New Student FAQ

Each grade level has a separate entrance- Grade 5 uses entrance D, which is located down the hill on the far right of the building if you are facing the front of the school. Grade 6 uses entrance C, Grade 7 uses entrance B, and Grade 8 uses entrance A.

Students are dropped off in the loop behind the building. Students do not exit their cars until instructed to do so by faculty/staff. Once they have exited the car they wait outside the “F” door until notified it is time to enter. Please note that vehicles are not allowed to enter the bus turnaround between 7:20 and 7:50 AM.

Students who wish to have breakfast in the morning are asked to walk to the cafeteria entrance around the outside of the building. This entrance (“H” door) is located on the left side of the building, down the hill, and along-side the small bus loop.

Teachers may incorporate snack time into their day at a time that works best for everyone.

Families should provide snacks, as they are not generally provided.

During the first 2 weeks of school, teachers are busy acclimating students to life as middle schooler.

Assigning lockers and going over when/how students should use them will happen during that time.

Locks are provided by the school. Students who lose or damage their locks will incur a $5 replacement fee. Students are NOT permitted to place their own locks on lockers.

On days that students have PE; they need to wear sneakers and should wear clothing that allows them to move freely and comfortably during activities.

Students are assigned a cafeteria on their schedules. Cafeteria A is on the left (facing both cafeterias from the hallway) and Cafeteria B is on the right. Students can choose tables the first few days. Eventually, cafeteria staff will set up seating charts for each table (there are assigned tables, NOT assigned seats at each table.) Once a child is assigned a table, it is important that they remain at the same table (unless reassigned by cafeteria staff or an administrator) so that they can be easily located if need-be.

Yes. The only thing that interferes with recess occasionally is weather, and days that the periods are shortened, such as half-days and 2-hour delays.

Yes. Lunch detention can be assigned to a student who is not adhering to the rules.

There are 4 quarters each year, and each quarter is 10 weeks. During this timeframe you will receive a progress report (5 weeks into each quarter) and a report card. Progress reports are mailed home, and report cards will be distributed to students by the teachers to bring home at the end of quarters 1-3. The last report card will be mailed home.

Yes. All parents/guardians are encouraged to sign up for Parent Portal. You can do so at open house, but if you would like to do so earlier, please email Yesenia Gutierrez or Kim Cunningham-Hughes and she will help get you set up. Parent Portal allows you to view your child's schedule, bus number (if applicable), gradebook, progress reports, and report cards.

For students leaving at 2:19 PM who do not ride the bus in the afternoon, families enter the lower parking lot and fill in all available space around the perimeter of the entire lot. This means that cars arriving first will pull all the way around and will be closer to the exit of the lot. Students exit through Door G and look for their cars with the assistance of several adults who are present. Students remain in the loading zone outside of entrance G and are not permitted to exit this zone unless directed to do so by our staff. Students who need to cross the road are escorted by adults. As students enter cars, parents/guardians pull out into the passing lane to exit the lot. All remaining cars behind them pull up to fill all available space. This procedure is designed to keep students safe and work efficiently. Parents/guardians are not permitted to exit their cars, as this hinders the process and slows it down for everyone. Please do not encourage your child to divert from these procedures as the confusion this causes poses safety concerns for your child. Thank you.

Students who walk home can do so at 3:00 PM, or they can be picked up outside entrance A by a parent or guardian at this time. (Please note that students getting picked up at 3:00 pm must only enter vehicles from the Loading Zone (marked by cones) in front of entrance A. Students are NOT permitted to walk back to their cars as this creates safety concerns. Cars will form 2 lines and leave a center lane open. As with pick up at entrance G, parents/guardians are to pull up, filling all space as cars exit the loading zone. Students are not permitted to walk to the street to get picked up. All cars must enter the front loop and follow the same procedures. Please do not direct your child to disregard them, as this causes confusion and safety concerns. This procedure works efficiently, under the direction of safety officers and administration, and is designed with safety and efficiency in mind. *Please note that students will only wait for rides until 3:15 PM- at that time, those students still waiting for rides will be assigned to an extended activity and you will need to come into the Main Office to pick them up or meet them at entrance G at 3:40 PM.

Activity period is also called 10th period (2:22pm-3:00pm). We have a 9-period regular school day, and 10th period is offered to students wishing to receive extra help or are assigned this time by a teacher or administrator. There are no buses offered at the end of this period. Extended activity period is from 3:03pm to 3:40pm. Students wishing to stay during this timeframe need to sign up for an extended activity during lunch (table with offerings is located in hallway between Cafeterias A and B). (Please note that there will be no 10th or extended activity period the first couple weeks of school and all students will be leaving after 9th period on these days.)

Any student that needs a bus after Extended Period will first ask the Extended Period teacher for a bus pass, and then go to the cafeterias. In the cafeterias, staff will assign a cafeteria and table based on the late bus number. The staff will help your child figure out where to go–encourage your student to ask for help until the process becomes routine for them. It is important for students to report directly to the cafeterias at the end of Extended Period, so they do not miss their bus.

Students who stay until 3:40 PM, and who do not take a bus, are to be picked up at the G door in the rear of the building.

The Extended Activity period list is currently being updated. Currently you can view last year's offerings to get an idea for what will be offered. Hard copies of this list will be available for you to take in the lobby on the Info Cart located near the greeter's desk. Please note, offerings are subject to change based on staff availability.

Teachers and guidance counselors will reach out as needed throughout the year to set up conferences on an as-needed basis. In January there will be a parent conference day at JWB, and we will reach out to families of students we would like to meet with. Please reach out to your child's guidance counselor if you feel a conference is needed at any time throughout the year by calling 845.943.3572.

The best way to contact your child 's teacher is by emailing them. You can email your child's teacher using the following convention: first letter of their first name and last name followed by @kingstoncityschools.org. 

All electronic devices, including cell phones, are prohibited in school. The use of personal electronic devices is disruptive to the learning process. If they are brought to school, they should be silenced or off and stored in locked student lockers during the school day. All electronic devices will be subject to confiscation. There are phones available in each classroom of the building, and educational technology is provided to students as needed by the school. The school is not responsible for lost or stolen phones and/or earbuds and headphones.

For general Guidance Counseling questions, contact Mrs. Gutierrez, the guidance secretary, at 845.943.3572 or email at ygutierrez. Additionally, School Social workers Ms. Brown at 845.943.3606 or email sbrown and Ms. Feeney at 845.9433588 or email cfeeney are available. As well as our Attendance Social Worker, Ms. Muhammad at 845.943.3616 or email nmuhammad. For general attendance questions, please contact Mrs. Kordzikowski at 845.943.3573 or email wkordzikowski.

We suggest consistency and high expectations. The more your rules/expectations at home mirror those at school, the greater the chances that your child will experience success in both areas. We consider school and home to be "one family" and we all want what is best for your child. Things you can do at home are:

• Check your child 's agenda planner nightly (if they have no homework, they should write "none" in their planner while in school).

• Talk to your child about school by asking open-ended questions- "What is one interesting thing you learned today?"

• Help them organize and reorganize their school supplies regularly.

• Set up a schedule for students to complete homework after school in the same place and for the same length of time nightly. If your child tells you they have no homework, have them work on IXL (they will get login info at school) on the computer or read for the allotted amount of time.

• Set up a time for your child to read at least 20 minutes nightly.

• Reach out to your child 's teachers (email is best) any time you need clarification.

• Sign up for parent portal here and email/text "blasts" here. Be present. The middle school years can be some of the most challenging times for child development and parent-child relationships. Spend time with your child one-on-one if possible.

• *Prohibit access to social media- The minimum age requirement for many social media platforms (ex. Snap Chat, Instagram, Facebook, Tik Tok, etc.) is 13. We find that many issues students experience in school develop from stressful and unkind interactions on social media platforms. You can protect your child and yourself (parents/guardians are liable for their children’s activities online) by prohibiting access.