Welcome to St. Andrew’s Episcopal School! We are delighted that your child will be attending St. Andrew’s. We wish you a warm welcome from the entire St. Andrew’s community. The information listed below should help to make your transition seamless. We hope you find this information useful, and we welcome suggested changes or additions for future new parents. If you have any questions that you cannot find answers to please contact Lisa Witter at lwitter@
Back to School
In PK 4 and K the classes may start staggered with small groups to help the children adjust to their new classroom. Group 1 will attend on Wednesday, August 14 and Group 2 will attend on Thursday, August 15. There will be a noon dismissal for PK 4 and K on August 14 and 15. Drop-off and pick-up is at the Short Street gate entrance to de la Vega Hall.
The first day of school for Grades 1-8 is Wednesday, August 14 with a noon dismissal. Drop-off and pick-up is at the red awning entrance to Parish Hall on Zimpel Street.
Plan to attend the Parent’s Welcome Coffee on Friday, August 16, 8:15 am – 9:15 am
Students should dress comfortably and wear athletic shoes and socks every day. More detailed information is included in The Customary Handbook 2019-20, published online.
Save These Dates
(PK 4 – K) – Wednesday, August 14 for Group 1 and Thursday, August 15 for Group 2, doors open at 7:30 am, classes begin at 8:00 am and dismiss at 12 Noon.
(Grades 1-8) – Wednesday, August 14, doors open at 7:30 am, classes begin at 8:00 am for grades First through Fourth Grade, and 7:50 am for Middle School, Grades 5-8.
Parent Coffee – Friday, August 16, 8:15 am – 9:15 am
Parents’ Night – Thursday, September 12, 5:45 pm. Visit your child’s classroom and meet their teachers.
Getting Around Our Website
Arrival
Students should not arrive at School until 7:30 A.M. At that time, the Parish Hall door and the Short Street gate are opened. Pre-Kindergarteners and Kindergarteners enter through the Short Street gate, and first through Eighth Graders enter the Parish Hall. The School is not responsible for the safety of students until 7:30 A.M.
At 7:43 A.M. bell informs Middle School students to move from Parish Hall to Advisory and Lower School students to move from Parish Hall to Homeroom. A 7:55 A.M. bell signifies it is time to line up (Pre-Kindergarten through 4th Grade) or prepare (Middle School) for Morning Exercises. A 7:57 A.M. signifies it is time for all to proceed to the Church for Morning Exercises. An 8:00 A.M. bell signifies the start of School and Morning Exercises for all students and faculty.
Dismissal
Dismissal times are as follows:
Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten – 3:15 P.M. on Short Street
Grades One through Eight – 3:15 P.M. on Zimpel Street
Cardinal After Care and Programs
Intermittent, but no later than 6:00 P.M. on Zimpel Street
Rainy Day Dismissal
On days of heavy rain and/or thunderstorms, Pre-Kindergarten, Kindergarten and Grade 3 and 4 are dismissed from the red awning at Parish Hall on Zimpel Street. All other grades—Grades 1-2 and 5-8—are dismissed from the Grace Hall Multipurpose Room exit on Short Street.
The Rainy Day Dismissal line from Grace Hall forms on the Grace Hall (west) side of Short Street, facing the River. Parents must drive toward the River on Short Street, not toward the Lake, so the line forms between Plum and Oak Streets on Short, facing the River. Please do not turn left onto Short Street from Oak Street. Instead, form in line on Short Street, approaching from Plum Street. When approaching Grace Hall, please pull all the way forward and a teacher will escort your child to the vehicle.
All classes must act in a coordinated fashion with regard to Rainy Day Dismissal. To do otherwise is confusing and dangerous to the students and their parents. A Rainy Day Dismissal is announced by the School Office via the intercom by 3:00 P.M. The decision to operate under a Rainy Day or Regular Dismissal is made based on the weather conditions at 3:00 P.M. The maintenance staff places orange flags on Zimpel Street at both the Carrollton and Short Street intersections to inform parents of a Rainy Day Dismissal. In the absence of an intercom announcement and the flags, assume a regular School Dismissal. During light rain with no thunder, the School may still operate a regular dismissal.
If someone other than an authorized person is to collect a child, we must have written permission from the parent. Written permission is also necessary if a child is to walk home, ride a bicycle, or take the streetcar from School.
Children who are not picked up by 3:30 P.M. (or within fifteen minutes of the dismissal time) will be taken to the School Office. If a child is not collected by 3:45 P.M., the parent will be billed the fee for Cardinal After Care.
Please check the calendar for dismissal times.
Lunches & Snacks
The School offers a voluntary lunch program. A separate letter sent to all families describes the options provided as well as the forms for participation. Children who do not participate in the lunch program should pack a bag lunch and appropriate drink each full school day. Candy, high-sugar snacks, and soft drinks are not permitted. Fresh water is available for all children, faculty, and staff. Microwavable meals from home should be kept to a minimum, especially meals requiring several minutes of heating, as there are limited microwaves available for student use, and each lunch period runs only twenty-five minutes, including time for clean up.
First through Eighth graders have a snack time each morning. Parents may pack any light food, such as fruit, carrots, or crackers, in the lunch bag for this purpose. Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten students have a School-furnished snack each morning. A snack is provided for all children attending Cardinal After Care. Nutritious food is encouraged. A healthy diet produces healthy children. Candy, high-sugar snacks, and soft drinks are not allowed.
Parents are invited to periodically join their child for lunch at St. Andrew’s. It is a special way for parents to spend time with their children and their classmates.
Cardinal After Care
The Cardinal After Care Program and After School Class Program are available to all students in Pre-Kindergarten through Eighth grade from 3:15 P.M. to 6:00 P.M.
Students in Cardinal After Care are provided with supervised care, a nutritious snack, time for free play, and a quiet time for completing homework assignments. The staff consists of a director and an assistant teacher. A supervised homework period begins at 4:15 P.M. Children are required to finish their homework before returning to play unless a parent wishes otherwise. Parents may collect their children at any time during the Cardinal After Care hours from the Parish Hall entrance on Zimpel Street. For security purposes, they must ring a bell to enter and must sign out of the daily log prior to departing the campus with their children.
The daily charge for Cardinal After Care is $8 for students who are picked up no later than 4:30. For students picked up after 4:30, the charge is $16. Please note that students who are not signed out of the log with a time record of 4:30 or earlier will automatically be charged the full rate of $16. The log should be signed out as students and their parent or guardian are leaving the campus. Students should not remain on campus after they have been signed out.
The Cardinal After School enrichment classes are offered to all students throughout most of the school year. Past after school classes have included instruction in baseball, soccer, basketball, art, music, study skills, karate, cooking, and yoga. Please see THE NEWSLETTER for more information on offerings and fees. There is no charge for After Care on the days the student is participating in an After School class.
For students participating in interscholastic Athletics, Cardinal After Care is available both before and after an event or practice. The daily charge for Cardinal After Care either before or after Athletics is $8. Students who participate in Cardinal After Care both before and after an event or practice will be charged the full rate of $16.
Any student who remains on the St. Andrew’s campus after school without proper adult supervision (a parent or guardian) must be registered for Cardinal After Care during any period before or after Athletics or any other after school activity. Cardinal After Care invoices are based on the daily log and cover two-month periods. They will be emailed early in the third month with payment due by the end of the third month. Failure to pay two consecutive invoices may result in temporary suspension of Cardinal After Care services until the outstanding balance is paid in full.
Cardinal After Care invoices are based on the daily log and cover two-month periods. They will be emailed early in the third month with payment due by the end of the third month. Failure to pay two consecutive invoices may result in temporary suspension of Cardinal After Care services until the outstanding balance is paid in full.
After School Programs
Parent Volunteering
Visitors to Campus
Lost and Found
