JHE Newsletter. the. welcome back to school. AUGUST Back to School Calendar DATES TO REMEMBER... BY MRS. NANCY HAGEN, PRINCIPAL

Transcription

1 the welcome back to school JHE Newsletter John Harris Elementary August 21, 2015 Volume 25, Issue 1 Joining Hands to Excel School phone Relay Services TDD DATES TO REMEMBER... AUGUST Back to School Calendar August 27 Kindergarten Parent Open House, Multi- Purpose Room, 5:30 6:15 pm (PARENT ONLY) August 31 BACK TO SCHOOL Open House, 4:30 6:30 pm September 8 FIRST Day of School Regular School Hours 8:00 am 2:45 pm September 10 Learning Adventures PreSchool Open House 5:30-6:30 pm September 15 JHE School Picture Day, 8:00-11:30 am September 17 JHE Family Fun Night, 5:00 7:30 pm BY MRS. NANCY HAGEN, PRINCIPAL Dear John Harris Elementary Parents/Guardians, The hallways have a fresh coat of wax, the office is bustling with activity, and teachers are busy creating the perfect environment for students to learn and grow. All of these things can mean only one thing - the start of another exciting year at John Harris Elementary! The learning community at John Harris is eager to welcome and build relationships with our families, new and returning, to the school year. Here at John Harris, we are dedicated to providing our families with the highest quality educational opportunities. We recognize the commitment it takes from all members of our learning community to create successful, high achieving students. Therefore, collectively we will put our minds together to educate and prepare each student to succeed in a changing world. Our Back-to-School Open House will be on Monday, August 31, from 4:30 pm to 6:30 pm. The Back-to-School Open House is an evening for parents and children to visit their classroom and learn more about the upcoming school year. We encourage you to attend an informational session, presented by the classroom teacher, of your child(ren). The same information will be presented in three 20 minute sessions. The first session will begin at 4:45, the second at 5:15, and the third at 5:45 (See schedule below). The open house schedule for the classroom presentations will be as follows: 4:30-4:45 Multipurpose Room: PTA 4:45-5:05 Session I Classroom Presentation 5:05-5:15 Transition 5:15-5:35 Session II Classroom Presentation 5:35-5:45 Transition 5:45-6:05 Session III Classroom Presentation 6:05-6:30 Multipurpose Room: PTA In the multi-purpose room, the John Harris PTA will be set up for spirit wear sales. The first day of school will be Tuesday, September 8 th 7:55 am to 2:45 pm. Teachers will meet students and parents on the playground at 7:50 am in order to gather for our traditional Flag Raising Ceremony by the front door. Parents are invited and welcome to join the Flag Raising Ceremony at 7:55 am.

2 ANNUAL STUDENT INFORMATION UPDATE REMEMBER to do your Annual Student Information Update. Parents and guardians of students currently enrolled in the Sioux Falls School District should complete the Annual Student Information Update for each of their children through the Infinite Campus Parent Portal. The updates must be done through parent/guardian accounts only. Student accounts do not contain the Annual Student Information Update link. Household information for ALL students must be updated prior to their school s fall open house. If you do not have access to a computer, one will be available during open house. There will be a computer available in the office prior to the Back to School Open House for your convenience between 8:00 a.m. and 3 p.m. Save time and avoid the lines by filling this information out in advance. Please be aware that pop-ups must be allowed in your browser. PLEASE READ THIS ENTIRE SECTION: If you received a letter in the mail that contained your activation code, follow the instructions in that letter to create your account. Once you have activated your account, it may take up to 15 minutes before the Annual Student Information Update link appears. If you receive an containing an activation ID, use the steps within the to create your account. Once you have activated your account, it may take up to 15 minutes before the Annual Student Information Update link appears. If you did NOT receive a letter in the mail or an our records indicate you have already created an account sometime during your child(ren) s enrollment. The address to access the Parent Portal is: You will also be able to access the site from the SFSD website: Click on the Infinite Campus link in the Quick Links on the right side of the page to access the log in screen. If you do not recall your username and/or password, use the Forgot your password option, found by clicking on the orange HELP button on the portal login page or you may contact your school (offices are open during regular business hours) for assistance to log into your account. After logging into the Parent Portal, a link for Annual Student Information Update can be found under Family->Messages->Inbox messages-> Annual Student Information Update. Parents/Guardians who update student and household information prior to the school s open house, will NOT be asked to complete a blue form.

3 JOHN HARRIS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL VERY IMPORTANT INFORMATION TO KNOW School Hours: 8:00 a.m. -2:45 p.m. Office Hours: 7:15 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Principal: Mrs. Nancy Hagen Clerical Staff: Mrs. Deb Herold Mrs. Toni Oberg Admin. Intern: Mrs. Linda McDaniel Child Nutrition: Mrs. Wendy Hasche (7:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.) Nurse: Ms. Linda Sutter Office Phone Number: ; fax number: Lunch Schedule: Kindergarten 11:10-11:55 First Grade 11:15-12:00 Second Grade 11:40-12:25 Third Grade 11:45-12:30 Fourth Grade 12:10-12:55 Fifth Grade 12:15-1:00 Students eat during the first part of the lunch schedule and have an outside recess for their last part of the lunch period. (In case of rain or temperatures below zero, students have an indoor recess) Emergency Health Information: It is important that the school have current information for each child enrolled at John Harris Elementary. At the beginning of each school year, parents need to review and update the student/household information on the SFSD website. If that information changes during the year, it is imperative that parents notify the school of those changes so that we are able to reach a parent or designated contact person in case of emergency. School Pictures: School Pictures will be taken at the beginning of the school year. Information and prices will be sent home prior to picture day. Visitor Sign-in: Anyone entering the school MUST sign the visitor book in the school office and wear a nametag. If a visitor is in the school without a nametag, he/she will be asked to go to the office. ALL doors are locked. Sign-Out Book: If your child arrives late or leaves early during the school day, you must sign him or her in/out in the school office. Arrival at School: Students should not arrive at school prior to 7:40 a.m. unless he/she is eating breakfast at 7:30 a.m. Supervision begins on the playground at 7:40 a.m. Absence: Attendance at school on time, every day is very important to your child s success and achievement. It is your responsibility as a parent to see that your child is at school and on time every day possible. If your child will be absent from school due to illness, or for some other reason, please call the school. If we do not receive a call from you by 8:30 a.m., the secretary will be contacting you at home or at work. Our District tracks attendance closely. When children miss excessive days, we work with parents, our social worker and the courts to ensure that every child is in school daily. Ten or more absences in a school year is considered to be excessive by the Sioux Falls School District. Tardy: The first bell rings at 7:55 a.m. with school beginning at 8:00 a.m. Students are expected to be in class at 8:00 a.m. If your child will be arriving late to school and wishes to eat hot lunch, please let the office know by 8:30 a.m. If the office is not notified by 8:30 a.m., you will need to provide your child with a cold lunch. When a child is tardy, he/she will be expected to make up their work.

4 Appointments: It is always best to try to schedule appointments after school. If your child has a doctor or dental appointment and will arrive late or needs to leave early, please call the office and/or notify the teacher. According to District policy, your child will be counted absent or tardy depending upon the length of time missed. If a hot lunch needs to be ordered, please let the office know by 8:30 a.m. Any child leaving early or returning late for an appointment or illness should be signed in/out in the office by a parent. A doctor s note is required for each appointment during the school day. Please turn the note into the office or give it to your child s teacher. With a doctor s note, absences are excused and do not count toward the 10 day absence attendance policy for each student. School Supplies: School supply lists can be found at most local stores and on the District Website: Parent-Teacher Association-P.T.A.: P.T.A. membership is open to all parents, teachers and community members who want to work toward improving our school. P.T.A. meetings are open to our entire school community. Meeting dates will be listed in the bi-weekly newsletter. Fundraisers have been held to provide enrichment experiences, additional equipment for our students and to support our mission as a school. The P.T.A. supports family and educational activities to bring our school community together such as Science Fair, Artists-in-Schools, Family Nights and Roller Skating Parties. Staff Inservice Days: Because helping teachers develop their professional skills directly impacts student achievement and success, staff in-service meetings are held periodically during the school year. There is no school for students on these days. Please review the district calendar or the John Harris Elementary newsletter to find out in-service dates. Patrols: Patrols are on duty before school at 7:40-7:55 a.m. and after school at 2:45-2:55 p.m. If your student walks to school, please review with your child the safe route to walk as determined by the city of Sioux Falls. This map is included in this newsletter. Any child being picked up in a car needs to enter the car on the school side or cross safely with the patrol in order to reach his/her ride. The safety of the students is our NUMBER ONE PRIORITY. Please drive safely and slowly. Medications: If your child needs to receive medications or treatment during the school day, the following guidelines must be followed. 1. A completed Request and Authorization for Medication/Treatment Form must be submitted to the school office. These forms may be obtained in the school office. 2. A physician order/signature is required for all medications that are given at school, including over the counter medications. 3. District policy and rules state that a student s parent/guardian shall transport medication to and from school, not the student. Parents must bring the medication to the school office in a bottle labeled by the pharmacy to include: student s name medication name and strength physician s name dosage and time medication is to be taken. The only medications that can be carried by the student and used on their own are inhalers and epipens. A doctor s order is still required stating that the student is capable of self-administration, If you have specific questions and concerns, please contact the school nurse. Newsletter: On the first Friday of each month, you will receive an electronic copy of the school newsletter. The lunch menu will also be sent electronically. Please read the newsletter to be aware of school activities.

5 JOHN HARRIS ELEMENTARY BREAKFAST LUNCH PROGRAM INFORMATION John Harris Elementary uses an automated ticket program by which a student s food service account is accessed using a white, plastic scan card containing the student s ID number. This card must remain at school at all times. If the card is lost or damaged, your student s account may be charged a nominal replacement fee. Your student s ID number remains the same while he/she is enrolled in the Sioux Falls School system. Deposits to your student s meal account can be made in several ways. You may send cash or write one check (payable to the Sioux Falls School District) for all students in your family. Please list on the envelope or memo line of the check how the funds are to be distributed. Another payment option is myschoolbucks, a secure on-line website that allows you several deposit options and notification of when your child s account balance is running low. Information about myschoolbucks is available online at or the Sioux Falls School District website under Lunch information. When your child s account is running low on funds, his/her hand will be stamped with a red apple stamp. That will be your indicator to deposit more money. A student is allowed up to three charges on his/her account. Once your student begins charging, letters will be sent home. If your student reaches the maximum amount of charges without a deposit, he/she will be served a sandwich and milk. You may check the balance of your student s account on line through ParentView. Adults are welcome to eat lunch with their student any day they wish. If you want to eat a hot school lunch, please call the office by 8:30 am on the day you wish to eat and order your hot lunch. To expedite service through the lunch line, please have exact change or use your student s account, providing there is adequate money in the account. Lunch shifts begin as follows: Kindergarten 11:10 am 1 st grade - 11:15 am 2 nd grade 11:40am 3 rd grade - 11:45 am 4 th grade 12:10 pm 5 th grade - 12:15 pm Breakfast is served from 7:30 am 7:50 am. Students will not be allowed to enter the building until 7:20 am. Special Diets: If your student has special dietary needs, the Child Nutrition office will work to accommodate these needs. Please contact our office for the form that needs to be completed by your physician before any changes to the school menu can be made for your child. Milk is included with the school breakfast and hot lunch. If a student wishes to purchase a milk to have with a cold lunch from home, the cost is $0.30. This cost applies to free and reduced students as well.

6 ELEMENTARY MEAL AND MILK PRICES Prices for milk, lunch and breakfast are as follows: Full Price Lunch Reduced Price Lunch 10 lunches - $ lunches - $ lunches - $ lunches - $ lunch - $ lunch - $0.40 Full Price Breakfast Reduced Price Breakfast 10 breakfasts - $ breakfasts - $ breakfasts - $ breakfasts - $ breakfast - $ breakfast - $0.30 Milk Price 10 milks - $ milks - $ milk - $0.30 Adult lunch - $3.00 Adult breakfast - $1.90 Adult milk - $0.35 Free and Reduced Applications: A new free and reduced application must be submitted each school year. Only 1 application per family is needed. Please be sure to use black ink and completely fill out and sign the application incomplete applications will not be processed until all necessary information is provided. An on-line version of the form is available on the District s web site. You are responsible to cover all meal purchases until your application has been approved. Please provide sufficient funds to cover any breakfast, lunch or milk purchases incurred during the application process. If your family participates in the SNAPS program, you will receive a Notification Letter from the Child Nutrition Office of your children s free status as well as a Consent Form that must be completed if you want reduced rates for Kid s Inc., band or orchestra instruments, bus passes, AP classes, summer school or testing fees. The completed form may be returned to the Child Nutrition office or John Harris Elementary.

7 FAMILY FUN NIGHT IS COMING!!! The John Harris PTA Annual Family Fun Night will be held Thursday, September 17th from 5:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on the John Harris grounds. WE NEED YOUR HELP. There is a link to a Sign-Up Genius in the associated with this newsletter. Please consider signing up for this fun filled evening. You may also copy and paste this link into your browser.

8

9

10

11 JHE Spiritwear Available for students and adults Purchase yours at Open House! JHE Back to School OPEN HOUSE JOIN JHE PTA.. Look for the membership information on September 8th! Get involved! Catch the John Harris SPIRIT and PRIDE!!

12

13