2025-26

Parent/ Guardian Handbook

Midland Trail Elementary

200 Ferry Street

Diamond, WV 25015

Telephone: 304-949-1823

Visit us @ https://mt.kana.k12.wv.us/

Midland Trail Students SHINE!

Home of the Diamonds

National Blue Ribbon School

West Virginia Blue Ribbon School

West Virginia School of Excellence

Title I School

MIDLAND TRAIL ELEMENTARY

MISSION STATEMENT

Midland Trail Elementary is where the WHOLE child comes first.

VISION STATEMENT

Midland Trail Elementary students are moving towards excellence with the help of staff, family, and community.

WE BELIEVE:

1. We believe our staff, families, and community make the critical difference in student success.

2. We believe students have a responsibility to actively participate in their own education.

3. We believe educators must participate in ongoing professional development to enhance student achievement.

Midland Trail Elementary School

200 Ferry Street

Belle, West Virginia 25015

Telephone: 304-949-1823 Fax: 304-949-1016

STAFF

Principal................................

Grant Davis

Secretary...............................

Counselor..............................

Amanda Briles

Cayley Tackett

Kindergarten ……………….

Mindy Caruthers

Crystal Nash

First Grade...........…………...

Kristen Stamper

Jessi King

Second Grade…..…..……...

Kelly Mathews

Brittany Ransbottom

Third Grade...........................

Kaylin Nelson

Allison Goodwin

Fourth Grade …….................

Vacancy

Fifth Grade………………..….

Angie Reed

Special Education.................

Sara Reese

Autism Teachers..…………...

Kara Higginbotham

Paul Henderson

Crystal Gilmore

Autism Mentors………..……..

Angie Prichard

Classroom Aide………………

Title I/ Coach……... ............

Dion Fredrick

Samantha Johnson

Kassie Ward

Stephanie Eskins

Mary Williamson

Rebecca Tyree

Valerie Mullins

Speech………………………

Preschool.............................

Kelly Abraham

Chelsea Bishop

Classroom Aide………………

Parent Assistant……………

Allison Young

Maeve Cox

Physical Education................

Technology...........................

Art……………………………..

Wendy Ellis

Tonya Crist

Susan Nelson

Music………………………….

Audra Wilkinson

School Nurse.........................

Hanna Pride- Smith

Social Worker........................

Christa Kenney

Cooks....................................

Brittanie Cooper

Jeanette Hatfield

Custodians............................

Tammy Lewis

Cody Fleming

KCS 2025-26 School Highlight Calendar

August 11: 200 Day Employees return to work.

August 11: Professional Development Day School-Based PD

August 12: Professional Development Day - School Based PD

August 13: Professional Development Day - District PD for identified Staff

August 14: Prep Day for Opening of School and Faculty Senate (FS) Meeting

August 15: First Day of School for Students

September 1: Labor Day Holiday (Schools & Offices Closed)

September 10: PL Day - No School for Students (NO FS)

September 19: Midterm for 1st Nine Weeks

October 13: Parent-Teacher Conferences (No school for students)

October 17: End of 1st Nine Weeks (44 Days in 1st Nine Weeks) October 20

October 20: Second Nine Weeks Begin

October 22: Professional Learning Day/FS (No school for students)

October 24: Report Cards

November 11: Veterans Day Holiday (Schools & Offices Closed)

November 21: Midterm for 2nd Nine Weeks

November 24-28: Thanksgiving Break (Schools closed.)

December 10: Professional Learning Day/FS (No school for students)

December 22-January 2: Break for Christmas and Winter Holidays (Schools Closed)

January 5, 2026: School reopens following Holiday Break

January 16: End of 2nd Nine Weeks & 1st Semester (49 Days in 2nd Nine

Weeks ) 93: Days in 1st Semester

January 19: Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday (Schools & Offices Closed)

January 20: Second Semester Begins

January 23: Report Cards

February 11: Professional Learning Day/FS (No school for students)

February 20: Midterm for 3rd Nine Weeks

March 9-13: Spring Break (Schools Closed)

March 27: End of 3rd Nine Weeks (44 Days in 3rd Nine weeks)

March 30: Beginning of 4th Nine Weeks

April 3: Report Cards

April 8: Professional Learning Day/FS (No school for students)

April 24: Midterm for 4th Nine Weeks

May 12: Primary Election Day (Schools and Offices Closed.)

May 25: Memorial Day Holiday (Schools & Offices Closed)

May 29: Last Day of School for Students (43 Days in 4th nine weeks)

87 Days 2nd Semester

June 1-5 Outside School Environment Days (Schools & Offices Closed)

June 8 Prep Day for Closing/FS

Last Official Day for 200 Day Employees

Total Days 180 Instructional Days

Pre-K through 5th...........7:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

STUDENTS

SHOULD NOT ARRIVE BEFORE 7:00 a.m.

All students report to the Cafeteria

Breakfast will be served between

7:00 and 7:30 a.m.in the Café,

late students will be given a grab and go breakfast.

School instruction begins at 7:30 a.m.

TARDINESS

Tardiness results in a loss of learning time for the student that is tardy and an interruption in the learning of other students. Students with repeated tardiness will be referred to the school social worker. A student is tardy if she/he is not in the classroom by 7:30 a.m. Students who are tardy should report directly to the office with an adult. Parents must walk your child to the door and sign them in. Please refer to the Tardy Policy.

ATTENDANCE POLICY

When a child is absent, a written excuse will be required upon the child’s return to school. Parents/ Guardians will be contacted by phone each day that their child is absent or tardy. Excessive absences, above the attendance policy set, will result in SAT referral and contact from the county social worker. Out of area students with excessive absences will have an SAT and review J32 Policy and risk losing out of area privileges.

Students are required to complete and return make-up assignments promptly. For example, if a student is absent for two days, he/she will have two days after his/her return to school to return all make-up work. .

ATTENDANCE REWARDS

All students are expected to be at school and on time every day. Research shows that when students improve their attendance rates, they improve their academic prospects and chances for graduating. Attendance will be tied in with the school-wide incentive program dealing with Absences and Tardiness.

SCHOOL VISITS

All visitors must report to the main office. No one is to go to classrooms for any reason without permission from the office. This is for the safety of your children and everyone must follow this policy. Midland Trail has and uses video surveillance both inside and outside the school.

EMERGENCY TELEPHONE NUMBERS

It is essential that the school have a telephone number where parents or guardians may be reached during the school day in case of an emergency the first number listed is the number contacted by county call out. School facilities do not enable us to care for sick children longer than the time necessary to notify parents. If you’re number changes, please call and let us know the new one.

REPORTING HOME AFTER SCHOOL

Please remind your child to go directly home after school. This will prevent anxious moments for parents and school personnel trying to locate a missing child.

TRANSPORTATION REGULATIONS

As a safety precaution, only students that live within walking distance will be considered walkers, all others must follow drop off and pick up procedures. Parents bringing their children are to load and unload in front of the school. Please do not block arriving staff and please do not block the Diamond resident’s driveways. Only registered students may ride the school bus. These students may not ride buses other than the ones to which they are regularly assigned. Good conduct on the bus is necessary and essential for the safety of all riders. Drivers have the authority to recommend excluding children from the bus for violation of rules governing bus transportation. These policies have been established for the safety of your child and your cooperation is needed. (See Policies and Procedures Handbook for details.)

We require that on any occasion when the child is permitted by you to go anyplace except directly home, he/she must have a note signed by the parent and approved by the office.

PERMISSION POLICY - If your child is supposed to go to a different location after school, or will be picked up by someone else, it is necessary to send a note signed by the parent. This note must be signed and approved by the office before permission is given. Arrangements for students to go anyplace other than home must be made by the parent prior to students coming to school.

To minimize interruptions during the school day, phone messages will not be given to students during school hours except in emergency cases.

Before any child leaves the building during school hours, it must be cleared in the office and you must sign your child out. The secretary will be glad to help you. No student will be permitted to leave the building during or after school hours with anyone other than parents or guardian unless prior arrangements are made with the office. If signing out your child early please do so before 1:45pm. This is for you and your child’s safety around the buses and moving cars.

SCHOOL MEALS

If the children are to perform to the best of their ability, it is important that they have a good breakfast and lunch, preferably hot meals.

Midland Trail Elementary will be part of the Community Eligibility Options program and all students will receive free breakfast and lunch. If you have any questions about the program please, call 348-6660.

MEAL PRICES

ADULT MEALS:

Breakfast - $3.50

Lunch - $4.75

A la carte meal service for students and/or adults at lunch

is prohibited. Meals must be priced and served as units.

Food items (sandwiches, breads or any other menu item)

may not be priced and sold separately. Only fluid milk,

be sold as a la carte for lunch.

PHYSICAL EDUCATION

Students are required by state law to have physical education. If your child cannot participate for any reason (long or short term), a doctor’s slip should be sent to the school on the day that the child will not be participating. Students must were tennis shoes that tie or have a Velcro strap that come across the foot and remain tied or fastened at all times, this is for your child’s safety.

SCHOOL DRESS AND GROOMING

Please note that we will follow Kanawha County dress code Student Dress Policy Series: J36 https://kcs.kana.k12.wv.us/common/pages/DisplayFile.aspx?itemId=25531570 In winter please dress your child appropriately to go outside at break (weather permitting). Any type of head covering is unacceptable unless for religious purposes or otherwise approved by School Administration.

Mark your child’s name on all clothing, coats, sweaters, etc. that might be removed at school. It will enable your child to find clothes that are misplaced or lost. If your child is missing an article of clothing, please check with the office.

HEAD LICE

There is no immunity from head lice. It takes a cooperative effort between the home and school to reduce the spread of head lice. Head lice problems arise among school children due to close contact with each other. According to School Board Policy, once a louse has been detected, the parent will be notified of the findings. We can provide the parent with written instructions to assist with proper treatment. Please notify the school if you discover your child has lice.

At home parents can help by regularly inspecting all family members and by reminding them not to use any borrowed combs or brushes and not to wear other people’s hats or clothes. If your child’s hair is long, keeping it in braids or a ponytail can help protect against getting head lice. Also, the use of hair spray and mousse containing alcohol is another way to deter the spread of head lice.

Electronic Devises and Cell Phones

Cell Phones and other electronic communication devices. The use of cell phone, PDAs or similar electronic communication devices are not permitted during school from the beginning of the first instructional period through the end of the last instructional period. This includes between class periods, as well as on school-sponsored trips and “behind-the-wheel” driver education classes. “Using” refers to, not only the making and/or receiving of calls, but also using the device for any other purpose. During the instructional day, electronic communication devices may be used, with administrative permission, for emergencies only. The use of electronic communication devices while on school buses is strictly prohibited unless an emergency arises and students have permission from the bus driver. Electronic communication devices may be used if such devices are not capable of being used to communicate with any other device. This prohibition is not intended to prohibit students from using electronic communication devices for curricular purposes under the direction and supervision of a teacher. Devises that are confiscated will be locked in the office to be pick up by an adult.

EVACUATION PLAN

A school emergency evacuation plan has been enacted should an area emergency ever occur. Parents should not come to the school in the event of such an emergency, since the additional traffic might interfere with the evacuation plan itself. Parents will be made aware of the evacuation location through local radio broadcasts.

FIRE DRILLS

A minimum of 10 fire drills, 4 lockdown drills and 2 shelter-in-place drills will occur this school year.

STUDENT ASSISTANCE TEAM/ LSIC and PTO

S.A.T. - School Assistance Team. This team can involve the principal, the counselor, a teacher from each curriculum area (primary & intermediate), and possibly the social worker and/or health nurse. The team discusses and makes recommendations for retentions, absenteeism, tardiness, special resources needed, and special testing that may be needed. L.S.I.C. - Local School Improvement Council and is made-up of parents and staff for the improvement of curriculum, discipline and maintenance of the school. P.T.O. - Parent Teacher Organization is a great way to help support your child and school in too many ways to list. All bring a since of real school community to better the educational experiences for all students. Please get involved in any way you can!

FIELD TRIPS

Our students represent our school when they are taken on a field trip, therefore school rules must be followed and students are expected to show respect for teachers, fellow students, personnel and public property. Any student who fails to comply will not be allowed to go on future field trips. These rules and procedures will also apply to any activities held at the school during time outside of the instructional day. Parents must sign permission slips for pupils to go on all field trips. Students can, at the discretion of the office, lose the privilege to attend. Only approved chaperones are permitted to attend school field trips.

TRANSFERS

Please notify the school in advance if you plan to move. This will help make your transfer to the new school as smooth as possible.

PARTIES

The distribution of invitations to parties held outside school is permitted with these guidelines: one unsealed invitation per child, in the class they attend. This policy is the result of the experience that many times all children in a room do not receive invitations and are therefore disappointed.

Midland Trail Elementary- will organize two classroom parties during the school year. Volunteers are needed for these parties. Refreshments for all classrooms; these treats must meet all Federal, State and County guidelines.

Deliveries

Delivery of flowers or other gifts will not be made to students during the school day. Any deliveries will be kept in the office until the end of the day and given to the student as they exit the building. Please note that students riding the bus are not permitted to have glass, balloons or any other objects that might distracts the bus driver.

Student behavior

KANAWHA COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION POLICY Please see hyperlink for most current document.

Student Behavior

Series: J25 file:///C:/Users/TFSUser/Downloads/J25%20-%20Student%20Behavior%20(1).pdf

Midland Trail Elementary Students “SHINE”

S- Show Respect

H-Help Others

I-Integrity Always

N-No Bullying

E-Excellence in Everything

Classroom

Respect yourself, others, and property in the classroom

Help others at all times- be a good friend and SHINE

Integrity and honesty in all things.

In the classroom, we respect one another . Bullying of any kind is not tolerated.