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Wyland Family and Student Handbook 2026-2027

2026-2027 Family and Student Handbook

Wyland W

Contact Information

Principal: Ramone West
Assistant Principal: Dr. Cheri Oliver
(314) 493-6460

Wyland Mission

To inspire creative, kind, and collaborative leaders and learners who think critically and problem-solve in an equitable, nurturing, inclusive and safe environment.

Wyland Vision

Wyland Elementary, in partnership with families and community, will achieve academic, social, and emotional success for all students by empowering them to become lifelong learners and proactive citizens in our world.

Wyland Value Statements

At Wyland Elementary, we value:

Academic, social, and emotional growth
The diverse cultures and beliefs of our families and community
Engaging and culturally responsive learning
Positive relationships
Collaborative goal setting and data-driven decisions
Growth mindset

Dear Wyland Families:

Welcome to the 2026-2027 school year!

We want the best educational experience for your children while they are at Wyland. In order for this to be a safe, welcoming, and inclusive environment that leads to productive learning for our children, we would like to create a partnership and work together. In this handbook, you will find the information you need to positively contribute to the operations of the school. If you have any questions at any time, you can contact the school, and we will be here to support you and your family.

Sincerely,

The Wyland Staff

All About Me Forms

Want to learn more about the amazing people working with your child each day? QR codes will be available at back-to-school events to view our staff’s All About Me forms! You’ll find fun facts, favorite things, and a peek into what makes each team member special. It’s a great way to build connections and show appreciation throughout the year!

After-School Clubs

From October through December and January through March, Wyland implements after-school clubs as a way to provide enrichment opportunities and increase community within our building. Clubs are an additional and optional duty for staff members, and club opportunities will vary depending on the number of staff or community members who are willing to host a club. Parents and other volunteers are welcome to partner with a staff member to host a club based on their interests. Please reach out to the assistant principal if you are interested.

Be on the lookout for club information and sign-up opportunities before the beginning of clubs each semester. Student placements in clubs are on a first-come, first-served basis. Parents are encouraged to turn in the forms directly to the office for better chances of being accepted into a club.

AMI Days

To ensure that Ritenour is not required to make up as many days when school buildings are closed due to unexpected short-term closures such as inclement weather, illness or utility outages, the district implements an Alternative Methods of Instruction (AMI) Plan on these days.

Families will receive communication from the district letting them know that all students will learn virtually. Students will connect virtually with their teachers for live, real-time learning during school closures. Students should take home devices and other school supplies as needed if there is a potential for school closure due to inclement weather. In such events, please check ClassDojo for announcements and links from your child’s teacher. Wyland will be conducting AMI instruction from 8:40 to 11 a.m. Attendance is counted on AMI days.

Arrival

Students may enter the building between 8:15 and 8:40 a.m. There is no supervision for students before 8:15 a.m. Please do not drop off your child before 8:15 a.m., as they will have to remain outside the building.
Students who are arriving by car should be dropped off in the back of the building via the south driveway. Students need to arrive in class by the 8:40 a.m. bell. The car rider line will operate until 8:39 a.m. to provide time for students to make it to their classrooms. After that time and/or if there is a line causing further delays for back-door drop-off, you will be asked to drop your child off in front of the building. Students walking into the building after the 8:40 bell are considered tardy and will require an adult to sign them in. Staff will close the front doors at the 8:40 a.m. bell. If the doors are closed, you must enter the building with your student.
There are two lines of cars in the back of the building, dropping off students. Families should use lane 5, the lane closest to the building, to drop off students in grades K-3 at the lower hallway door. Grades 4-5 are dropped off at the upper hallway door. Families only dropping off students at the upper door are welcome to use lane 3 to pass those in lane 5.
- Families should make sure their children are ready to exit the vehicle (backpacks on, lunch boxes in hand, etc.) at the drop-off locations to prevent unnecessary delays in the line. Families who want or need additional time should pull over and reenter the line OR park and walk their student in.
- Cars are not permitted to pass once the lanes have merged, nearing the 4-5 drop-off point. Parents should be mindful of their speed and driving habits while in the back lot to maintain the utmost safety for our students, staff and other families.
Parents may park in front of the building if they wish to walk their student in. During normal arrival time (8:15-8:40 a.m.), buses will be arriving. If using the front lot, parents may not block the bus lane. After 8:40, parents are welcome to occupy the bus lane when signing in tardy students, as all buses have unloaded by that time.
Walkers may enter the front of the building with the bus riders or the back of the building with the car riders.
For the safety of your child and all children, please follow all policies and directions of staff members. No child should be dropped off in a manner other than the procedure described above.

Attendance

For your children’s educational success, it is extremely important for them to be engaged in Wyland classes and learning every day. If your child needs to be absent or late, please contact the school attendance line at (314) 493-6461 every time your student will be absent. We also have texting available at (636) 395-0802. Families can reach out to a counselor at (kachadorianm@ritenourschools.org or shillhahnt@ritenourschools.org) or our social worker if you need support with attendance.

Regular attendance is strongly encouraged; however, children should not come to school if they have any of the following symptoms:

100 degrees or higher fever
diarrhea in the previous 24 hours
unidentified, weeping and/or rapidly spreading skin rashes
vomiting in the previous 24 hours
Parents are asked to call the school to report any student absence due to illness. In most cases, students may return to school after being symptom-free for 24 hours.

If your child has a doctor or dental appointment, please provide documentation to make that absence excused. Excused absences still count toward your student’s attendance percentage.

Attendance is counted on a minute-by-minute basis.

Behavior

At Wyland, we expect students to follow the Wyland Way – be respectful, responsible, and safe. During our daily Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) time, students will be learning social skills, expectations and routines.
Wyland is made up of a diverse team with a wealth of experience. Our staff also regularly receives training on how to support a variety of situations and student needs. We are always reflective and work collaboratively to be proactive and responsive.
If you need assistance in supporting your child’s social, emotional or behavioral development, we have interventions both in the school and resources outside the school that can provide additional support. Please contact our school counselor or social worker for more information.
Our Ritenour Parent-Student Handbook outlines disciplinary offenses and potential consequences. That handbook can be found on the Ritenour website.
If you have a question or concern about a situation, please first contact your child’s teacher. If the situation is severe or not resolved, you may reach out to a counselor or school administrator. Due to privacy laws, school staff are not permitted to disclose details about other students and/or other students’ consequences.

Bicycles

Fourth and fifth grade students may ride bicycles to school.
If you choose to let your student ride a bike to school, please talk with them about safety. Students should wear safety helmets and refrain from wearing headphones.
Students should walk their bikes on school property, park their bikes in the bike rack and attach the bike to the rack with a safety lock.
The school does not assume responsibility for damages, losses or theft of bikes and related equipment.
Skateboards, in-line skates, roller blades and scooters are not allowed on school property at any time.

Birthday Celebrations

Student birthday celebrations may take place during the school day as long as they do not interfere with instructional time. If you wish to bring items in, communicate with the teacher ahead of time to ensure that the time, day of the week, expectations, and number of items needed are clear. For birthday celebrations, all food items must be prepackaged or bought at a store; no homemade baked goods. No items with tree nuts or peanuts. Items must be dropped off in the office and will be delivered to the classroom by an administrator or office professional. Please check with the teacher about any other dietary restrictions for students to make sure no one is left out. You may send in small party favors. Balloons, flowers or other items that may interfere with instruction may be kept in the office until the end of the school day.

Breakfast

If your child is eating breakfast, please try to have them arrive at school between 8:15 and 8:25 a.m.
Breakfast and lunch are free for all Ritenour students every school day.
All students who eat breakfast will eat in their classrooms. Breakfasts will be in a grab-and-go container that children will pick up and carry to their classroom.

Cellphones

Per district guidelines (see Ritenour Student-Parent Handbook section 2): Use of cellphones is prohibited during school hours – including lunch. This also includes all cellphone features such as text messaging, camera and video, internet, etc. Students and staff have a right to privacy. It is never permissible for individuals (students, staff, and parents) to take photos or videos of others without their permission.

More serious infractions related to cellphone use would include:

distributing or receiving confidential information such as test questions/answers (academic dishonesty).
utilizing cellphones to make, distribute, or receive inappropriate, obscene, profane, lewd or vulgar pictures or video.
using cellphones or social media to threaten, harass, post, or share any unwanted communication or disclosure about or to other people while at school or at home.

The district is not responsible for lost, stolen or confiscated cellphones, computers, headphones or other technological devices brought to school, regardless of the reason why the device was at school.

Below are Wyland’s expectations for cellphone usage:

Students’ cellphones should not be visible at Wyland
If a student has a cellphone out during the school day, or if a cellphone is causing a disruption to the class, the classroom teacher will hold onto that cellphone until arrangements can be made with a parent to pick up the phone.
Classroom teachers will provide students with a space to lock up cellphones in the morning and return them to students at the end of school day.
As part of Ritenour School District’s policy, students may not record or take photos of other students using personal cellphones on school premises.
Please talk to your child about appropriate use of cellphones both at school and when involving other students in texting outside of school.

Classroom Visits

Visits to classrooms will be limited to current district guidelines.
All visits to the classroom must be prearranged with the school principal; this includes impromptu teacher meetings during arrival and dismissal.
There is district paperwork that must be filled out before any classroom visits.
We have a legal obligation to keep student academic progress confidential and provide a nondisruptive educational environment. Please note that confidentiality regarding our students is paramount, and visitors to the classroom must agree to respect the rights of the school staff, as well as the students, and refrain from sharing any information observed during the visit. Please do not interrupt the teacher. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the teacher to have a conversation during non-instructional hours.
If you need to communicate with a teacher during the day, please feel free to leave them a message on their school voicemail, email, or class app (Class Dojo or Seesaw). Teachers will get back to you at their earliest convenience.

Communication

Your phone numbers, email addresses and emergency contacts need to be up to date with the office. Notify the office of any changes.
Emergency contacts are very important to have in case of an emergency. Every family should have at least one person outside of their household who can be contacted.
Weekly communication will be sent home through the classroom teachers via Class Dojo.
School communication includes ClassDojo, Facebook updates, Peachjar electronic flyers, and text/email/phone message communication blasts.
The Wyland school website (wyland.ritenourschools.org) provides names and contact information for all staff members, along with other important and helpful information.

Dismissal

All dismissal changes must be made to the office prior to 3 p.m. to ensure that students get to their proper place for dismissal.
Student dismissal from the office is not permitted after 3 p.m. per Ritenour policy to ensure safety and organization during the whole school dismissal procedures. For the safety of our students, any person picking up a student early must show an ID and be on the student pickup list.
Any child traveling in a car on the ride home will be directed to the car rider line. Parents line up in their cars on the south side of the building behind the gate. Staff members will open the gate at 3:20 and direct 10 cars into the lot at a time. Please stay in the lane that you are directed to. Students will begin dismissing to cars at 3:25 p.m. Once on the blacktop, teachers will bring your child to the car. Please follow the directions of all staff members. Car dismissal concludes at 3:45 p.m. Please make sure to arrive on time. If you find yourself running late, please call to alert the school. Students who have not been picked up by 3:45 will be in the main office.
An adult or older sibling must be at the bus stop to pick up students in grades K-1. Students who do not have someone waiting for them will be returned to the school building. Students in grades 2-5 will be permitted to walk themselves home from the bus stop.
If your student is a bus rider, please talk with them about bus rules such as staying seated and keeping a low volume. Students who do not maintain proper behavior on the bus can be temporarily or permanently suspended from riding the bus.
Parents can meet walkers at the grassy area by the corner of Brown Road and Wabaday Avenue door in front of the building. All walkers will be assisted by an adult in crossing the street at the crosswalk. We will not dismiss walkers to parents who are motioning for their children to walk across the middle of the street.
For the safety of our students, cars are not permitted to park on Wabaday Avenue or Brown Road in front of the school.

Dress Code

Gym shoes should be worn daily since students will go outside and access the playground equipment and/or play athletic games at recess.
Students should not wear clothes that are offensive or disruptive to the educational environment.

Early Dismissal

Ritenour schools dismiss at 1:25 p.m. on several early dismissal days throughout the year. Please check the school calendar to know which days this applies to.
On these days, all dismissal changes must be made to the office before 12:55 p.m. to ensure that students get to their proper place for dismissal.
The office will not call students out of the classrooms after 12:55 p.m. to ensure safety and organization during dismissal procedures.

Empower

Parents are encouraged to use the Empower Learning Management System to remain up to date on their student’s academic progress. Please make sure you log in to the Ritenour Empower Parent Portal to monitor your student's academic progress. The Empower Parent Portal provides updates on how students are progressing with the proficiency scales and grade-level learning standards.

The Empower tool helps teachers and families track real-time information about student progress. Learn about Competency-Based Education in Ritenour.
Watch the video below in English and Spanish to learn more about the Empower Parent Portal by watching the Parent Portal Introduction Video.
Parents can log in to the Empower Parent Portal by accessing the link here.

Family Events

We will provide a calendar of family events that you can participate in with your family.
We are always looking for parent input. Please let us know if you are available to volunteer and help give input on events!

Fun

We want our students to have a fun and joyful learning experience at Wyland. We work hard to plan meaningful and engaging lessons, as well as provide fun activities and events.

Keep all unnecessary personal belongings at home.

Toys or other noneducational items brought to school can become disruptive to the educational process. We ask that students only bring to school what directly relates to their schoolwork and/or per a teacher's request.
Please check your child’s backpack daily.
The school cannot be held responsible for items brought from home that are lost, stolen, or broken during the day.

Lost and Found

Wyland will provide opportunities during events for parents to check the lost and found for their child’s belongings. However, we encourage you to come to the building any time your child loses an item and at regular intervals, if possible, to look through our lost and found. Every year, we have hundreds of jackets, water bottles, glasses, headphones and other valuable items that are not returned to their owner. The lost and found area is located in the cafeteria, providing access for students to check daily. Glasses and other items that may be of higher value are kept in the office.

Lunch

Ritenour provides free lunch options for every student. If your student has special dietary restrictions or allergens, please contact our school nurse.
Students do not have access to refrigerators or microwaves while at school.
Currently, visitors are not permitted to eat in the cafeteria with students, but if you would like to check your student out to eat lunch with them for a special occasion and then check them back in, you may do so.

Meeting with the Teacher or Principals

Staff members are always willing to meet with parents to review student learning or help resolve a situation. Making an appointment is required to ensure that the staff member is available and able to give you the attention you deserve. Please reach out to the office or directly to the principals to schedule an appointment or request return communication.

Nurse

We have a full-time registered school nurse on staff, Nurse Elmira Dillard or Waukita Howard, phone: (314) 493-6468, Fax: (314) 493-6474.

If your child has a medical condition that could require the nurse’s attention, please take time to discuss it with the nurse. Certain conditions may need to be communicated to substitutes and other supervising or leadership team members to best respond in the case of an emergency.
If your child has an allergy, please make sure to communicate it to the school.
If your child takes medication, please communicate with the nurse. She will help with the paperwork needed to administer medication.
Students are not permitted to carry over-the-counter medications in their backpacks or on their person. All over-the-counter and prescription medications must have paperwork completed in order to be stored or taken at the school.
If you administer any medications to your student prior to attending school, please let their teacher or the office know in the event of an emergency.
Missouri laws require all children to have up-to-date immunizations to attend school. Documentation of either proof of immunizations, medical exemption or state-issued religious exemption must be on file with the school nurse according to Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services requirements.

Outside Recess

We will make every attempt to allow students time outside daily.
Students will stay inside if there is precipitation or if the wind chill/ temperature goes below 20 degrees Fahrenheit. We also pay close attention to the heat index and high temperatures, which may also limit the time students spend outside. There may be other situations that require the administration to keep students inside, as well.
Please make sure your child dresses appropriately for the current weather conditions.
To ensure the safety of students, gym shoes should be worn daily.
If your child has medical reasons requiring them to stay inside, please provide medical documentation to the school nurse.

Parent-Teacher Conferences

Parents are strongly urged to attend the Parent-Teacher Conferences that occur twice per year. Please note the date on the school calendar. Teachers will share information and scheduling directions electronically before those dates. Families who do not communicate a preferred time will be scheduled into an open spot and contacted by the teacher for the conference.
At Parent-Teacher Conferences, families will receive a report card. Report Cards are standards-based, which means that students are evaluated based on their progress toward year-end goals. Report cards are provided at the end of the second and fourth quarters. Progress reports will be sent home at the end of the first and second quarters.

Partnership

When we work together, our children will make the most progress possible.

In partnership, we suggest:

Ensuring your child has a regular bedtime and sleeping pattern
Providing a quiet, conducive spot for homework and virtual coursework during Alternate Method of Instruction (AMI) days
Talking to your child about their school day
Assisting your child with skills when needed
Staying informed about school and classroom events and projects
Following the building expectations

The expectations you can hold us to include:

Providing daily lessons incorporating reading, writing, math, science, social studies and social/emotional skills
Caring about you and your child
Providing classroom communities that seek to engage and welcome children
Providing a safe learning environment
Providing quality instruction
Recognizing and giving extra support when needed
Communicating regularly with you

PTO (Parent-Teacher Organization)

Wyland School’s PTO is a devoted parent-teacher group that supports school efforts throughout the year. They respond to classroom and building-wide needs and discuss orders of business at recurring after-school meetings. Please see the family calendar for PTO meeting dates. We encourage all families to attend at least one PTO meeting during the school year. Meetings occur in person, but also have a Zoom link for families that may find it easier to attend virtually.

Reading

The only way a student becomes a better reader is through practice.
Please set aside time nightly to read to or with your child. Most teachers ask students to read or be read to for 20 additional minutes nightly.
Students whose parents read with them nightly do better academically.

Safety

All visitors to the building must report to the office, no matter what time of day.
We will ask any person picking up a student to be able to present a valid ID to ensure that the person has permission to pick up the child.
Throughout the year, we will conduct emergency drills as a part of our district and school safety plans. These drills include fire, tornado, earthquake and intruder drills.
We will make every effort to provide your child with a safe classroom and school environment.
Please reach out to your child’s teacher or an administrator if you have any questions or safety concerns.

Snack

Every classroom at Wyland Elementary will have an opportunity for a snack break during the school day to help students stay energized and focused. We ask that families send their child to school each day with a healthy, nutritious snack.

Healthy snack examples include:

Fresh fruits (apples, bananas, grapes, oranges, etc.)
Vegetables (baby carrots, celery sticks, cucumber slices, etc.)
Whole grain crackers or granola bars
Applesauce or fruit cups (in 100% juice)
Plain popcorn or whole grain pretzels

Please avoid sending candy, soda, chips, or sugary desserts such as cookies, cupcakes, or snack cakes.

Teachers are always appreciative of extra snack donations for students who may forget their snack or who are unable to bring one from home. If you can send in bulk, nonperishable healthy snacks (such as pretzels, granola bars or applesauce pouches), they will be kept on hand and distributed as needed.

Student of the Week

Students earn Wyland Way coupons for demonstrating habits that are respectful, responsible and safe. Wyland Way coupons are collected during the week in a classroom jar. On Fridays, a student will be drawn from each classroom's jar during morning announcements to be celebrated as the Student of the Week. Students will bring home their Wyland Way coupons on Fridays.

Student of the Month

Students are able to be nominated and selected for Wyland Student of the Month by any Wyland staff member during the school year. Students are selected who demonstrate our word of the month or show habits that are respectful, responsible, and safe. Students are announced as the Student of the Week during morning announcements. If a student is selected, they will have their picture taken and will bring home their Student of the Month Certificate.

Student Placement

We are proud that 100 percent of our teachers at Wyland are highly qualified.
Each year in the spring, Wyland completes a very thorough process to place students in cohorts that we believe will gain the most overall success for the following school year. Our teachers, specialists, interventionists, special education team and administrators review our rosters on a student-by-student basis to consider academic needs, personality matches, gender balance, language mastery, previously formed relationships and many other components. The multistep process is viewed at multiple levels to ensure that your student is set up for success during the following school year.
We are not able to take parent requests for specific teachers, but we will consider what environment best matches a student’s learning needs. We welcome parent feedback and suggestions; however, we are not able to honor all parent requests regarding student placements.

Technology

Students will be issued a Ritenour Chromebook that is specific to them. Students will be allowed to take home Chromebooks for homework, virtual learning during AMI days, and special projects.
In order for students to be able to take home technology, guardians will need to either purchase or waive insurance through One2One Risk Management. This can be done during Open House or before school starts through the Ritenour website.
Students are responsible for taking care of their technology. Intentional or repeated damage to or loss of Chromebooks or chargers will result in fines to the student’s account. Lost chargers are not covered by insurance and accrue a $20 charge if lost or broken.

Telephone Usage

Each classroom has a telephone for the teacher to be able to contact parents and the school office in the case of an emergency.
These telephones are not meant for student use. Students will only be allowed to use telephones in case of emergency and under the supervision of a staff member.
Please make after-school arrangements for your child prior to the beginning of the school day.

Volunteers

We love having families involved in our school community! Parents and guardians are invited to volunteer in a variety of ways, following our district’s volunteer protocols. Opportunities may include tutoring, reading with students, helping in the library, or assisting with classroom projects. Please let us know your interests and how you would like to help. The steps below outline how to become an approved volunteer.

Volunteers must register with the Missouri Family Care Safety Registry (FCSR) at http://www.health.mo.gov/safety/fcsr. The office keeps hard copies of this form available. A one-time fee is required at the time of registration. The fee is $15, and registration is submitted online and can be paid by debit or credit card with a convenience fee of $1.25 added for processing the electronic payment. The FCSR registration is for a lifetime, and the registrant must contact the FCSR if their name or contact information changes.
Office Professionals will forward the Wyland Application form to HR for the clearance process to begin. The process can take up to two to three weeks to complete before they can start volunteering.
The Ritenour Human Resources department notifies us when volunteers are cleared to work in our schools.
If you plan to go on a field trip, please complete the volunteer form at the beginning of the year, so the processing period does not impact your permission to attend the field trip.

Word of the Month

Each month, students will learn about a character trait in their classrooms and across school settings.

Wyland Way

The Wyland Way – Responsible, Respectful, and Safe is taught, practiced and followed by the Wyland learning community.