Welcome

Welcome to Dodge Park Elementary School!

August 13, 2025

Greetings Dodge Park Parents and Guardians,

WELCOME TO THE 2025-2026 SCHOOL YEAR!

Who we are:

We are a diverse and dedicated team of educators who are passionate about teaching and learning and want the best for our Rams and the Dodge Park Learning Community. We seek your involvement and engagement in our school as we pursue academic excellence for all of our RAMS.

Our school vision and mission below are aligned with those of the PGCPS school district:

Vision:

We are building a Nurturing, Supportive, Equitable and Productive learning community where students, parents, staff, and community partners aspire to be mindful citizens, committed life long learners, and thriving scholars.

Mission:

“Dodge Park Elementary School fosters a culture of high academic excellence for every student in a safe, welcoming, respectful, collaborative, data/technology driven, green/healthy, and character building environment to prepare skilled readers, writers, critical thinkers, and problem solvers who are college, career and service ready.

Our School Motto for the year is “Culturing” a great D.E.A.L of Excellence for all of our RAMS.

Together, we will continue to use data-informed instruction and practices to improve our Rams academic achievement and our staff's teaching practices. We will work smarter to address and close the academic gap in reading and math and support the socio-emotional needs of all our scholars. We look forward to your partnership.

With best wishes for the school year!

Ms. Tiesha Howell - Acting Principal
Dr. KeyShaze Ward - Assistant Principal

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On the next several pages, you will find important information to ensure a smooth transition back to the school building. The Parent Handbook, which provides additional information, is also available on the school’s website.

Arrival and Dismissal procedures will be sent to you via Class Dojo or the Website. Make sure you share your email addresses with your children’s teachers during orientation on Monday, August 25, 2025.

School Hours

Students are scheduled to begin the 2025-2026 school year on August 26, 2025. School hours are from 8:30 a.m. to 2:40 p.m. from Monday through Friday. Students must arrive at 8:20 a.m. for breakfast in the classroom.

Students will be considered late at 8:40 a.m.

Attendance

Daily attendance is expected for all students unless there is a lawful reason for the absence. In the event of such absence, the parent/guardian must communicate the reason for the student’s absence with written documentation upon the student’s return to school. Students will be permitted to make up missed assignments according to the administrative procedure for all lawful absences.

Teachers will monitor attendance daily. Please ensure that your children come to school each day. Have them ready for a day of rigorous learning. We need your support to have all students in class each day by 8:30 a.m.. Students will be considered tardy at 8:41 a.m.. Teachers and office staff will continue to reinforce the administrative procedures regarding lawful and unlawful absences. Students' grades can be affected when they miss school without a lawful excuse. If your children are sick, they will need an excuse note upon their return to school. A doctor’s note is required after 3 consecutive days or multiple absences.

You may also use the Absence Reason Notification Form Link to provide a reason for your children’s absence.

Office Hours

School office hours are from 9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m.-3:00 p.m..

School visits to the front office will continue to be monitored to maximize efficient customer service. Please call the office ahead of time (301-883-4220) to share your concerns and reason for your visits. Because our front office is small, we will only accommodate 1 parent or family at a time. Though masks are optional, we encourage you to come ready to socially distance with a current ID. Our office staff may opt to wear a mask. We are also asking for your patience during this time as our administrative office team has a heavy workload each day. We will surely get back to you to respond to your concerns either via email or a phone call. Because of safety concerns, we will not admit parents or visitors who do not have an identification to our building.

Early Dismissal: Students need to be in school all day. A 2-hour early dismissal will be at 12:40 p.m. and a 3-hour early dismissal will be at 11:40 pm. We encourage parents to schedule doctor's visits after school hours to prevent interference with daily instruction.

NOTE: In case of an emergency, parents can come get their child for early dismissal before 1:30 p.m. only. No exceptions. Also adults picking up students early must be 18 or older, hold a valid ID, and be an authorized individual listed in parent emergency form and Synergy (ParentVUE).

Parents/Guardians must add the names of anyone they would give permission to pick up their children from school. No exceptions will be made to this procedure.

Food Services

Students who want to eat their breakfast will do so in the classroom starting at 8:20 a.m.. Upon arrival, they will pick up their breakfast from the cafeteria.

Meal Benefit Applications

Dodge Park Elementary School is a CEP School.

What is the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) Program?

The Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) is a non-pricing meal service option for schools and school districts in low-income areas. CEP allows the nation’s highest poverty schools and districts to serve breakfast and lunch at no cost to all enrolled students without collecting household applications. Instead, schools that adopt CEP are reimbursed using a formula based on the percentage of students categorically eligible for free meals based on their participation in other specific means-tested programs, such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF).

Key Points For Parents and Guardians

• All students enrolled in a Community Eligibility Provision school will receive free meals.
• Households do not complete a meal benefit application (lunch application) to qualify for meal benefits. Students will be required to use their account PIN# for breakfast and lunch.
• Snacks and beverages will be sold a la Funds can be deposited in the student lunch accounts for purchases of a la carte items.

Positive Behavior Intervention System (PBIS)

We will continue to serve as a Positive Behavioral Intervention and Support (PBIS) school. This means that we will reinforce our RAMS core values. Our Dodge Park learning culture relies on all students, staff, parents, and community partners to be Respectful, Achievers, Mindful of our actions and of others, and Servant leaders.

Please use our PBIS Virtual PBIS Matrix as a general guide to help students exhibit RAMS behaviors toward success.

Dodge Park Elementary School Where Students Matter We are a nurturing and productive learning community, where students, staff, and parents aspire to be or support mindful citizens, committed lifelong learners, and thriving scholars.

 

	R Respectful	A Achievers	M Mindful of our actions and others	S Servant Leaders
Everywhere	Say please and thank you Listen to who is talking and wait for my turn to speak Use positive words to resolve conflicts Follow directions Use technology wisely for the purpose of instruction only
Classrooms	Be in class daily by 8:30 am Ask questions and participate in discussions Ask permission to speak using symbols or chat Focus on my work and stay on task Keep my workspace clean and organized Have all the things I need (paper, book, homework, pencil, books, chromebooks and other materials, hand sanitizer etc.)

 

Immunizations and Records

In Maryland, ALL students must be immunized to attend school → NO SHOTS, NO SCHOOL

Here is some information on health clinics that are providing immunizations for students:

https://www.princegeorgescountymd.gov/departments-offices/health/family-health-services/vaccines-immunizations

Enrollment

🍎To find your neighborhood school, please visit the PGCPS School Finder:

 

🍎Online registration is available for all parents through ParentVUE! A ParentVUE account is needed to register a new or returning student in PGCPS and for transfers within the county.

Note: Do not attempt to create your ParentVUE account from a mobile phone browser; This will cause errors.

🍎The ParentVUE app will be available for download. Please plan accordingly.

 

🍎If you do not have access to the internet or an electronic device, you can visit your child's school to complete the online registration process. https://www.pgcps.org/schools

2025-2026 Dodge Park Elementary School Supplies List and Uniform Policy