University Park Elementary Questions

Rachel Salerno (Miss Rachel) - Secretary

rsalerno@gatewayk12.org OR 724-327-4113 x1

1. Attendance Issues or questions
2. Arranging an Early Dismissal
3. Changing your student's transportation home
4. Providing an excuse for your student's absence
5. To reach your student's teacher by phone
6. To reach the Principal, Ms. Hoffner
7. To reach the School Nurse, Food Services Manager, or Guidance Counselor if you cannot reach them at their extensions.

Ms. Hoffner - Principal

jhoffner@gatewayk12.org OR 724-327-4113 x2

1. Concerns about your student's progress or Performance
2. Concerns about your student's behavior
3. Concerns about bullying or the behavior of students other than your own
4. Concerns about safetey

Students are expected to arrive at University Park elementary between 8:45 AM and 9:10 AM.  Class instruction begins promptly at 9:11 AM: any student entering at 9:11 AM or later is considered Tardy.

Students arriving at 9:11 AM or later will need to be signed in at the front door - PLEASE do not drop your child off at the door without signing them in.

1. Ms. Hoffner or Miss Rachel will be at the front door beginning at 9:11 AM with a Tardy Form.  
2. A parent or guardian is required to sign the Tardy Form
3. The student will then be given a Tardy Pass to class.

If your child is ill, we encourage you to keep them at home. District policy states that a student must be free of fever and/or vomiting for 24 hours before they are allowed to return to school.

1. If at all possible, please contact the school by phone or email to let us know that your child will not be attending.
2. When sending an email notification or absence, or excuse, please address the email to your student's homeroom teacher, the Secretary, and the Principal to ensure that your student's attendance is accurately recorded.
3. A written excuse must follow a phone call in order to excuse the absence.
4. If your student is absent due to illness for three consecutive days or longer, the Main Office may request a medical excuse.

If your child will be absent for 2 or more consecutive days due to travel, you will need to complete the Gateway School District Extended Absence Request Form and submit it to the front office before your trip.

1. An absence of 2-5 days must be approved by the Principal.
2. An absence of 6-10 days must be approved by the Superintendent.
3. An absence of longer than 10 days may result in a Withdrawal.  Please contact the Main Office.

If you need to make a change to your child's transportation home or arrange for an Early Dismissal, you can contact the Main Office via telephone or email, or you can send in a physical note with your child. 

We would like to know as early as possible if a child's transportation or dismissal time is changing. If at all possible, please let us know if you are changing your student's transportation or intend to pick them up early no later than 2:30 PM.

1. Please remember that you must register for the Parent Carpool to use the pick up line at the rear of the building.  Please complete the Parent Carpool Registration Google Form. The Carpool Monitors will not release a child to a car that is not displaying its UP Carpool Tag.
2. If you are picking your child up at the Main Office, you will be able to collect your child after the busses have all been dismissed. Please contact the Main Office for more information. 
3. If you would like for your child to ride on a different bus home with a friend, please be aware that we will need notification in writing from both you and the parents or guardian of the student your child will be riding home with.  
4. If you need to make a more permanent change to your student's bus, in order to transport them to after-school care for example, you will need to contact the Transportation Office and complete their form.