Heritage Bears
December 2016
Principal's Message
Dear Heritage Families,
As we are all aware, the winter break is just around the corner. For students the holidays are an exciting time when they have the opportunity to visit with friends and family. Many families may celebrate with special food, music, or family traditions. We hope that every Heritage Intermediate family takes advantage of the time provided by the upcoming winter break. We want to provide a few helpful tips to make the season rewarding.
TIP 1: Use the holidays to remind your children that there are others who are less fortunate. Ask your children to donate some of their used toys to a shelter or suggest that they donate some of their allowance to a shelter or soup kitchen.
TIP 2: Help your children do their holiday gift planning. Holiday shopping can be overwhelming for kids, so help them decide in advance who to buy for, what to buy and how much to spend. Or even better, help them make appropriate gifts for family and friends.
TIP 3: De-emphasize television and computer games.
TIP 4: Emphasize family traditions, or create new ones just for your kids. Routines and rituals are comforting to most children and help to create lasting, happy holiday memories.
TIP 5: Stick to your normal family routine as much as possible. It's often hard to take time out of busy holiday preparations, but a walk, a trip to a playground or play area, or whatever else you usually do with your kids each day, can be a great stress reducer.
TIP 6: Keep travel to a minimum. A single-destination visit to grandparents in another
town may not cause major stress, but a long winter road trip to visit everyone in the
extended family may be a nightmare.
TIP 7: Include your children in holiday planning sessions, and let them know the final
details well in advance.
TIP 8: Spend time reading with your children. There are thousands of great books
related to themes centered around the holidays.
Wishing you and your family a very Happy Holiday Season!
“It’s a GREAT day to be a BEAR!”
Dr. Kraft
Upcoming Events
Dec 3
Dec 4
Downtown Wentzville Tree Lighting and Parade
(Harmonizers sing at Pete's Drive-In at 5:30 pm)
Dec 6
Science Fair Information Night
5 pm to 6 pm in Library
Dec 8
PJ Day for Camp
PTA Meeting at 4:30 pm in library
December 9
PTA Family Movie Night 6 pm to 8 pm
Dec 14
PTA fundraiser pick up 3:30 pm to 6:00 pm in Intermediate cafeteria
Dec 15
Board of Education meeting 7:00 pm at Central Office
December 16
Harmonizers sing at local senior centers
December 21
End of 2nd Quarter/1:15 pm Early Dismissal
Class winter parties and all school sing a long
December 22 - January 3
Winter Break
January 4
Back to School
We Practice Emergency Safety
At Heritage Elementary, the safety of our students, as well as that of our staff and visitors is a top priority. In addition to our day-to-day efforts to maintain a safe school, we regularly hold various emergency drills throughout the year. These drills help our students and staff practice the procedures that would be used in the event of a real emergency. Our emergency drills include:
Fire Drills: We practice evacuating the building and accounting for the whereabouts of each student and staff member.
Earthquake Drills: In the event of an earthquake, we practice a "Drop-Cover-Hold On" strategy for those that are indoors when the ground starts shaking. We "Drop" to the ground, get under some type of "Cover" if possible, (desk, table, etc.), and we "Hold On" to that piece of furniture until the shaking stops. If outside, one should drop to the ground and move away from buildings, poles, trees, or other structures that could fall.
Tornado Drills: Our students learn that in a tornado we move to an interior location that gets us as far from windows and outside walls as possible. Students then get into a "duck and cover" position.
Security/Active Intruder Drills: Our staff has received training about what to do if a dangerous intruder where to come into our school. Experts have helped us develop an understanding that if we were to face this type of situation, staff must use their judgment to choose the best response option based on the factors present in their immediate area.
If this type of situation would occur, our first option would be to get out of the building ("escape") and go to pre-designated meeting points a block or two away from campus. Another option would be to lock-down and hide in place.
With our students, in an age appropriate manner, we practice a lockdown procedure while talking with them about the idea that in a real situation we may also choose to leave the building if that is judged to be better than staying locked in a classroom.
Please talk with your children about the safety drills they do at school and we encourage you to hold similar drills at home. Of course we hope to never experience a true disaster, but regularly practicing safety procedures maximizes the odds of a positive outcome should one occur. Be safe everyone!
Congratulations to Tina Meyer, Heritage Intermediate's 2016-17 Teacher of the Year!
Thank you to our Heritage community for your generosity!
Important Information about Dismissal and Transportation
Changes to your child’s dismissal/transportation plans need to be communicated to the teacher or the main office. If you need to make an occasional transportation change (car rider instead of the bus, etc.) you must send a note to your child’s teacher. If that is not possible, you may call the office on the day of the change before 2:00 p.m. so office staff has adequate time to notify your child’s teacher. You must provide a note or call each day that you want your child to go home in a different manner than usual.
Regular school attendance is critical to your child’s success at school. If you are picking up your child early from school, please visit the office prior to 3:00 p.m. Students will not be dismissed from classrooms between 3:00 p.m. and 3:20 p.m. in order to maintain a secure environment for school dismissal. It is essential that you sign your child out of school through the office any time they are leaving before the normal end of the day. The office will call your child from their classroom. Photo ID will be required for everyone signing out students. When calling the office to notify that someone other than a legal guardian is picking up your child, that person must be on your child’s pick-up list prior to the telephone call.
Thank you in advance for your cooperation with these extremely important tasks. If you have any questions about this information please feel free to give the office a call.
Medication Reminder from the Nurse
This is a reminder that all medications, including over the counter medications, must have a doctor's signed note to be given at school. Medications should be brought to school by a parent. Students are not allowed to bring medications to school. Please check the nurse's website for additional medical information, or you may contact her at 636-327-3839 ext 41233.
Science Fair Information Night
A science fair information night is scheduled for December 6th, from 5 pm to 6 pm in the library. This will be a come and go event. Have questions about how to organize and put the finishing touches on your science fair project? View finished, award-wining project boards from past science fairs. Look through library resources and check out a book to help with your research. Visit with the Heritage Primary and Intermediate coordinators to answer your questions. Science fair display boards will be available to purchase for $6.00. The district science fair handbook can be downloaded here. Hope to see you there!!
News from the PTA
The PTA Holiday Social is Saturday, December 3rd from 11 am to 1 pm. There will be crafts, games, donuts, and of course Santa!! Be sure to bring your camera for holiday photo opportunities. This is a free family event - come and enjoy the festivities!!!
Students and their families are invited to represent Heritage in the Downtown Wentzville Christmas Tree Lighting Parade on Sunday, December December 4th. After the Harmonizers sing at Pete's Drive-in, the Christmas tree will be lit and the parade will start up Pearce Blvd to the fire station. The PTA will have a float and Heritage families are welcome to walk along side. Parents must walk with their students throughout the entire parade route. Families can meet at Budget Towing (425 Luetkenhaus Blvd) or at Pete's.
PTA Meeting—Thursday, December 8th at 4:30 pm in the library. All are welcome, including kids!
PTA Movie Night is Friday, December 9th, Doors open at 6 pm, movie begins at 6:15 pm. Admission is $2.00 per person and this event is open to parents and siblings! A parent or responsible adult MUST stay with their student and siblings for the entire movie. Please turn in your reservation and payment prior to December 6th.
Clubs Choice fundraiser product pick-up will be Tuesday, December 14th in the Intermediate cafeteria from 3:30 pm to 6:00 pm.
For more information visit the PTA website.
Veterans Day Celebrations
5th Grade Science Center Field Trip
Mrs. Samuelson's Class Thanksgiving Feast
Contact Us
Website: http://wentzville.k12.mo.us/course/view.php?id=17
Location: 601 Carr Street, Wentzville MO 63385
Phone: 636-327-3839
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Heritage-Elementary-School-110771165687433/
Twitter: @HeritageInt