Kutz cOUGAR Chronicles
September 2014
where students care to learn and students learn to care.
Happy First Day Everybody!
HAPPY FIRST DAY!!!!
I am pleased and proud to tell you that your children entered school today with such happy faces and so much enthusiasm for a new school year! I went around and checked the classrooms and nobody was crying - which is a VERY good thing!!! Well, except for a few teachers - but I told them to get back to work!
Thank you for entrusting your children into our care. We take such pride on being a safe and caring place for all students and one in which we want learning to come alive. Your support and encouragement in our mission is very much appreciated.
Dr. Kahley
Our Theme for this Year is......... LIFE IS A PUZZLE, MULE IT OVER!
What does that mean, you say? Well, in essence, isn't life a puzzle that we are constantly trying to put together? Don't we sometimes feel we have a missing piece or maybe we just haven't found that piece yet? How about when you find your niche? Isn't that just like finding that piece of the puzzle you have been looking for and it fits right in! Each year, we want to develop your children's gifts and talents so that they will be able to "piece together" their school and life experience.
As we work on the renovation of the Mule that was donated back to us, we can "mule" over life's questions! Which brings me to one of our School Goals. We will work on ASKING and ANSWERING good questions. Questions that make us think. Questions that make us ponder. Questions that take time to answer and that have many pieces to them (just like a puzzle)!
Our other goal is to build stamina for sustained study of a certain topic or sujbect area.
Finally, our maintenance goal is to maintain our previous school goals of proficiency in:
Handwriting
Technology
Grammar
Fact Fluency
We thank you in advance for supporting our School Goals through your work with the children!
BACK TO SCHOOL FOR OUR PARENTS
Tuesday, September 16, 2014
Kindergarten and
Specialized Instruction - 6:00 PM
2nd Grade - 7:00 PM
4th Grade - 8:00 PM
Wednesday, September 17, 2014
1st Grade - 5:30 PM
3rd Grade - 6:00 PM
5th Grade - 7:00 PM
6th Grade - 8:00 PM
Safety Scoop
How Do We Prepare Our Children to Handle Difficult and Critical People by Sally Ogden and our good friends at Love and Logic - August 2014
How do we prepare children to handle the difficult and critical people in the world?
A great deal of attention has turned to the prevention of bullying in the schools. We will fall short of success if we don’t realize that changing the external world has its limitations. Some educators and parents would like to create a perfect world, prohibiting all cruel acts or apprehending all perpetrators. This is noble, but not realistic. How will they control what happens outside of school, at the mall, at sporting events, at parties, etc.?
We can teach students how to change their responses and reactions to difficult situations. They can employ strategies that will create more peaceful interactions and diffuse the power of bullies. We can help children learn to:
1. Change how they think about criticism. Translation! If something said is mean, critical, or cruel, it’s coming from a place of pain in the person who said it. Kids can say to themselves: “The other guy isn’t doing too well right now. I don’t need to internalize this mean comment.”
2. Change how they respond. The key is not to engage in the bully’s plan. Children can use a response that shows that the bully does not have the ability to get them to act in a weak, childish, or retaliatory way.
For example:
*Use an “I” Message: “Ooh, I get hurt when people criticize my mom.”
*Agree with the criticism: “I know, I do have big ears! They are great receptors for intergalactic communication!”
*Use a neutral response: “I’m sorry you see it that way,” or, “Thanks for telling me.”
The ability to use this information can protect kids even in the toughest situations and allow them to retain their peace of mind and belief in themselves throughout their lives.
Using these tools is a powerful step toward bully-proofing kids!
To learn more about how to help kids deal with difficult people, and bullies watch my on-demand webinar Creating a Fear-Free and High Achieving Classroom. You'll have a lot of fun while learning new attitudes, and super practical skills all designed to help children feel empowered, relaxed, and in control.
Don't be surprised if the information presented helps you in your relationships too.
Sally Ogden
Student Attendance
As educators, we recognize that promoting regular school attendance is a key component in the successful growth and development of all students. To maximize student learning, we ask that you be mindful of our district attendance policy. The Compulsory Attendance Law in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania requires that an absence excuse, signed by the parent or guardian, be on file for every day of the student’s absence.
- According to State Law, the following excuses qualify as excused absences: religious holiday, illness, death in the family, educational trips or vacation with prior written approval by the principal.
- School district policy allows principals to approve a maximum of five vacation or educational travel days per academic year.
- Unexcused absences are defined as: truancy, oversleeping, missing the bus, shopping, child care, visiting relatives or friends, recreational activities, remaining home to do homework, and exceeding the five day vacation policy.
- The school records unexcused tardiness. Six accumulated hours of unexcused late arrival is considered one unexcused absence.
- Excessive absenteeism is defined as anything greater than 10% of the school year to date. Should this 10% threshold be met, intervention by school personnel is initiated. An ongoing truancy issue is forwarded to the Bucks County District Justice and/or Bucks County Children and Youth Agency.
- A note from a physician may be required for each absence over 15 days.
STUDENT ARRIVAL/DISMISSAL SCHEDULE
8:50 AM SCHOOL BEGINS
3:30 PM STUDENT DISMISSAL
EARLY DISMISSAL DAYS
12:10 STUDENT DISMISSAL
KINDERGARTEN SCHEDULE
8:50 AM – 11:25AM KINDERGARTEN AM
12:55 AM – 3:30 PM KINDERGARTEN PM
When your child is absent from school, we must receive a written note or email stating the reason for the absence upon their return. Please include Karen Pirrone, in our attendance office, at kpirrone@cbsd.org, on all excuse emails. Please see the links below for attendance forms.
Absence/Tardy Excuse Note Request for Approved Absence for Family Travel
To see your student's attendance record, go to the Parent Portal!
From our School Nurse
Dear Kutz Parents,
Many classrooms in our school have students with severe peanut allergies and have been identified as being peanut safe. Please go to www.cbsd.org/page/12605 then onto the Nurse/Health tab to identify the peanut safe classrooms and to read the letter outlining the peanut safe procedures. If you have any questions please contact our Certified School Nurse, Mrs. Valerie Wendell-Wesolowich @ 267-893-3915
Many classrooms in our school have students with severe peanut allergies and have been identified as being peanut safe. Please go to www.cbsd.org/page/12605 then onto the Nurse/Health tab to identify the peanut safe classrooms and to read the letter outlining the peanut safe procedures. If you have any questions please contact our Certified School Nurse, Mrs. Valerie Wendell-Wesolowich @ 267-893-3915Kutz Directory
To order a directory for your family, please put $5 in an envelope with your child’s name and homeroom and either hand it in to your Home Room Parent on Back to School Night or to your child’s teacher no later than 9/27. If you have more than one student at Kutz, you only need to send the payment in to one classroom.
Also, if you have any changes - please write the changes down and send this in with your $5. If you do not wish your name to appear in the Directory - we need that request in writing.
If you have any questions, please contact Sharon Collopy at: collopysharon@yahoo.com
Important Information below...
Parent Portal
The Parent Portal presents information about students to authorized parents or guardians in real time with secure socket layer (SSL) encryption of the information that is being transmitted.
This is a way for Central Bucks to send you a message for emergency school closings, delayed openings, early dismissals, and bus transportation issues via SMS text messaging to mobile phones.
- Ensure that Central Bucks has your cell phone number on file. Parents that have completed the Census Verification Forms for their children and provided their cell phone numbers will already have those numbers in our database. Parents can also review the cell phone the school has on file by reviewing their demographic information on the Parent Portal under Family>Family Members.
If the school does not have your cell phone number on file, request that the number be added through your child’s school. Wait at least 24 hours before trying to join.
- From your cell phone, text the word Join to the number 56360
If our messaging system finds a match for your number in its database, you will receive a confirmation message thanking you for joining School Alerts.
Aramark Lunch Information
MySchoolBucks is your online portal to see information and pay your student's school
related lunch fees . Payments can be made at the school by cash or check (made payable to CBSD) or online by credit card. https://www.myschoolbucks.com/login/getmain.do?action=home
Setting up an username and password with MySchoolBucks allows you to view what your children are eating and spending each day for lunch. You do not need to supply your credit card number unless you wish to pay for the lunches using it.
KUTZ GOES HEALTHY!
Just a friendly reminder that we will no longer accept any type of food for Birthday Treats. Please leave the cupcakes, donuts, and pretzels at home. If you feel the need to treat your child to something special at school on his or her special day, here are some suggestions:
Purchase one of our library books and dedicate it to your child.
Send in a book for the class library.
Let your child bring in photos of himself/herself over the years.
Send in a plain white T-Shirt for all the class to sign with fabric markers.
Hand out small tokens such as pencils, stickers, bookmarks or erasers.
We will still have classroom parties and celebrations throughout the year. Treats may be brought in for these special events as long as there are healthy food options for children to choose from.
2014-2015 Cafe Prices
Breakfast Meal-$1.65
Lunch Meal-$2.55
Milk $0.75
Children are encouraged to take a fruit or vegetable with every lunch they purchase in our cafeteria. This is consistent with the USDA requirements.
CAR vs BUS
Please limit pick-up to an ONLY IF NEEDED BASIS (e.g. after school activities, childcare, custody issues, etc.) No pick-ups after 3:15 PM from the office unless it's an emergency. If you must pick-up your child…please display your “family name” placard in your car window. This makes our car-rider dismissal safer and more efficient. If you need a placard. Please fill out the information below.
Also, please pull your car all the way through the curve to the end of the sidewalk. Cars should be positioned right up to the first parking space. This allows more cars to pull into the parking lot in order to be safely off of Rolling Hills Boulevard. Thank you for your attention to these matters.
Placard Information for Car Riders
Please prepare a placard for my car window.
I am _________________________________________________
(YOUR NAME AND RELATIONSHIP TO THE CHILD.)
The placard should read _____________________________________
( LAST NAME)
Children:
_______________________________ Homeroom ______________
_______________________________ Homeroom ______________
_______________________________ Homeroom ______________
A GREAT BIG THANK YOU!
Home and School Information
Please make sure you are signed up for Enotes. These notes come directly to you on a weekly basis and contain the important happenings and events in and around Kutz Elementary School.
Boomerang Award
This year, Kutz will continue to accept nominations for the Boomerang Award, which is our way of honoring students who best demonstrate their own developmental assets. What are Developmental Assets? Students possessing a combination of “40 Assets” are typically most successful in school and in life. These assets have the power to influence choices young people make and help them become caring, responsible adults. For a complete listing of the 40 Developmental Assets visit: www. Search-institute.org.
September: #20 Time at Home. Young person spends time most days in high quality interactions with family. They might share the importance of family experiences and relationships in the school setting.
October: #35 Resistance Skills. Young person is able to recognize risky or dangerous situations and makes positive choices when faced with challenging events in their life. They are able to resist peer pressure.
A LOOK AHEAD
SEPTEMBER
1 Labor Day, SCHOOL HOLIDAY
2 FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL!
5 Wrapping Paper Fundraiser Kick-Off Assembly, 2:30 PM
5 Kutz Spirit Day-Blue/White or Kutz Gear
16 BACK-to-SCHOOL NIGHT
6:00 PM - Kindergarten and Specialized Instruction,
7:00 PM – 2nd grade,
8:00 PM - 4th grade
17 BACK-to-SCHOOL NIGHT
5:30 PM - 1st grade,
6:00 PM - 3rd grade,
7:00 PM - 5th grade
8:00 PM - 6th grade
19 Kutz Spirit Day-Blue/White or Kutz Gear
25 Rosh Hashanah, SCHOOL HOLIDAY
26 Picture Day!
OCTOBER
3 Rainbow Day! Find out what color your child's grade is to dress in!
8 H&S Meeting, 7:00 PM
13-17 Celebrate Education Week
17 Kutz Spirit Day-Blue/White or Kutz Gear
20-24 Red Ribbon Week
24 6th Grade Halloween Celebration, 7:00 PM
27-28 6th Grade Ropes Course
31 Halloween Parade, 2:00 PM
Let's have the best school year ever!
Paul W. Kutz Elementary School
Website: cbsd.org/kutz
Location: 1950 Turk Road, Doylestown, PA, United States
Phone: 267-893-3900