Union Elementary Weekly Update
Friday, October 8, 2021
A Week in Review
College Go Week
Third Grade Visit to Indianapolis Zoo
Dear Union Families,
Amazingly, we already have 1/4 of the school year in the books! It has been a fabulous start and we are so grateful for everyone's support. When we return, we will hit the ground running for second quarter. The remaining weeks in October will include body safety lessons (see below for more info and opt out information), conferences and recording for our Veterans Day video tribute. Until then, have a fun and relaxing time away for Fall Break. We look forward to seeing everyone back at school on Monday, October 18th.
With Appreciation for Your Partnership,
Jen and Erin
Mark Your Calendar!
October 11-15 - Fall Break
October 18-20 Fire Safety Lessons K-2
October 20-21 Body Safety Lessons K-4
October 21 - PTO Meeting, 10 AM; Great Shakeout Earthquake Drill
October 22- Instructional Lockdown Drill
October 26 - Veterans Day video recordings- wear red, white and blue; Regular school day w/ evening family/student conferences from 3-5PM
October 27 - E-Day & Family/Student Conferences from 11AM-7PM
November 11 - Veterans Day
November 15-19- Book Fair
November 24-26 - Thanksgiving Break (no school)
December 17 - End of Quarter 2/Semester 1
December 20-31 - Winter Break (no school)
January 17 - MLK Jr. Day (no school)
January 18 - Teacher professional development day (no school for students)
February 14 - Valentine's Day
February 21-25 - Presidents' Day/February Break (no school)
March 15 - End of Quarter 3
April 1-8 - Spring Break (no school)
May 25 - Last day of school
May 26- June 3 - Make up days (if needed)
May 30 - Memorial Day (no school)
Body Safety Lessons
One topic within the larger umbrella of Safety Education is that of Body Safety. A few examples of Body Safety topics include wearing seat belts and helmets, looking both ways to cross the street, keeping hands to self, eating healthy foods, and following school procedures such as walking in the hallways. Body Safety education also encompasses the prevention of childhood abuse.
ZCS has partnered with the Indiana Center for Prevention of Youth Abuse and Suicide (ICPYAS) to assist us in providing the instruction of strategies for abuse prevention. This instruction will be provided virtually to all students at Union Elementary on October 20th or 21st. ICPYAS is a non-profit organization that employs certified instructors who deliver research-based lessons to students in developmentally appropriate ways as a means to give children strategies to keep their bodies safe. All students in grades K-12 receive the instruction on an annual basis, in accordance with state legislation SEA 355.
To learn more about these presentations, be sure to visit https://www.indianaprevention.org/parentresources and click on the “Child Lures Video”, which provides information regarding the content of this program. The website also contains links to additional resources. In addition, all Kindergarten families, as well as families new to Union will receive a supplemental guide during the week of October 18th.
Parents have the opportunity to opt out of this program, if desired. Click Here for the Parent Opt-Out Form. (We will have additional copies available for you should you need a hard copy - simply call the front office or notify your child's classroom teacher with a request for the paper version.) Please note, this opt-out form should only be completed and returned if you desire for your student NOT to receive this body safety education.
Questions regarding this program should be directed to our school counselor, Lori Karnuta at lkarnuta@zcs.k12.in.us.
As always, we value your partnership in the education of your child, and we are grateful for the opportunity to serve your family in such meaningful ways.
Sincerely,
Mrs. Jen Raycroft, Principal
Mrs. Erin Kay, Assistant Principal
Mrs. Lori Karnuta, School Counselor
From the STEM Room
This Friday in STEM, kindergarteners performed chemical reactions. They made predictions, observed, and thought about how these reactions may change with varying or different amounts of materials.
If you would like to try these at home, here are links to both experiments that our students worked with and observed:
Balloons: https://www.education.com/science-fair/article/balloon-gas-chemical-reaction/
Elephant toothpaste: https://www.stevespanglerscience.com/lab/experiments/elephants-toothpaste/
Car Rider Notes
- Please make sure students exit and enter their cars from the passenger side.
- Please do not pull around a stopped vehicle when in the car rider line (unless motioned to do so).
- Please refrain from using your cell phone when you are in the car rider line.
- Please make sure you have a sign in the front window of your car at pick up that clearly displays students' first and last name and their grade level! Please write in bold!
Additionally, if you are waiting and parked to drop off or pick up your child, please turn your engine off and do not idle. Please see policy here: DIESEL EXHAUST AND VEHICLE IDLING
Textbook Rental
Elementary fee statements for the 2021-22 school year were emailed on September 20, 2021.
If you did not receive your fee statement, please check your spam or junk mail.
You may also log into your PowerSchool account and click on the Balance tab. You will see your student’s itemized statement, payments made, and current account balance. Please use the web browser to log in using a laptop or tablet, do NOT use the PowerSchool mobile app.
For answers to Frequently Asked Questions regarding Curricular Materials (Textbook Rental & Consumables), please visit https://www.zcs.k12.in.us/apps/pages/textbook_renta
Family/Student Conferences
We are excited to welcome you for conferences in October! Here are some details you need to know:
- Conferences will be offered in-person, or virtual, depending on the family's needs. Teachers will be sending out information regarding scheduling.
- Tuesday, October 26 is a full day of school with conferences after school from 3-5 PM.
- Wednesday, October 27 is a conference day from 11 AM-7 PM.
- Wednesday, October 27 is an Eday for students. Modules will be in Canvas to focus on digital citizenship.
- Masks will need to be worn by all attendees.
- Classrooms will be set up with distancing in mind, and hand sanitizer and wipes will be available for attendees.
- If other children need to attend, please provide an engaging activity for them to do while the conference is in session.
- Adults coming to a conference will not need to show a license upon entry to the school since children will not be in attendance.
- In order to ensure that families are able to get the most from this experience, please inform your child’s teacher or Mrs. Raycroft if you would like to request an interpreter for your child’s conference. This service is offered free of charge. Please contact Mrs. Raycroft or your teacher by October 8th with information about your need for an interpreter, so that we may plan for this service to be in place.
- We feel this is a wonderful opportunity for you to learn more about your child and their school progress. We are excited to have you join us!
Union Elementary School Directory
We invite you to visit https://unionelementarypto.membershiptoolkit.com to see your 2021-22 online Directory. This link can also be found on the Union Elementary website under the Parents tab, PTO tab, then Directory. Once you create a Membership Toolkit Account, you will have access to the Directory.
Here's what you need to do:
- Go to https://unionelementarypto.membershiptoolkit.com.
- Click on the Register/Login button.
- If you already have an account with another organization that uses Membership Toolkit you can use the same email and password to login. You can then proceed to the numbered steps below.
- Select "Create Account" and fill in the name, email, and password information.
- Click "verify my email" and then check your email for a link to complete the process. The link expires in 2 hours. If you do not receive the email, check your spam or junk folders.
- Once you have verified your email address, log back in and finish the registration process.
1.Complete the Parent/Family and Student Information.
2.Complete the Directory/Publish Preferences.
Once the Primary Account is set up, the Primary User can "invite" other email addresses to access his/her account. This allows the Secondary User to have their own login information, but still have access to the family account.
Union PTO Updates
- Next meeting October 21 at 10 am. We will be meeting live in the Makerspace at Union but will also provide a digital option. Look for the link when we return from break.
Click here for instructions for linking AmazonSmile to support Union's PTO
Jog A Thon Update
$37,725!
We did it! A big thank you to our students who ran hard and collected pledges. Thank you to our families and friends and volunteers who supported Jog A Thon!
Winners
Mrs Parker’s class- Most money raised and gets to slime Mrs Raycroft and Mrs Kay
Mrs Sachs and Mrs Masters classes: Highest participation, you had ALL students contribute something to Jog A Thon and you have earned an extra recess popsicle party
Kendall Maijub- Top collector earns $250 to Dicks Sporting Goods
Shayda Mansoori- 2nd place, earns $100 to Dicks Sporting Goods
Alana Russell- Top Preschool earns Garmin Vivofit
Finally, thank you to our amazing corporate sponsors!
Box Tops for Education
Attention Parents! You can help the PTO fundraise for Union just by doing your normal grocery shopping! Credits for our school can be earned when you shop for hundreds of your normal grocery items! Those credits translate to cold, hard $$$ for Union!
It’s very simple to get started! Visit https://www.boxtops4education.com to learn how to download the app and start earning!
Shopping via Shipt or Instacart? No problem! Visit the website to learn how to forward your digital receipts for credits!
Please consider this FAST and EASY way to support our Union Stars!
Dads Club Updates
Our next meeting is Tuesday, November 2, 2021 at 7 PM in Union's cafeteria. Enter through door 11.
If you have any questions please contact Jake Webster at jwebster1220@yahoo.com.
School Lunch Information
Elementary school lunch continue to be provided free of charge for the 2021-2022 school year.
Click here for more information regarding ZCS Food Services Department.
Now Hiring
ZCS is now hiring Instructional Assistant at multiple locations (including Union!). Join the ZCS team and make an impact on the lives of our students. IAs work in the classroom with individual and small groups of students. Union has a 2 day a week position available with a pay of $13 per hour. Your weekends and evenings are free and you work on the school calendar. Please apply online at https://www.applitrack.com/centralindiana/onlineapp/jobpostings/view.asp?choosedistrict=true&district=1452 or contact Robyn Nelson at rnelson@zcs.k12.in.us with any questions.
COVID Quarantine Guidelines Update
Governor Eric Holcomb’s executive order changes the quarantine requirements for those masked individuals considered close contacts to a person who has tested positive for COVID-19. ZCS will continue to follow our district mask mandate, but effective immediately, anyone identified as a close contact in a masked setting is no longer required to quarantine (as long as the close contact is symptom-free). Please make sure your child(ren) has extra masks in their backpack!
Masked School Settings:
In settings, such as classrooms or on the school bus, where all students are wearing masks, close contacts who are within three feet of positive case will be notified to monitor for symptoms for 14 days. Those students will continue in school as long as no symptoms develop. If symptoms develop, students must isolate and obtain testing whether or not fully vaccinated.
Unmasked School Settings:
Close contacts within six feet of a positive case and in an unmasked setting (i.e. lunchroom, band) must quarantine with one of the below options.
1. Quarantine for 14 days (no test required).
2. Quarantine for seven days with negative test (PCR or rapid test done in lab) on days five, six or seven. Return on day eight if no symptoms develop.
*Unless fully vaccinated or previously ill with CoVID-19 within the previous three months and recovered, and without any symptoms.
CURRENT CoVID-19 PROTOCOLS
ZCS will continue to follow established CoVID-19 protocols and mitigation strategies including:
- Masks are mandatory in all district buildings and on school buses.
- Families of students considered to be close contacts will still be notified.
- Close contacts in unmasked situations must quarantine.
- Close contacts in any setting must quarantine if showing COVID-19 symptoms.
SICK CHILDREN
Please keep your child(ren) home if:
1. Child (ren) are sick or showing symptoms of CoVID-19.
2. Anyone in the household is awaiting the results of a COVID-19 test, exhibiting CoVID-19 symptoms, or has tested positive.
Please continue to carefully monitor your child(ren) for COVID-19 symptoms and do not send any child(ren) to school who show signs of sickness.
Volunteer Procedures
CRIMINAL BACKGROUND CHECKS FOR ALL GUEST TO THE BUILDING
During the school day, all visitors must enter via the front door and sign-in at the front office. Visitors need to be prepared to present a government issued photo ID which will be scanned against the National Sex Offender Registry. All visitors will be issued a visitor badge/tag to be worn inside the building at all times.
CRIMINAL BACKGROUND CHECKS FOR VOLUNTEERS
During the school day, all volunteers are expected to sign in at the front office. Prior to the volunteer opportunity, all volunteers must sign a Non-disclosure Acknowledgement Form and have successfully completed a Full Criminal History Background Check. Necessary background check paperwork is available on the ZCS website at the Volunteers/BRAVO link and should be submitted at least 10 days prior to the intended volunteer date. Volunteers must also view the state mandated confidentiality/bullying video, provided on the Volunteer/BRAVO website. The volunteer will pay the fee* for the full background check which will expire after 5 years. The link to apply for the full background check can be accessed on the Volunteers/BRAVO link on the ZCS main webpage. For more information, contact the Volunteer/BRAVO Coordinator.
COVID WAVIER
The linked document is the Covid Volunteer Waiver, which is new this year. This form must be filled out by every guest who enters our building. This is NOT a one-time form as it must be filled out every time a guest visits our school. You may print and bring this to the office with you or complete a copy when you arrive.
Above and Beyond
Union Elementary School
Email: jraycroft@zcs.k12.in.us
Website: http://uni.zcs.k12.in.us/
Location: 11750 E 300 S, Zionsville, IN, United States
Phone: 317-733-4007
Twitter: @ZCSUnionElem