Frequently Asked Questions

1.                  Why do I see some students entering the building before 7:50 am?

Some of our fifth grade students serve on the Safety Patrol and are asked to be at school early to be prepared and at their assigned post by 7:50 a.m.  All other students should be accompanied by an adult and signed into child care before 7:50.  If a student is dropped off early we make a telephone call to the parent and send a letter home informing the parent that he/she must be enrolled in SACC if it is necessary to arrive before 7:50.  There are no teachers on duty to supervise students before that time and child care workers are not permitted to supervise students not enrolled in their program.

2.                  Why should I join the PTA?

When you join PTA you are not only supporting WAS, but you also become a member of a powerful voice for children at the local, state, and national levels.  The PTA advocates for legislation that protects, supports, and benefits all children.  PTA has had a voice in such endeavors as child nutrition, before and after school care, and child health care just to name a few.

3.                  Why am I asked to pay a supply fee each year?

The state of Tennessee sends $200 per teacher to the school for classroom instructional materials.  The Hamilton County School System provides textbooks and workbooks for classroom instruction.  This year teachers are using the $200 BEP funds sent from the state to purchase a listening center for the classroom.  All other instructional materials must be funded at the school level. 

4.                  What exactly is the supply fee used for?

All supply fees collected from students go directly into classroom accounts for teachers to purchase instructional supplies, equipment, and materials.  Everything from staples, paper clips, construction paper, markers, pens, reward stickers, to the class pencil sharpener, bulletin board materials, classroom libraries, instructional games, and supplemental teaching materials must be purchased by the classroom teacher using supply fee funds.  Teachers even use this fund to pay for copies they make on the copy machines for instruction and for communication with parents.  There is no funding outside the school to provide for these necessary materials, equipment, and expenses.  The state audits our school accounts very meticulously and has very strict restrictions on how the money can be spent to insure that every dollar is used to directly benefit students.  Our $65 supply fee averages out to about 36 cents a day or $1.80 per week.

5.                  Why does the school have fundraisers in addition to collecting fees?

School fundraisers provide equipment and other expensive items that our children would otherwise not have access to.  Every classroom and library computer has been purchased through fundraisers.  Our mobile computer lab consisting of 27 laptops is a reality because of coupon book funds.  Equipment such as overhead projectors, calculators, CD and DVD players, multi-media projectors, and even the portable sound systems we use for dismissal and student performances must be purchased by the school with money from fundraisers.  Playground equipment and our new pavilion were also made possible by fundraising. We depend upon money raised from Book Fairs to keep our library current and to continue to add books to the shelves.  Last year we partnered with Sonic to raise funds to buy books on a variety of instructional levels in order to provide students with individual materials for literacy instruction.  School supply fees and fundraisers provide the materials and equipment that students use on a daily basis at school.