FAQs

After-school Activities

How are we informed about after-school programs and other extra-curricular activities?

    • Forms/flyers are sent home in student's folder and are available on the PTA website - After-School Programs

Where can I find a schedule of school activities?

    • Sunday evening Connect Eds/Emails, school website, PTA website and folders

Behavior

What are Berry Cents?

        • Berry Cents are given to students from staff members for exceptional behavior, volunteering, etc. These can be used at the Berry Cent store held every month.

How does the school handle behavior?

        • SKES staff focus on the importance of making positive behavior choices. When a child does not make a good choice, expectations are re-communicated. Your child's teacher or principal may reach out to you to problem-solve and help reinforce positive behavior choices with your child.

What are Red Knights?

        • Red Knights are given to classes who exemplify great behavior in the hallways.

Communication

What exactly are the types of things I can expect to see come home in my kid's folder?

        • State, county and city information/events; school events and activities; and graded classwork and homework

Emergency / School Closure

How are parents informed of an emergency school closing or other emergencies?

        • If just Strawberry Knoll is being closed for an emergency, parents/guardians are contacted via the phone number listed on the emergency contact forms. A follow-up email is sent as well. If other emergencies occur during school hours, an email and letter will be sent with information regarding the event.

        • For MCPS school closures, sign up for text notifications through Alert MCPS https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/emergency/alertmcps.aspx

Fundraising

Why does the PTA hold fundraisers?

        • The PTA uses funds raised through catalog fundraisers, book fair, restaurant nights, and donations to provide enrichment activities, assemblies, field trips, and programs to SKES students; support staff; and host social and educational events for families

Box tops - what are they?

GET THE BOX TOPS APP TODAY! In order to earn cash for your school, you'll need to use the Box Tops app on your mobile device.

        • IN-STORE - If you receive a paper receipt, a quick scan with the Box Tops app will identify participating products and automatically credit your school's earnings online.

        • ONLINE - Whether you've ordered groceries for delivery or pickup, shopped through your store's app, or requested an email receipt at checkout, you can earn Box Tops with digital receipts too.

Logistics

What do the students do with their backpacks and/or coats during the day? Do they have cubbies, or do they hang them on the back of their chair?

        • Backpacks and coats are hung up. Cubbies are used for pencil boxes and other items. If your child brings a lunch it is placed in the classroom's lunch bin.

Lunch

Breakfast and Lunch

At Strawberry Knoll, our day begins with universal breakfast. It is free and offered to every student every day in their classrooms from 8:50-9:05 a.m. Students do not have to eat breakfast and we will arrange for those students who arrive late to still get breakfast. During the pandemic and last school year school lunches were paid for by state and federal funding so they were free to students. This school year, MCPS is returning to charging for school lunches. The lunch will cost $2:55. If a family qualifies, reduced price lunches are $0.40, and some families will qualify for free lunches.

How does my student purchase lunch?

        • Request PIN from main office

        • Add funds to MySchoolBucks account

          • Go to www.myschoolbucks.com and click on "Sign up today!"

          • Create an account for yourself, and add your children. You will need the student’s name (exactly as it appears on their report card), school, grade, birth date, and six-digit student IDnumber.

          • (OPTIONAL) Provide credit or debit card information, if you would like to make prepayments to your child's cafeteria account.

          • Select a Meal Payment Option to make a prepayment, or select your child's name to view recent cafeteria purchases.

Resources

Where can I find more information?

        • Online resource list in the PTA welcome backet; PTA website, and school website.

Where can we find a directory of the teachers' emails?

Student Info

How do we find our child’s PIN number for purchasing lunches?

        • Please contact the main office.

Where can we locate our child's student ID number?

        • Please contact the main office.

Teacher Communication

Are there ways to get an update on our child’s performance in the classroom, other than waiting for the parent teacher conference?

        • Emailing or contacting teachers via preferred communication method is acceptable.

Transportation / Arrival & Dismissal

Are parents allowed to walk students to class on the first day of school?

        • Parents are allowed to walk their children to the classroom on the first day of school. Starting on the second day of school, the children walk in on their own. Teachers and safety patrols will be posted in the hallways to help the children find their way to the correct classroom.

Where can I find the half-sheet papers to identify whether our Kindergartner is a bus rider, car rider, or walker?

        • Can be picked up in office or in classroom on first day of school.

How does morning drop-off work for car riders?

        • All students must be dropped off using the carpool lane on the gym side of the school. Patrols and/or staff will assist students in exiting their vehicle. Drivers must stay in their vehicle. Upon leaving the parking lot, please follow the signs and turn RIGHT onto Strawberry Knoll Rd to ensure a smooth and efficient drop-off. Please review the Arrival Procedures and Directional Map on the PTA website for more information: Arrival & Dismissal

How are car riders dismissed?

        • All students (K-5) will assemble in the gym. An staff member will use a radio to call students out as their parents arrive in vehicles. Patrols will assist students in locating their vehicle. Drivers must stay in their vehicle. Upon leaving the parking lot, please follow the signs and turn RIGHT out of the parking lot to ensure a smooth and efficient dismissal. Please review the Dismissal Procedures and Directional Map on the PTA website for more information: Arrival & Dismissal

How are walkers dismissed?

        • Kindergarten students are taken to the gym, where parents can meet the teacher. The teacher will call the student’s name and high-five the teacher prior to exiting.

        • All other students (1-5) who walk home will exit through the main doors by the gym. Teachers will wait outside with Grade 1 students. Students will use the crosswalks at the front parking lot/bus loop to exit to the sidewalk on Strawberry Knoll Road. Parents are allowed to wait outside the doors for students. Please reivew the Dismissal Procedures on the PTA website for more information: Arrival & Dismissal

How do you change how a child is going to be picked up?

        • Please contact your student's teacher or the main office to inform them of the change.

How old must your child be to walk to/from school or the bus without an adult?

        • There is no state or federal law setting a legal age minimum before children can walk to school alone. Children, even if they are in the same grade, vary in their readiness to handle traffic situations. In general, children are not ready to cross a street alone until age 10. https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/saferoutes/

Volunteering

Where do I find information on volunteering?

I would like to volunteer in my child's classroom. Who do I contact?

        • Please reach out to your child's teacher to find out what volunteer assistance might be needed

Can I volunteer in the Media Center?

        • Yes, please contact our Media Center Specialist, Mrs. Homayouni.

Can I help at lunch or recess?

        • Please contact Assitant Principal, Mrs. Patterson.