Sign up for the Barrett Listserv (Yahoo! Group) to communicate with other parents and get school news. For more listserv information and to read the guidlelines, click here.  Also you can create an "APS School Talk" account to receive updates from Arlington County Public Schools.  For more information on all of these as well as the E-Newsletter, view the "Stay in Touch with School News" webpage.

School Hours:

Full Day - 8:25 a.m. to 3:06 p.m.
Early Release - 8:25 a.m. to 12:51 p.m.

 

Early Release dates for 2012-13 are October 12, December 12, February 6, March 13, April 17, June 12, June 19, and June 21. APS school year calendars are listed here.

Where can I find a calendar or a list of holidays?
In addition to Thanksgiving, Winter and Spring Breaks, and named holidays (such as Columbus Day), students do not attend school on Teacher Planning, Inservice, Conference, and Grade Preparation Days. You can view the 2012-2013 KW Barrett Calendar for the complete list of dates including PTA special events.   

Kindergartners are walked by their parent or caregiver into the school cafeteria in the morning.  Students in Grades 1-5 line up in the gym and students in Pre-K and K line up in the cafeteria from 8:10 to 8:20 a.m.  At dismissal, please meet Pre-K through Grade 2 students in the designated areas in the lobby and main hallway. Children in Grades 3-5 can be met outside at Doors 2 and 3.

We ride the bus, so I where do I find info about the route/drive/bus stop locations?
For more information about school bus routes and bus stops, call the Transportation Department at (703) 228-6640. FAQs and more information about school transportation can be found here.

School supply lists for the beginning of the year are available online. Your child should bring a backpack each day and wear clothing appropriate for the weather. Children not buying a cafeteria lunch should bring their own. If teachers require extra classroom items, a note will go home in the backpack.  More information about the PTA-run school store can be found here.

How do we buy lunch? What’s up with the ice cream?
School menus are sent home monthly and available online. Staff will help children buy milk and/or a hot lunch.  You may send in cash or a check, or pre-pay via the SchoolBucks online payment system (see below).  Lunch costs $2.55, reduced lunch costs 40¢. And ice cream is available on Fridays. There are three ways to add money to students' meal accounts:

1. Online: Use mySchoolBucks.com. The service is easy to use, convenient, private, and secure. There is a convenience fee of $2 per transaction. Parents can also pay a one-time membership fee. When setting up an account, parents will need to provide the student's name, birth date, and student ID number. To sign-up or for more information, go here. 

2. Check: Write a check to Barrett Elementary School and have your child bring the check to the food service manager in the cafeteria. A local address and phone number are required to be printed or handwritten on the check. The student name and ID number are required on the check memo line.

3. Cash: Bring cash to the food service manager in the cafeteria for deposit on the student's account, or students may pay cash on a daily basis.

What happens when weather closes schools?
Schools Closed: All school buildings are closed. The decision is usually announced by 6 a.m. on all information outlets. Extended Day and Check-in are also closed. All school activities are canceled unless otherwise announced. Administrative offices usually remain open.

Delayed Opening: Schools will open two hours later than usual. The decision is usually announced by 6 a.m. The morning bus route schedule is also delayed by two hours. Field trips are canceled. Breakfast is not served. The Extended Day program will also open two hours late. On any early release day, the early release is canceled and students remain until the regular daily dismissal time.

Early Dismissal: Schools will dismiss two hours early if conditions require. This decision is normally announced by 11:30 a.m. Extended Day will close at 4 p.m. Extracurricular activities, interscholastic contests, team practices, field trips, adult and community education classes, and recreation programs in schools and on school grounds are canceled. If it is Wednesday, elementary students will be released at the usual early release time.  More information can be found here.

How do I prepare for field trips?
You'll need to pack a lunch (in totally disposable containers – you won’t see them again!) and wear your Barrett T-shirt.  Students participate in a variety of field trips throughout the year.  These cost a small fee and require permission slips, which are sent home and returned to school in advance of the trip. School T-shirts are available in the PTA-run school store located in the lobby. The store will be open every morning the first week of school from 7:45 to 8:30 a.m. as well was on Back-to-School Night.

 

When are report cards given out? 
Kindergartners get one mid-year and one at the end of school. In first grade, there will be 4 per year. In third grade, they switch to letter grades (A, B, etc.) and have the possibility of making Honor Roll.