Procedure 0500 - School Visitors. Upon arrival at the building, parents must use the intercom system and state their name and purpose. Upon confirmation of a predetermined meeting, visitors will be buzzed in and directed to report to the office. In the office, the visitor must present a current government issued I.D. Once scanned into the Raptor system, parents will be issued a badge which must be worn at all times while in building. The parent will then be escorted to their designated meeting. Permission to visit the school may be rescinded if the visitor does not comply with the stated purpose of visit or violates any policy or procedure.
Classroom observations and/or conferences by parents/guardians must be arranged with administration at least 72 hours in advance. The rules for classroom observations are as follows:
Parents will be unable to speak with the teacher. Should you need to conference with the teacher, please contact them on ClassDojo to schedule an appointment.
The transition to middle school begins in March. Students transitioning to middle school are required to update proof of residency. This will require parents to submit a current lease, deed, or mortgage statement, and two current pieces of mail received within the last 30 days. Junk mail and cell phone bills can not be used. It is important to complete this process early so that student records can be transitioned to their new school in a timely manner. This process should be completed despite the location of the students’ middle school. Failure to do so will result in your child not being registered for middle school. This means that registration will need to occur at the middle school over the summer and your child will not receive a schedule for the new year until this process is completed.
The health room is located in the main office. If a student becomes involved in an accident or becomes ill during school hours, he/she should report to the teacher on duty and then to the health room. Parents will be notified and, if necessary, are responsible for picking up the student. If your child becomes seriously ill at school, we will contact you immediately. Children who get ill at school will need to be picked up by parents and taken home. If we cannot reach you immediately, we will use the emergency contact information you have provided. It is very important to have current working phone numbers, and update them regularly as they may change. Please remember we cannot keep seriously ill children at school. Children must be free of fever, vomiting and diarrhea for 24 hours without assistance of medication before they can return to school. If you know your child is sick, please do not send them to school.
Please have your child’s immunizations up to date prior to the beginning of the new school. Your child’s physician should complete a “Health Inventory” form so that the nurse can identify any medical condition, should there be any.
You will have the ability to use the World Wide Web at Flintstone Elementary School. You are not to visit any inappropriate websites. If one comes up on your computer please let your teacher know immediately. Failure to properly utilize technology/internet may result in the student losing this privilege.
To ensure the safety and security of staff and students, the Flintstone community will participate in various drills throughout the school year. The purpose of these drills is to ensure that in the event of a real emergency, staff and students will know what to do. The following drills are mandated from Prince George’s County Public School System.
If your child rides a bus, then they will also be participating in the following mandated drills:
Students are prohibited from using PEDs in the following manner on school property:
According to PGCPS, the only devices that students should utilize throughout the entire instructional day are devices that have been issued by Prince George’s County Public Schools. It is important to remember that these devices are on loan to families for the duration of the students time in PGCPS. Should there be an issue with the devices, there will be a fee applied. This fee will need do be paid prior to receiving a new device. See the agreements below.
All basic textbooks are loaned to students for their use during the school year. You will be required to pay for lost or damaged books.
Prince George’s County Public School operates a free bus service for eligible students. This is a privilege, not a right. A student’s bus privilege may be taken away if he/she does not follow the rules for bus riders. Students are expected to ride their assigned bus and will not be permitted to ride a different bus without a written request from a parent and prior approval from the office. For a safe and enjoyable ride to and from school, you will be reminded frequently about the rules for good behavior on the bus.
Make sure you follow these rules:
Transported students are given a bus assignment and are to ride that bus and that bus only to and from school. Riding a bus is a privilege and good behavior is required in order to maintain a safe environment on each bus. The school supports the driver in maintaining safe bus riding habits. Anyone who violates the safety standards will be suspended from the bus and parents will then be responsible for providing the child’s transportation. Board Policy # 5131
Flintstone Elementary School has a mandatory uniform policy in effect for the 2023-2024 school year. Failure to adhere to the uniform policy will result in disciplinary actions which could include documentation forms or mandatory detention in which parents will be responsible for transportation. Students are expected to wear:
Mandatory Uniforms |
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Tops |
Light Blue/White Polo Shirt, Oxford Shirt, or Blouse. Light Blue/White Jacket and/or Sweater or Flintstone Sweatshirt (Optional) **Shirts should not have graphics on the front or back of the shirt. |
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Bottoms |
Navy Blue Trouser, Docker Pants, Pleated Skirts, Skirt Jumpers, shorts, dresses. **Leggings should not replace pants and must be ankle length. **Skirts and shorts must past the student’s fingertips |
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Socks/Tights |
Black, Navy Blue or White Navy Blue Leggings may only be worn under skirts and jumpers **Leggings should not replace pants and must be ankle length. |
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Shoes |
Solid Colored Closed Toe Shoes **Crocs and open toed shoes are not allowed** |
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Belts |
Solid Black or Brown |
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Jewelry |
Earrings must be smaller than a quarter. Necklaces and Bracelets are not recommended. If worn and they become a distraction to the learning environment, it may be taken by an adult. |
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Head Coverings |
As stated in the PGCPS System-Wide Dress Code for Students, Headdress may be worn for religious or health reasons only. |
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Inclement Weather Attire |
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Tops |
A matching turtleneck may be worn underneath the uniform shirt. |
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Sweater/Vest/Coats/Jacket |
Navy Blue Sweater, Vest. Coat, Jacket **Sweaters, vests, coats, and jackets should not have graphics on the front or back of the shirt. ** Students may wear hoodies however the hood can not be on their heads during the school day. |
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Footwear |
Rain/Snow Boots may be worn to school. Students will be required to change into their uniform shoes, upon entering their classrooms. Heelies (Shoe/Skate Combination) |
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****Students will only be allowed to dress down on designated days, all other times, students must be in full uniform.
Additional Uniform Information
Safety is our first priority and I need the support of parents to keep our students safe. Prekindergarten and kindergarten student bus arrival/dismissal is currently a concern that needs to be addressed. Each Prekindergarten and kindergarten were given a safety vest at the beginning of the year. The safety vest is worn by students as a means to safely get our children to and from school. Specifically, the safety vest is worn to let bus drivers know that this student should not be let off the bus without supervision. Given that we have a shortage of bus drivers and there are often substitute drivers, the bus drivers are not familiar with the students to determine their grade level and safety needs. When the vest is worn the following occurs:
If the safety vest is not worn, prekindergarten/kindergarten students may be put off the bus without proper supervision and underage children being put off at a bus stop without proper supervision is a safety issue.
All prekindergarten and kindergarten students were issued a safety vest. Parents are responsible for making sure their child has their vest on prior to leaving home in the morning. Parents please encourage your child to keep the vest on while on the bus. Prekindergarten and kindergarten students should arrive at school with their safety vest on. This will help teachers easily identify students who have their safety vest for dismissal. If students do not have a vest a $5.00 replacement cost will need to be paid (while supplies last). Teachers are required to make sure all bus riders have a safety vest prior to getting on the bus. As a means to protect students and follow safety guidelines set by the district, students will not be able to ride the bus home if they don't have a safety vest at school. Parents will need to pick their child up from school.
This policy will strictly be enforced. Please plan to pick your child up at 2:30 p.m. if they do not come to school with their safety vest. Parents plan accordingly.