Thomas Elementary School

Visitor and Volunteer Guidelines

At our school, we are dedicated to providing a safe and supportive learning environment for all students. We also value family engagement and welcome visits during the school day.

To help ensure the safety and well-being of everyone on campus, we ask that all classroom visits or volunteer activities be arranged at least 48 hours in advance with your child’s teacher. This allows sufficient time to complete and submit the required volunteer form to the front office at least 24 hours prior to your visit.

These procedures help us ensure that all campus visitors are expected and accounted for as part of our safety and health protocols.

Thank you for your cooperation and continued support.

To help us ensure a safe and smooth dismissal for all students, please follow these guidelines regarding changes to your child’s going-home plans:

• Changes to Dismissal Plans:
  If you need to change how your child will be going home, please contact the front office before 3:00 p.m. Monday through Thursday and before 12:00 p.m. on Fridays. The office becomes extremely busy during the last 20 minutes of the school day, and late changes may not be processed in time.

• Early Pick-Ups:
  Early student pick-ups should be made prior to 3:00 p.m. After that time, our staff is fully engaged in end-of-day routines and cannot accommodate early departures.

• Written Notification Required:
  As outlined in the FUSD Student Handbook, any changes to a student’s going-home routine (such as a different person picking up your child) must be communicated in writing to both the teacher and the front office. Social arrangements should be made from home in advance, and student access to phones is reserved for school-related matters only.

Thank you for helping us maintain a safe and organized dismissal process.

Healthy Snack Guidelines

To support student wellness and comply with nutrition and safety standards, all food items served during the school day — including birthday treats and special occasion snacks — must meet the Arizona Department of Education (ADE) Smart Snack Nutrition Standards.

We encourage families to choose store-bought, pre-packaged items to ensure they meet county health regulations.

Please note that sweet treats such as cupcakes, candy, and frosted desserts do not meet these guidelines. Instead, we invite you to celebrate your child with one of their favorite healthy snacks! Examples include:

• Watermelon or other fresh fruit

• Pirate’s Booty or baked snack crackers

• 100% juice boxes

• All-fruit popsicles

For more information, please visit the Arizona Department of Education Smart Snacks page.

Thank you for helping us keep our school community healthy and safe!