School Policy Guide

Cell phones are allowed at school as many families depend on them for daily communication. Cell phones are not to be used during the school day as they can disrupt the learning environment. If you choose to send a phone to school with your child, they must give it to their teacher each morning for safekeeping. It will be returned at the end of the day. School will not be liable or investigate any lost or stolen phones that were not given to a staff member for safekeeping.

MSCR Afterschool is designed to offer educational and recreational activities during non-school hours for Henderson students and families. Please contact the MSCR Afterschool director at (608)516- 8899 for information on programs, volunteering and staff positions.

We have incorporated the Standard Response Protocol into our emergency procedures in line with guidance from the Wisconsin Department of Justice’s Office of School Safety and national recommendations on school safety. It incorporates many of the concepts we already use but offers more clarity and consistency in terminology among schools and first responders across the country. Each school year, students will receive age-appropriate instruction on what to do in each of these scenarios through lesson plans, slide presentations, class discussions, videos, and more.

There are many opportunities for adult family members to volunteer at Henderson. Volunteering is fun and rewarding for the volunteer. Volunteers get to know staff members and help children to learn. Volunteers are needed on both a regular basis, such as in classrooms, and on an occasional basis, such as helping with Family Nights and field trips.

To ensure the safety of your child, please send a note in advance to your child’s teacher or the office. We require parents to come into our office and sign out the student. We will call the classroom to have the student sent down to the office to meet the parents. Please remember anyone picking up a student must be authorized and listed in Infinite Campus. Once school is in session, no non-school staff (including parents) will be allowed to go to a classroom unaccompanied and pick up a child.

Families play a key role in school safety. We believe that it is beneficial for families and the community to engage in our students’ education. We also want to provide a safe and comfortable environment for our students to learn. If you plan to visit, please pre-arrange your visit with the classroom teacher. The teacher will communicate with the office about your visit. You’ll find more information on district safety and security, including how we communicate with you in an emergency, at madison.k12.wi.us/safety. Thank you for your partnership in creating a safe and positive school environment. Please do not hesitate to reach out to me for any reason.

Mondays 8:25 a.m. - 2 p.m. (Early release)

Tuesdays-Fridays 8:25 a.m. - 3:20 p.m.

Toys, games, and equipment are not allowed at school. These often create distractions to the educational environment and create risk for lost or stolen property. If there are special circumstances, a plan should be made with your child’s classroom teacher for safe keeping of anything from home. Henderson will not be held liable or investigate any lost or stolen property from home.

An adult crossing guard is posted at the corner of Maher and Pflaum Road.

The hours of duty are set to conform with our school schedule:

Monday-Friday morning: 8-8:40 a.m.

Tuesday-Friday afternoon: 3:15-3:50 p.m.

Monday afternoon: 1:55-2:30 p.m.

We strongly urge all parents living north of Pflaum Road to direct their children to cross this busy street at the guarded crossing.

Families who drop off students should use the drop off area on Tompkins drive. Families may also park on the north side of Tompkins Dr., Maher Ave., or Camden Rd. and have access to crosswalks.

The circle drive is NOT available for student drop off in the morning or the afternoon and will open at approximately 3 PM after dismissal.