Can my child have a party in their classroom? Each year Belmont Elementary School has three classroom parties, Fall Festival, Valentine’s Day and End of Year. Belmont Elementary does NOT permit birthday parties in the classrooms and due to increasing allergy restrictions, no longer permits birthday treats. Student birthdays will be recognized with their names announced during morning announcements. Students will receive a small token from the school to acknowledge their birthday (ex: pencil and sticker).

What do I do if my child will not be at school or will be late? In the event that your child will not be at school or will be late, let us know by calling or emailing the Main Office. If it is before or after school hours you can leave a message on the school answering machine and include your child’s first and last name (no nick names please). 

If your child is late make sure you sign your child in (fist and last name – no nick names) in the main office. When your child returns to school, send a note to the main office with the reason for the absence. Please note: Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) does not recognize family vacations as an excused absence. Per MCPS, teachers are not required to provide class or homework if your child will be absent for vacation, but we will do our best if requested in advance. If travel in unavoidable, please contact school administration.

What if my child is going home with another student? If your child is going home with another student, a note MUST be sent with your child in the morning giving permission for your child to go home with a friend. These arrangements must be made prior to your child going to school. Students are NOT allowed to use the main office phones to make arrangements to go to a friend’s house. If you forget to write a note or there is an emergency, call the main office and we will be glad to make sure your child gets the appropriate message.

What if my child is staying at Belmont ES for an afterschool activity?
If your child will be staying to attend an afterschool activity, you must send a note stating that your child will be attending the activity.

When sending notes to school include your child’s first name, last name and teacher. Please do not send notes on post-it paper and/or on small pieces of paper as they may get lost in transition to the Main Office.

What do I do if my child needs money for lunch or forgets their lunch at home? Students will still be allowed to purchase a school lunch with the expectation that families repay the costs at a future time.

What if my child forgets their homework or project? We encourage all students to be responsible. If your child forgets their homework, you may bring it to the main office and we will get it to them.

When can I visit my child’s classroom? You are welcome to visit your child’s classroom. However, the MCPS policy states that a teacher should be contacted prior to a visit to arrange the best time to visit. Before you are permitted to the classroom you must stop in the Main Office, sign in by presenting your driver’s license and get a visitor’s badge to wear. Please do not go directly to your child’s classroom without signing in. While visiting we ask that you silence cell phones and/or any electronic devices. We want the least amount of disruptions during the school day as possible. To prevent disruption in the classroom, we ask you to not engage in a discussion with your child or the teacher. If you would like to speak with the teacher, call to schedule an appointment with the teacher. Please note: When volunteering or observing, younger children should not be brought with you during this time.

What if I need to pick my child up from school early? If you know ahead of time, send a note to your child’s teacher. This will allow the teacher to have your child packed up for dismissal and give any assignments. If you do not know ahead of time, call as soon as you know and we will notify the teacher. Your child will be called to the main office once you arrive and sign your child out. Please note: your child will be called for early dismissal once you arrive. We do not call students out of class if you call ahead to say you are on the way. Students will not be called for early dismissal between 3:23 – 3:25 PM.

What do I do if I need to give my child a message or there is a family emergency? Normally we do not call students to the office for phone calls. If you need for your child to get a message, we will gladly get the message to your child. If there is an emergency, call Belmont ES and inform us of the situation. Let us know what you need for us to do to assist you and your child. The school counselor and school administration are available to assist you, your child and us.

Can my child bring a cell phone to school? Yes, Personal Mobile Devices (PMD), or any devise used to send or receive data via voice, video or text (phone, smartwatch, tablet, etc.) may be brought to school. However, they must be turned off and out of sight. MCPS and Belmont ES will assume no responsibility for liability for loss, theft, or damage to a device or for unauthorized use (See MCPS Regulation COG-RA).

Can pets visit Belmont ES? Pets are not permitted on school grounds between the hours of 8:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Belmont’s designated pet area is located by the crossing guard. Parents who are walking pets when dropping off or picking up a child, must have the pet supervised by an adult at all times in the designated pet area.