Frequently Asked Questions

When you fill out your contract online, one section pertains to those who are authorized to pick up your student from school. If the person who is picking up the child is not listed on this form, we will call you for verbal authorization. Please note that anyone picking up your child might be asked to present an ID to verify their identity.​

There are no other “fees” charged by the school. If your child chooses to participate in extracurricular activities, the teacher/coach in charge will let you know if any monies are due at the parent meeting prior to the beginning of the activity. Lunch may be purchased through Pepi Foods.​ Valwood offers Extended Day and Homework Hour programs. Fees and information are provided at the time of registration.

Letters from teachers will go out to Lower School students before school begins. Upper and Middle School students will get their schedules from the Registrar.​

All offices are open from 8:00 am until 4:00 pm Monday through Thursday, and 8:00 am until 3:30 pm on Fridays.​

Although you can always call the Main Office and ask to be transferred, it is much faster for you to call the Division directly. They can be reached at the following numbers:

Lower School: 229-585-9231

Middle School: 229-585-9232

Upper School: 229-585-9233

Crane Hall (Main Office): 229-242-8491​

We employ a full-time Coordinator of Campus Safety and Security, Mr. Les Bunte. Mr. Bunte is a former police officer and has extensive experience working with schools. He helps by directing traffic in the morning and afternoons, but his most important duties are to help us with any internal or external threats that might affect the school. To the Lower School students, he is their lunch buddy – Les regularly eats lunch with them to build positive relationships starting when they are young.​

Please call the main office (229-242-8491) and ask to be transferred to the Athletic Department. There is no direct dial number for them.​

The Lower School phone will be answered until 4:00 pm daily. After 4:00 pm, you can reach extended day by calling 229-585-9231 extension 7308.​

In case of a school closing, a text alert will be sent to the phone number(s) you have indicated in the Parents’ Portal of the FACTS system. This text is followed by an email alert and an automated phone alert. It is very important that you make sure your contact information is up to date in FACTS so that you receive these important messages. Please note that these systems will only be used for emergency notifications; you will not receive any general messages through these channels.​

Food may be purchased through Pepi Foods; more information is available on the Dining Hall page of the school website.​

For an absence, please call or email the Division Office:

Lower School: Sherri Chauncey, schauncey@valwood.org, 229-585-9231

Middle School: Emily Ryan, eryan@valwood.org, 229-585-9232

Upper School: Shonie Thomas, sthomas@valwood.org, 229-585-9233

If you would like to pick your student up before the regular dismissal time, please let the Division Assistant know at least 30 minutes in advance so that they have time to notify the teacher and student.​

We want to be supportive of you and your family during times of stress or crisis. Please contact the Division Dean to discuss any issues that impact your child’s success or emotional well-being at school.​

The enrollment contract contains a health section. Please make sure that you filled this out with the most current information. In addition, if your child has a severe allergy, we do ask for documentation from a doctor and suggest a meeting with the Division Dean to ensure that we are aware of the protocols to keep your child healthy and well at school.​

Each Division will handle the medication for the students it serves. Please provide the medication to the Assistant in your student’s Division and be sure that the directions for administration of medication are clearly delineated.​

Each Division has a small lost and found receptacle in the office. The Eager Sports Center also has a lost and found box, which is located in the lobby.​

If your student has left something at home, it can be dropped off in the main office (Crane Hall). The correct Division will be notified, and the item will be delivered with minimal distraction to the classroom. However, we urge parents to make good decisions regarding the delivery of forgotten items since the natural consequence of not having the item teaches students responsibility and time management.

Arrival

All students should arrive at school ready to be in class by 8:00 am. The earliest we can receive children is at 7:30 am

Dismissal
Our Lower School pick up times are staggered by grade to ease the congestion in the parking lot. All other students are dismissed at 3:25 p.m. Please help us by arriving only slightly before your child’s pick up time.

All of the Lower and Middle School students have co-curricular classes in Spanish, library, technology, music, physical education, and art each week. Upper School students have many choices for electives that allow them to pursue their passions.

The mission of Valwood School emphasizes academic excellence, character, and a commitment to serve others. In support of that mission, members of the Valwood School community agree when they enroll to abide by the standards expressed in our Honor Code. By adopting this code, our students, families, and faculty affirm the values of honesty, respect, self-control, safety, fairness, and character.

The Honor Code at Valwood School is as follows:

"As a member of the Valwood School community, I pledge to be honest with myself and with others; to strive to refrain from all acts of cheating, lying and stealing; and to treat others with respect and courtesy."

The Honor Code applies on campus and on any off-campus school-sponsored trip or event. The following are some common examples of behaviors that are not appropriate for a Valwood community member: plagiarism, cheating, deception, disrupting the work or focus of others, harassment, bullying and intentional destruction of property.

With this Honor Code in place, we ensure that Valwood School is a safe environment for each and every one of our students, families and staff. The camaraderie is palpable on campus and this is a primary reason students and parents alike choose Valwood.

A student who wants to drive to school should meet with Mr. Les to be assigned a parking place. Seniors will have scheduled time to meet with Mr. Les during the first week of school. All other students are able to meet with him during their study hall.