School Hours

Arrival

• Grades Pre-K – Eighth grade must be in their classroom at 8:00 AM.

• Students may begin to arrive at 7:30 AM unless they are registered for Extended Morning Care. 

• Extended Morning Care students must arrive between 7:00 AM and 7:25 AM.

Dismissal

• School is dismissed at 3:10 PM on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday. 

• On Wednesdays, school is dismissed at 2:15 PM, and Half-day PreK students are dismissed at 12:00 PM.

• Full-day PreK students are dismissed at 3:00 PM.

• Look for occasional 11:30 AM dismissal days on the school calendar. 
   

First Week Of School Dismissal Times

• Friday, August 23rd

School begins for Grades K-8
11:30 AM dismissal - NO Extended Care

• Monday, August 26th

School dismissed at 3:10 PM 
Extended Care begins for grades K-8 (No PreK) 
Encore and Spanish begin

• Wednesday, August 28th

All PreK Sessions begin and have an 11:15 AM dismissal 
Grades K-8 have a 2:15 PM dismissal
Extended Care available for grades K-8

• Thursday, August 29th

All PreK: 11:15 AM dismissal
Grades K-8: 3:10 PM dismissal
Individual and Class Picture Day for PreK - 8 (all grades) 
Extended Care available for grades K-8

• Friday, August 30th

11:30 AM dismissal, Extended Care available until 3:15 PM, bring lunch
First Friday Mass - full dress uniform

Morning Arrival

7:20-7:30 Morning Drop Off and Departure

Beginning at 7:20 AM, cars can enter through the faculty parking lot gate and proceed underneath the St. James Library Media Center. Cars will line up parallel to the sidewalk that lines the back side of the gym. New lines will begin once the cars reach the St. James Library Media Center bridge. A second and third line may form parallel to the first line if cars continue to arrive. No student is permitted to exit their car until 7:30 AM. At 7:30 AM, all traffic will be stopped, and students will exit cars when directed by a staff member. All students must exit cars from the passenger side of their vehicle.

Once all students are safely on the sidewalk, a staff member will direct traffic from the back lot area through the western alleyway and onto Green Street, beginning with the car line farthest from the school. An officer will assist with traffic at the Green Street alleyway exit.

7:30-7:55 Morning Drop Off and Departure

All vehicles arriving after 7:30 AM will circle the faculty parking lot and proceed under the St. James Library Media Center, next to the sidewalk. At this point, only one line will form along the sidewalk that lines the gym, under the St. James Library Media Center, and parallels the playground. Once cars are stopped, students will exit on the vehicle's passenger side onto the sidewalk behind the gym, under the media center, and along the playground wall in the faculty parking lot. Students can only exit cars if they are next to the sidewalk. If the car is not next to the sidewalk, the car will wait until the cars in front exit, and they will pull all the way up before having the students exit. Once it is safe, staff members will instruct vehicles to proceed to the western alleyway using the exit. Vehicles can only turn left when exiting the alley onto Green Street.

The process will continue until drop-off is complete. At 7:55 AM, the gate will close, and barriers will be positioned so vehicles can no longer drive under the St. James Library Media Center. If it is later than 7:55 AM, parents must park in the neighborhood and sign students in at the main office.

Monday through Thursday those students who arrive between 7:30 AM and 7:45 AM will meet in specific locations before going to classrooms. Upon arrival, kindergarten through grade two students will go to the gym, where their teachers will meet them. Grades three through five students will go to the turf, and grades six and seven will go to the St. James Library Media Center. Eighth grade students will go to the middle school plaza until 7:45 AM. Students arriving between 7:45 AM and 7:55 AM should proceed directly to their classrooms. Friday mornings students will walk directly to their classrooms.

7:30-7:55 King and Queen of Carpool Morning Drop Off and Departure 

Students are dropped off at the front of the school, proceed to the turf gate, and proceed to their grade-level meeting area. An officer will be outside the main building to direct and assist with traffic when pulling away from the school.

7:30-7:55 Walker Morning Drop Off 

Students with walker tags will enter campus via the Green Street gate. They should proceed to their grade-level meeting area.

7:30-7:55  Bike Rider Drop Off

Bike riders will enter campus through the cemetery gate and park their bike on the bike rack inside the gate. Once the bike is parked, the student will walk along the sidewalk to the entrance of the middle school building.

Reminders

• Parents of Kindergarten students should have the "Little Saint on Board" decal in their passenger side window. Decals will be distributed during Kindergarten Meet and Greet events. This decal alerts our morning teachers and patrols working the morning carpool to ensure they assist those cars.

• All students using the carpool line, including kindergarteners, must be able to unbuckle themselves from the car seat.

• For safety and security, students will not enter the building using door #1 during morning arrival.

• PreK students will enter through the gate on the turf and will be escorted to their classrooms.

Click here to view a graphic with the morning arrival process.

Afternoon Dismissal

On regular Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays, the schedule will proceed as follows. On Wednesdays, the schedule will begin one hour earlier or at 2:00 P.M.

• 3:00 PM All Pre-Kindergarten students are dismissed via door 8
• 3:05 PM Kindergarten begins dismissal
• 3:08 PM Afternoon prayer
• 3:10 PM King & Queen of carpool via door 2 and through the turf gate
• 3:12 PM Walkers via Green St. gate (6-8) and bike dismissal
• 3:12 PM Walkers via turf gate (1-5)
• 3:14 PM Carpool dismissal
• 3:15 PM Extended Care students dismissed
• 3:15 PM After-School activities dismissed

Afternoon Carpool Dismissal 

• A staff member will open the gate, and cars will enter the parking lot at approximately 2:45 PM. The barriers will be removed to allow vehicles to enter and proceed under the Saint James Library Media Center to the blacktop behind the gym. Staff members will direct the vehicles to line up in rows facing west. The first car should proceed to the far left and form a line; additional rows will fill up from left to right.

• Vehicles must display the PickUp Patrol Identification directly on the passenger side of their dashboard.

• Once the dismissal area behind the gym is full, vehicles will queue around the faculty parking lot in the drive aisle between the parked cars.

• Staff members will walk from vehicle to vehicle, where they will input assigned student dismissal PickUpPatrol Identification.

• Staff members on duty will direct vehicles.

• It is imperative for parents to get out of their cars to look for their children coming out of the gym or middle school.

• Parents should quickly proceed to their car immediately upon meeting their child. Be sure to be on time for dismissal.

• There are two rounds of dismissal. Parents in the second round must get out of their car to look for their children coming out of the gym or middle school.

• Students not picked up at carpool will be brought to Extended Care.

Afternoon Carpool Dismissal Times

• 3:10 P.M. Dismissal - Gate opens at 2:45 P.M.

• 2:15 P.M. Dismissal - Gate opens at 1:45 P.M.

• 11:30 A.M. Dismissal - Gate opens at 11:00 A.M

Grades K-8 Parent Student Handbook 

After reading the Handbook, please sign and submit the Handbook Agreement form online no later than Tuesday, August 27, 2024. 

PLEASE INFORM THE SCHOOL NURSE now, and any time necessary during the school year, if your child is currently taking medication, has a special medical condition such as diabetes, asthma, seizures, ADHD, has life-threatening food allergies, and/or if your child was seen by a medical provider or ER physician for injury or illness.

The Commonwealth of Virginia has not waived health requirements and/or immunizations requirements and continues to require all health forms to be submitted prior to the start of the school year. If you have difficulty making an appointment with your healthcare provider or have a scheduled appointment after the school year has started please notify/email the school at clinic@smsva.org. 

MEDICAL FORMS REQUIRED FOR BACK TO SCHOOL

• All health forms must be completed, signed, and the original "hard copy" returned to the clinic prior to or no later than August 23rd, 2023. 
  ALL returning families must complete and sign the Confidential Health History Update Form for each student. Download, print, complete, and email, mail, or bring in to the school clinic. 
• Students in grades Pre-K, Kindergarten, Third, and Seventh must have the Commonwealth of Virginia School Health Entrance Form (which requires a physical exam to be completed/documented by your child's healthcare provider) and a copy of your child's up-to-date immunization status.
• Students with certain special medical conditions (asthma, diabetes, seizures or life-threatening food allergies) are required to complete additional forms called Emergency Action Care Plans as well as Authorization Forms for medications associated with these conditions (EpiPen, inhaler, etc.). These forms can be found on the clinic's page under the forms tab. These forms need to be completed by your child's healthcare provider.
• All other medical forms must be completed as needed.

Link to clinic information and other medical forms 

 

 

 

PickUp Patrol (PUP) is a web-based program parents use to:

• Create a child's default dismissal plan.

• Make a change to a child’s daily dismissal plan.

• Designate another adult to pick up your child. 

• Notify the school of a child's absence and the reason for absence. 

• Notify the school of a child's early dismissal and the reason for early dismissal.

• Notify the school of a child’s late arrival and the reason for late arrival.

Action Required: 

1. New families should look for an email from PickUp Patrol the week before school begins, with a link for immediate sign-on. Once logged in, create your child(ren)'s default dismissal plan(s) for the year. Please watch this video PUP How it Works video or uses this tool PUP from Parents POV

2. Returning families, please log in to update your default dismissal plan for each child by Tuesday, August 20th. 

3. The link to PickUp Patrol is https://app.pickuppatrol.net/parents.

How it Works 

• PUP is accessible to parents from your smartphone or computer through the school website or mobile app (under the More tab) or at https://app.pickuppatrol.net/parents 

• To report an absence or make a dismissal change:

  • Log in. Then, select a date, your child, and a plan change option, and submit. 
    You will always receive a confirmation email once your change is made.

• Changes and absences can be entered months in advance. 

• Absences should be submitted by 7:45 am.

• Submit all same-day dismissal changes by 

  • 11:00 am on 11:30 am dismissal days 

  • 1:45 pm on 2:15 pm dismissal days

  • 2:45 pm on 3:15 pm dismissal days  

  • If there is an emergency and you must make changes later than the times listed above, please call the main office at 703-549-1646.

• Teachers will automatically be notified of dismissal changes for the day and will communicate them to your child(ren.)

Questions? Please contact Ms. Sonya Besteiro at sbesteiro@smsva.org.

 

Click on an icon below to register for milk, learn about our lunch program, and register your EZSchoolPay lunch account for payment.

Milk Registration due date is Friday, August 23, 2024

 

The dress code establishes a standard for our students, fostering an environment conducive to learning and respectful behavior. Detailed guidelines for student uniforms can be found beloow, in the Parent-Student Handbook and on our website.

 

NOTES

Where to purchase: All uniforms are to be purchased through Lands' End, www.landsend.com. Click on "school" > "Find my school" > and enter "Basilica School of Saint Mary" or search by the number: 90005526.

• Dress Uniform: Dress uniforms are worn on all first Friday Mass days as well as any other dates indicated on the school calendar. This uniform is also acceptable to be worn year-round should you choose. Non-Dress Uniforms are worn all other days.

• Winter Uniform:  Students may not wear shorts or skorts during the winter period.

• Polos/Oxfords:  All shirts are to be tucked in.

• Vest/Long-sleeved Sweater: Required for full dress during winter uniform.

• PE Uniforms: Hoodies are NOT an option.

• Belts: Black belt or Saint Mary spirit belt are acceptable.

 

 

Students in Pre-K - 8th grades will have their individual and class group picture taken on Thursday, August 29th. 

• Students come to school in full dress uniforms. 

• Student individual pictures will be used in the school yearbook. 

• Pictures will be available two weeks after photo day. 

• Questions about ordering? Send an email to underclass@vosphoto.com

Order your pictures today!

Parents/Guardians and students in grades 5, 6 , 7, and 8 should read the policy in total, then print and sign the last page of the following 1:1 iPad or Chromebook Program and Responsible Use form.  

Students should bring the signed page to their homeroom teacher on August 22nd, during Sneak A Peek, or during the first week of school.

CLICK HERE FOR PROGRAM INFORMATION AND FORM

Students may drop off their school supplies in their homeroom classrooms on Thursday, August 22nd as follows:

• Kindergarten Meet and Greet: During the assigned meet and greet time.
• Sneak a Peek for grades 1-8: From 1 to 3 p.m.
•  

Come prepared for school classes by completing reading and math assignments.

Summer Reading, Math assignments, and School Supply Lists

All families are included in the School Directory - Mobile App and Printed Copy 

The School's printed directory lists all student names by family. Included are mother and father (or guardian) names, email addresses, cell phone numbers, home address, the student(s) name(s), grade(s) and homeroom number(s). 
A Parent Directory is also available on our school's mobile app (password required.)

Please send an email to Ms. Buchi Akpati no later than August 22 IF: 

• You DO NOT want to be listed in the printed school directory

• A student lives in 2 separate households, and parents prefer the households to be listed separately. If no form is received by August 22, your student(s) will be shown in the directory under the "primary" household name. 

• You prefer to have specific information removed from your directory information, for example, delete mother's cell phone, or father's email address

• You prefer not to be included in the mobile app directory

EMAIL MS. AKPATI

Families will receive one printed copy of the directory free of charge.
Additional copies will be made available for $10 each and may be purchased in the main office. 

PowerSchool is the student information database used by schools in the Diocese of Arlington.  The Basilica School of Saint Mary uses information in PowerSchool to contact a student's parents, guardians, and/or emergency contacts for various reasons during the school year. If your address, email, phone numbers, or emergency contact information have changed, or changes during the course of the school year, please notify the school at needtechhelp@smsva.org.

All families must have login credentials for Powerschool. 

• Current families will continue to use their pre-existing accounts. 

• Families with new students, need to set up PowerSchool accounts for their students. Information was emailed to each new family from Mrs. Clasen, our PowerSchool Database Administrator with instructions. Please contact her with questions at needtechhelp@smsva.org. 

Please log on to PowerSchool^TM  to view your child's homeroom. This information will be available Monday, August 19th. 

If you are a family that is new to the school, instructions on how to set up your login credentials were sent to you from Mrs. Clasen. 

If you are an existing family at the school, your newly enrolled student is already linked to your PowerSchool account and will be visible when you login.  

If you do not have login information, please contact Mrs. Clasen at: needtechhelp@smsva.org.

PowerSchool^TM Log in and Use Information

Click here to enter PowerSchool^TM

Schoology is the Learning Management System (LMS) our school will continue to use this year. This LMS serves as a communication tool between teachers and parents. Returning families should use their same Schoology login credentials from last year. New families will receive parent access codes and instructions for setting up a Schoology account during the first week of school from their teachers. 

A useful Parent Guide to Schoology is found here.

The Families-In-Service (FIS) Program has posted the FIS Catalog, which outlines volunteer positions and program participation, goals, and guidelines. It includes a linked Table of Contents and a "Quick Facts" table to streamline your position search and preference process. The FIS Catalog is linked below and on the FIS webpage. 

All FIS position preferences will be collected via an online Google Form. The Position Registration Form is linked below and on the FIS webpage. The form will allow you to "opt-in" for hourly volunteer opportunities and indicate self-nomination for larger volunteer roles in order of preference.

Please complete the form as soon as possible, but no later than Friday, September 6, 2024. You will be notified via email of your assigned position(s). Please note that Room Parents will be assigned the first week of school. Some positions have a reduction to provide equitable FIS share distribution; those positions are noted in the Quick Facts table. We anticipate having all positions assigned by the end of September.

Email fis@smsva.org with any questions! Thank you.
__________________________________

Erin Donnelly & Anne Heishman
2023-2024 FIS Co-Chairs
https://www.smsva.org/parents/hsa/fis

Start Date 

The first day of Extended Care, morning and after school, will be Monday, August 26th, for grades K-8, and Tuesday, September 3rd, for Pre-K.   

Hours of Operation  

• Morning Care: 7:00 a.m. to 7:30 a.m. Enter through the Royal Street gate. Please do not park your vehicle. Proceed to Door #2. A staff member will meet your child. Exit through the same gate. The gate closes at 7:25 a.m.

• After School: From the end of the school day until 6:00 p.m. Exceptions to the Extended Care Calendar are posted on the school calendar on the website.

• NOTE: On 11:30 am Dismissal days, Extended Care ends at 4:00 pm. Please bring lunch from home on those days. If you are registered for the Milk Program, it will be provided.

Details/Procedures

Extended Morning Care (EMC) Available to all registered families, regardless of plan selection. 

• WHEN: Grades K-8 will start on Monday, August 26th, 2023, and PreKindergarten will begin on Tuesday, September 3rd.

• TIME: 7:00 - 7:30 a.m. (Gates Close at 7:25 a.m.). On days when school has a delayed start, Morning Care will operate. A two-hour delay means that EMC will operate from 9:00 - 9:25 a.m.

• LOCATION: Cafeteria—Quiet games and activities will be provided. At 7:30 a.m., children will be escorted to join the rest of the students.

• COST: $6 per child for any arrival time listed above, plus a registration fee of $35 (unless previously paid for Extended Day After School Care.) Billing will occur through the FACTS system on the 15th of the following month.

• BREAKFAST: Not Available

Extended After-School Care is available to all registered families.

Afternoon Pick-Up: Families will pick up their child(ren) in the Main Office Lobby. Park your vehicle carefully along the street. Please bring identification and present it to our staff member (until we get to know you). We use a walkie-talkie system to call for your child to be dismissed to you in the lobby. Once you have your child(ren), please exit the building.

Reminder: On most 11:30 a.m. Dismissal days: Extended Care will be available until 3:15 p.m. Any schedule changes will also be posted on the school calendar. 

Extended Care Program

The Basilica School of Saint Mary provides an Extended Care Program in a safe and Christian atmosphere before and after school for children in grades kindergarten through eight. In this environment, children grow in all aspects and are allowed time for interaction with other students. The Afternoon Program offers a supervised optional study hall for grades 2-8 and supervised activities and play.

All families were required to complete their registration for the 2024-2025 Extended Care Program by June 1, 2024, regardless of the plan type selected. The Extended Morning Care program is available on a drop-in basis to all registered families, regardless of plan type. Mater Dei students do not use Extended Care, so this contract is not required. 

All school policies outlined in the Parent-Student Handbook apply to the Extended Care program.

Extended Care must be contracted regardless of drop-in, part-time, or full-time usage. Please note that spaces are limited and filled on a first-come, first-served basis. 

QUESTIONS? Please email Ms. Ashley Bencosme, Director of Extended Care, at abencosme@smsva.org. or Mrs. Lizbed Canales-Guzman at lcanalesguzman@smsva.org.

Arrival and Dismissal Tags

Students arrive to and from the Basilica School of Saint Mary using various methods. In order to ensure the safety of all of our students, students may be assigned an arrival and dismissal tag that will attach to their backpack. Tags may not be used from year to year; any and all tags will be distributed at the beginning and collected at the end of the school year. Additionally, the colors of such tags may change from year to year.

King & Queen of Carpool
These passes will be distributed to those students whose families have won such items at the school’s annual Gala and Auction.

Walker Pass
A Walker Pass is issued through the main office via an electronic form (located below) at the beginning of the school year. A Walker Pass will only be distributed to those students who will be walking to and from their home or parent's/gaurdian's place of work on a daily basis. The boundaries set for those locations are Green Street to S.Washington Street to King Street to the Potomac River. Walkers should NOT be walking to/from any cars parked in the surrounding neighborhoods of the school as this poses concern for student safety and is also unneighborly for residents.

Bike Pass
Parents may request for their children to bike to and from school. Such requests must be made through the electronic form located on our website (or below). The school is not liable for the safety of any students who bike when they are off campus.

Bus Pass
Parents may request for their children to use public transportation to travel to and from school. Such requests must be made through the electronic form located below. The school is not liable for the safety of any students who use public transportation when they are off campus.

Carpool
As most students will travel to and from school using our carpool procedures, there is not an assigned tag. The school will assume that any student without a backpack tag will be using the carpool system. 

 

WALKER PASS REQUEST FORM

Bicycle Rider Pass Request Form

Bus Rider Pass Request Form 

• All families are automatically signed up for the weekly school newsletter "The Messenger." This important newsletter, (what you need to know) is sent on Thursdays to inform you of the latest school events, updates, possible calendar changes, reminders, and news.

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