School Colors: Navy Blue and White
School Accent Colors: Yellow and Gold
School Mascot: Buddy the Eagle
Facebook Page: Tayac ES Eagles
Twitter Handle: @TayacES
The Principal oversees the daily operations of an individual school building. The Principal is primarily in charge of overseeing the students and faculty/staff in that building. They are also responsible for building community relationships within their area.
Person To Contact |
Email Address |
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LaTonya Wright, Principal |
The Assistant Principals may oversee a specific part or parts of a school’s daily operations.
Person To Contact |
Email Address |
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Avalin Cumberland- Thompson |
Student Records & Attendance
Person To Contact |
Email Address |
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Carmen Brito |
Specific Information Within The Classroom
Information about direct instruction in the area of content in which they specialize. Classwork. Homework. Current Grades. Specific information regarding the students academics/behavior within the class. Google Classroom Codes. Messages sent from a teacher in SchoolMax. Please reach out to the educator of record.
Person To Contact |
Email Address |
|
Teacher of Record |
Visit Tayac ES website |
Personal, Social, and Academic Concerns
Person To Contact |
Email Address |
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Kathy Giles-Harris (Personal, Social, & Academic) |
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LaTasha Verna (Persona & Social) |
Special Education
Person To Contact |
Email Address |
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Michelle Robinson |
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Marissa Howard |
Principal’s Administrative Assistant and Bookkeeper
Person To Contact |
Email Address |
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Trina Small |
Computer Technology
Computer Distribution. Tech Support. Computer-related issues or questions that may arise regarding technology (including issues with email, the internet, viruses, etc.) Issues with passwords and emails. Standardized Testing. please contact:
There are NO loaner chargers. If a student needs a charger, they have to pay $30.
Person To Contact |
Email Address |
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Kimberly Johnson |
Students may arrive between 7:30 a.m. - 7:45a.m.
School begins - 7:45 a.m.
Students are tardy - 7:46 a.m.
Early dismissal ends - 1:15 p.m.
School ends - 1:55 p.m.
If your child is a walker, car rider or van rider, they must arrive at school between 7:30am-7:45am. Students enter the building at 7:30am and have breakfast in their classrooms from 7:30am-7:45am. Students arriving after 7:45am must be escorted by a parent and sign-in at the designated area or main office. Parents that are escorting their child in the building must have their physical state issued I.D. Parents without their I.D. will be asked to return to get their physical state issued I.D. (NO EXCEPTIONS)
If your child is a walker, car rider or van rider, they must be picked up no later than 2:00pm. When students are not picked up on time they are considered unattended minors. In the instances where the parent or emergency contacts can not be contacted, 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.
2-Hour Early Dismissal - 11:55 p.m.
3-Hour Early Dismissal - 10:55 p.m
Students must be picked up on time. Students who are not picked up on time are considered unattended minors. In the instances where the parent or emergency contacts can not be contacted, 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.
2-Hour Delayed Opening - School starts at 9:30 a.m.
3-Hour Delayed Opening - School starts at 10:30 p.m
Students must arrive at school at the appropriate time. Students who arrive prior to appropriate start time are considered unattended minors. In the instances where the parent or emergency contacts can not be contacted, 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.
Students should not arrive before 7:30 a.m. (Staff members are not responsible for students who arrive before this time.) No student will be allowed into the building or be supervised before 7:30 a.m. All students must be in their Homeroom before 7:45 a.m.
Students are considered late at 7:46am. This means that students should be inside their classroom by 7:45am. At 7:46 am students must be escorted to the front door by an adult, buzzed in by the main office, show their physical I.D. in the camera, and sign the child in at the main office. A member of the Tayac ES staff will accompany the student to their classroom. In the instances where this procedure is not followed 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.
The Morning Arrival Kiss and Ride area will serve as the staff parking for employees and the Kiss and Ride area for student arrival. As a means to ensure that staff members are able to park and enter the building in a timely manner to receive students by 7:30am, parents will not be allowed to park in the staff parking lot. The Kiss and Ride area will open at 7:20am - 7:40am. (Remember students are late at 7:46am and should be escorted and signed in by a parent.) Only Tayac Staff members and PGCPS employees will be able to enter the parking lot prior to 7:20am. Parents should drive in the Kiss and Ride area and a staff member will receive the student from the vehicle. Parents that would like to walk their child to the front door should park at the White Church Parking Lot and walk their child to the front door.
Students are dismissed at 1:55pm. Students in Pre-Kindergarten through Second grade are dismissed from the gym. Parents should line up behind their prospective grade level signs. The parent should communicate the name of the student to the Tayac ES staff member and the staff member will release the student to the parent.
Students in grades 3-5 will be dismissed from the side of the school building. Students will be lined up behind their grade level signs. The parent should communicate the child’s name to the teacher and the students will be released to the parents. Students are not allowed to go with their parents prior to joining the grade level lines. This will ensure that the teacher is aware of who the student was released to incase of an emergency.
Students that ride the school bus and after care vans will be dismissed from the front door. Parents are not allowed to stand at the front door and take their child prior to them getting on the bus during dismissal. If you miss the early dismissal cut off time. Please pick your child up at their prospective bus stops or childcare facilities.
Parents should have one standard method of transportation. The school will not be responsible for which day a child will take different modes of transportation home. If this attention is needed the parents can pick the child up from their bus stop or prospective daycare facilities.
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 (licenses, state issued ID, passport) 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 1:15 p.m. Following that time, you will have to wait for normal dismissal procedures. This helps ensure a smooth dismissal for all. All students leaving early must be picked up by an adult whose name appears on either the Schoolmax or the Emergency Contact Form. The adult must show proper identification, i.e. driver’s license, military, State ID, or passport etc. If the adult’s name is listed, the child will NOT be released – NO EXCEPTIONS! Parents are not allowed to request that a student be sent to the main office for early dismissal. The teacher will be informed of your child’s early dismissal by the main office staff. Board Policy # 5117.
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:
Absences for any reason not listed above are considered unexcused and the student may receive a zero in all classes for work missed unless approved by the principal. When a student returns, a note with the following information is required: the date and explanation of absence, home or work number of the parent or guardian and the parent/guardian’s signature. A doctor’s note may also be required. No student will be excused without a note from the appropriate person(s).
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 9:30 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.
Good discipline is essential to academic success; however, good discipline is not something that just happens. Discipline –like mathematics and reading – must be taught. We believe that it is possible to maintain disciplined, productive learning environments without excluding students from school except in the most severe instances. Four words provide the recipe for discipline at Tayac ES: Prevention, Intervention and Progressive Discipline. Utilizing a common sense, age-appropriate, 5-level discipline approach, school environments will thrive. As discipline improves, academic performance improves. The Students Rights and Responsibilities Handbook is used to implement the 5-level discipline approach. In addition, as a means of being preventative students are referred to the counselor and the student support coach to communicate needs and concerns.
Reentry Conferences
When a student has been suspended from school the parent is required to accompany the student to school on the first day the student returns to school. The parents, students, and administrators will participate in a reentry conference. The goal of the reentry conference is to model and teach strategies to prevent the desired behavior and to teach replacement behaviors.
Link | Students Rights and Responsibilities Handbook
Link | Manuel des droits et responsabilités de l’élève.pdf
Link | Manual de Derechos y Responsabilidades del Estudiante
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/.
Approved Uses of PEDs in Schools:
Prohibited Uses of PEDs in Schools:
Students are prohibited from using PEDs in the following manner on school property:
D. At times when PED use is not permitted, PEDs must be turned off or on silent mode and stored in a back-pack, book bag, pocket, purse, locker, vehicle, etc.
E. Administrators, faculty, and staff may request at any time that students turn off and put away PEDs. Failure to do so may result in disciplinary action and possible confiscation by the school principal. School administrators are required to consult with parents/guardians regarding a student’s misuse of a PED and appropriate responses in accordance with the Student Right and Responsibilities Handbook.
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. (For the 2023-2024 school year, students will receive a new 6-digit pin.) They may either pay daily or in advance, in which case the money will be held in their account until needed. Breakfast is free for all students. Teachers should ask all students in the morning if they have their lunch money. In the event of a student forgetting their lunch money, have the students notify a parent immediately using the telephone located in the classroom. The cost for lunch is $2.75. The cafeteria will not issue loans for breakfast or lunch.
My School Bucks is a quick and convenient way to ensure your student always has money on their lunch account. Please take the time to set-up an account today by visiting the following website: www.myschoolbucks.com
Tayac ES participates in a federally funded breakfast and lunch program. Therefore, commercial breakfast and lunch is prohibited. Food from restaurants with logos marked on the cups/bags/boxes will not be allowed.
Eating lunch in the cafeteria is a privilege extended to all students; however, along with privileges come responsibilities. When these responsibilities are not appropriately met, the privilege of eating in the cafeteria may be withdrawn.
School birthday parties/celebrations will occur once a month for all students celebrating a birthday or class accomplishment during the month. The celebrations are allowed on the day designated by the administrative team. The celebrations will be held the last 45 minutes of the day 1:10pm -1:55pm. Due to frequent interruption of instruction, food deliveries for birthday parties should take place from 12:00pm-1:00pm on the designated day of the celebration. The delivery time window is important as we will have support staff available to assist with the celebration needs and maintain operations in the main office. The main office will receive the food deliveries and ensure that the class receives the food. Parents will not be able to attend the celebrations. As a means to accommodate students’ food allergies and food safety there are specified businesses where food can be purchased (Wegmans, Giant, Shoppers Food Warehouse, BJs, Costcos, Sam's Club, Ledos and Papa John's Pizza). Pizza and cupcakes/cakes from other businesses will not be allowed. Party bags will also be allowed. If candy is shared please refrain from chocolate and peanut based candies. As a means to protect students and to give parents the opportunity to inspect the content of the party bags, students will open their party bags at home.
School Birthday Party and Class Celebration Dates:
Sept. 29, Oct. 30, Nov. 30, Dec. 22, Jan. 31, Feb. 27, Mar. 21, April 30, May 24, Jun. 12
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.
Link | Board Policy # 5131
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 1:55pm if they do not come to school with their safety vest. Parents plan accordingly and inform any adult that may be responsible for getting your child to school in the morning. The adult should know that your child should have their vest upon arrival.
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.
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 and email. You may contact the school office between 7:30 a.m. and 3:15 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.
Please make sure you have completed an emergency contact form. The form communicates to staff what they need to know about you and your child in an emergency situation. In addition, the emergency contact form is referenced if staff needs to quickly determine if someone is authorized to pick your child up from school. The emergency contact form should be updated anytime your personal information changes (phone number, address, student pick-up authorization, medical information). Students will not be released to anyone who is not listed in SchoolMax, emergency form, or birth certificate. In the instances where the parent or emergency contacts can not be contacted, 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.
School Max (Family Portal), a computer generated student information system allows parents the ability to monitor their child’s progress online. Once registered you can view your child’s attendance, grades, discipline information. If you have not already done so, or have children new to Prince George’s County Public schools, please email avalin.cumberland@pgcps.org to get support to obtain your child’s student ID number. In the subject line of your email please include Family Portal Support Needed.
“Monitoring Mondays” is an initiative designed to support continued partnership between parents and teachers, as they work together to monitor student attendance and academic progress. Utilizing the Family Portal, parents will be able to monitor students attendance and grades every Monday, at 12 Noon. Following, parents are to review students' completion of grades assignments and overall attendance. If concerns arise, parents should contact their child’s teacher. We Exceed beyond Expectations and we are certain that through a shared commitment, students' achievement will flourish. If you have trouble accessing Family Portal please contact Avalin.cumberland@pgcps.org.
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 avalin.cumberland@pgcps.org
PGCPS Link | Volunteer Information
Tayac ES Link | Volunteer Google Form
The PGCPS Code of Conduct for Families, Volunteers, and Visitors applies to all who interact with schools and offices in Prince George’s County Public Schools (PGCPS). It also applies to those who are present at school, in person or virtually, and school-sponsored activities, meetings, and/or functions during and outside of school hours. In order to maintain an orderly, respectful and secure educational environment for students and staff, it is essential that families and visitors are aware of their responsibilities. Penalties for lack of adherence to this Code of Conduct are outlined. Tayac 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.
Code of Conduct for Families, Volunteers, and Visitors
Código de conducta para familias, voluntarios y visitantes
Code de conduite pour les familles, bénévoles et visiteurs
Interim Progress Reports will be issued at the middle of the quarter for all students. Report cards are completed four times a year. Final report cards are issued after the close of the school year. 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.
Parents are encouraged to register for a SchoolMax Family Portal account which gives families real-time access to grades, attendance, and discipline.
All parents should be given access to Class Dojo. Class Dojo is the communication system that allows staff members to communicate with parents in real time. Parents will need to be added to Class Dojo by the teacher.
Weekly Communication - The week at a glance will be posted on Class Dojo for parent review.
Monthly Communication - A monthly Tayac School Calendar will be sent home by the students. This calendar may also be shared on Class Dojo.
Emergency Notification- Emergency Notification will be shared on Class Dojo.
Updates and Reminders- Updates and Reminders will be posed by a variety of staff members throughout the day.
Upon arrival at the building, parents must use the intercom system and state their name and purpose. Upon confirmation of a predetermined meeting, visitors must show their physical I.D. to the camera. After the I.D. is captured by the camera, 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:
Tayac Community Booster Club is the parent organization that supports students, teachers, and the community. Parents may join Tayac Community Booster Club by email TayacCBC@gmail.com. The email should include the student’s name, your name, teacher’s name, contact information, availability, and interest. Members of the Tayac Community will notify you to volunteer, serve at events, support fundraising efforts, and to support the teacher's classroom needs. There is no cost to join the Tayac Community Booster Club however your time and service is needed.
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.
Please have your child’s immunization 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. If you know your child is sick, please do not send them to school.
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. 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.
To ensure the safety and security of staff and students, the Tayac ES 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. Notification of the drills will be shared on Class Dojo.
If your child rides a bus, then they will also be participating in the following mandated drills:
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. In addition, the parent will be required to submit two pieces of mail. 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.
You will have the ability to use the World Wide Web at Tayac 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 use technology/internet may result in the student losing this privilege.
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 items confiscated by teachers or administration will be locked in the office and returned only to a parent/guardian.
All basic textbooks are loaned to students for their use during the school year. Textbooks are to be kept clean and covered. You will be required to pay for lost or damaged books.
All students registered in Prince George’s County Public Schools (“PGCPS”) will be issued a computing device (such as a Chromebook, laptop, tablet, iPad or eReader) and a power adapter to support their learning. All devices and accessories assigned to students are the property of Prince George's County Public Schools and on loan to the student. Fees may be assessed for any student who loses or damages a PGCPS issued device at home or school as listed below.
The use of the computing device is a privilege, not a right. Appropriate and responsible use, as outlined in the Administrative Procedure 0700 (IT Services Acceptable Usage Guidelines) and below, is expected at all times. Inappropriate use will result in loss of privileges and will be subject to disciplinary action at the discretion of the building principal. All students are required to participate in the Inventory Reconciliation process upon request by producing all PGCPS devices and accessories assigned to them. This process will be conducted annually as a districtwide initiative to confirm the accuracy of the data in the Asset Management System.
Link | English Student Agreement
Link | Spanish Student Agreement
