Blue Ash Elementary Newsletter
September 3, 2021
Thumbs up and smiles for our first week!
Learning each others' names is an important first step!
Music makes us feel so many different ways!
From Mrs. Combs and Mrs. Ament....
Parents, you may notice that your children are a little extra tired this week.....our staff is a little extra tired too! That is because our days are filled with so much new learning. It may take a little time to adjust, but we are on our way!
We have included some continued and additional reminders below to help you adjust to the year as well. We very much appreciate all of the support. It truly makes a difference for our school, and is just one of the reasons why the Blue Ash community is so awesome!
:)Mrs. Combs and Mrs. Ament
We are building community....
Getting our wiggles out....
And exploring books already!!!
Upcoming Dates
September 6 - Labor Day - No School!
September 7 - All Preschool students attend together!
September 9 - 9:30 am -10:30 am PTO Welcome Back Coffee - Blue Ash Rec Center - Walnut Shelter
September 21 - Picture Day!
September 21- Virtual Curriculum Preview -
5:00 pm (preschool only)
6:00 pm (Preschool through 4th grade classes)
7:00 pm (Kdg through 4th grade classes)
Meet your child’s teacher live during our virtual curriculum preview night! There are multiple sessions that you can choose from. This will allow for parents who have multiple children in the district to attend other sessions. More information will be sent to you from your child’s teacher.
Special Teacher Open House Video
Important Information/Reminders:
Please keep in mind that buses may be late transporting your child home the first couple weeks of school.
Click HERE to access the supply list. Students do not need to bring in all of their supplies on day 1. Parents can send them in gradually the first week.
School Hours
We will continue with the school hours that we used last year:
9:00-3:30 Full Day Kindergarten & Grades 1-4
9:00-11:55 A.M. Kindergarten 9:15 - 11:45 A.M. Preschool
12:35 - 3:30 P.M. Kindergarten 1:15 - 3:45 P.M. Preschool
Drop Off and Pick Up
Per CDC and Health Department, the student’s parent/caregiver will take your child’s temperature and evaluate symptoms using this checklist prior to going to the bus stop or coming to school. It is not necessary that parents turn in this checklist to the school. It is provided to serve as a guide for your morning routine.
Students will arrive via car or bus and enter the building at 8:50am.
Bus riders will be dropped off in the front of the building and will enter through the 3rd and 4th grade doors.
Car riders will be dropped off in the back parking lot and enter through the central doors. Please review the Car Drop Off video and Map for a visual of how you are to drive your car around the school grounds. Cars will pull up to the gate or immediately behind the car in front of them. Please make sure that your child is ready to exit the driver’s side when you arrive. Parents are not to exit their car. Staff will monitor and support students as needed. Please pay attention to the staff as they will direct you for when you can pull away from the curb. We must all be patient to keep our children safe. Please also be aware that buses will be pulling out from the front parking lot. NEW this year: A reminder: The “access lane” off of Plainfield Road is EXIT ONLY and cars can ONLY TURN RIGHT onto Plainfield.
AM/PM Kindergarten Car Rider Drop Off and Pick Up:
AM Kindergarten students will be dropped off in the back of the school with other car riders. See Drop Off video above. AM Kindergarten students will be picked up at 11:55 am. Parents will park their car in the front lot, walk to the Preschool/Kindergarten entrance (by the front playground), and wait for their child near the picnic table. BAE staff will walk your child to you and will sign off that you picked them up.
PM Kindergarten parents will drive to the front lot and park, and have their child by the Preschool/Kindergarten entrance by 12:35, (by the front playground), and wait for BAE staff to check in their child. PM kindergarten students will be picked up in the back of the school building, see car rider video above.
Champions students will be dropped off in the back of the school, and will follow the procedure put in place by the Champions organization. If you are dropping your child off after 8:30am, you will need to remain in the student drop off line. Please do not try to pass other cars, or drop off in front of the school.
Late student arrival
It is imperative that students come to school on time to adequately engage in all academic and social experiences. We realize that there may be times that a student must arrive after the 9:00 tardy bell rings. Students who arrive to school after 9:00 will need to enter the building using the front main entrance. Office staff will buzz them into the school. A parent will need to sign them in.
Your child’s safety is always a high priority for us. Here’s how you can help:
~Please use the district parent communication form to let the teacher and office know if a child will be picked up early Ie. doctor’s appointment. This should be sent in with the child the day of. Click here for the communication form. If someone other than a parent is picking up your child, the person’s full name should be included on the form. We will ask to see proper ID before releasing your child to anyone.
~If there are sensitive custody situations or existing restraint orders, please notify one of our administrators immediately.
~ If you are picking up your child during the course of the school day, please park in the front lot, and press the intercom button by the front door. When you are buzzed into the vestibule, you will see a clipboard to your right. You will sign your child out here and the front office staff will dismiss your child through the front door.
Bus riders will be boarding their bus in the front of school.
Car riders will be picked up in the back of the school. Parents are to follow the same traffic pattern as morning drop off. Curbside Pick up Procedures
Students must continue to ride the bus that they are assigned to. Transportation will not transport students home with a friend. Please make other arrangements.
Dismissal Plan Changes
We understand dismissal plans sometimes change. If this should occur, please complete a Parent Communication Form and fax to our front office no later than 3:00 pm. Our fax # 513-792-0305. The end of the day gets very busy for our office staff and we want to make sure that our children get where they need to be safely.
Do not email the teacher with dismissal changes as they may not have an opportunity to check their email prior to the dismissal of students.
Thank you for helping us keep your child safe!
From the Transportation Department....
Transportation/Bus Routes
You will be able to find your child's bus route information for the 2021-2022 school year inside the Sycamore Community Schools Mobile App! Simply enter your Parent Portal email and password into "Student Info Log-in" to access this information on your smartphone. Download the app today from Google Play or iTunes.
You can also check your routes by entering your student ID on the Transportation page of our website.
We assume that all children will be picked up and dropped off from their residence unless you have submitted a transportation request form for an alternate arrangement. Only students requiring an alternate plan are required to submit a transportation request form stating the alternate plan. This form is required for each new school year and many parents have submitted one over the summer. If you have submitted a form for this coming school year, you do not need to fill out another form.
Additional transportation forms are available online from the district website: www.sycamoreschools.org / click on “Services”, then “Transportation” This form will remain on file and a copy will be given to the homeroom teacher.
*All changes of transportation require 3 business days to process.
From Nurse Wyrick.....
Our licensed school nurse, Mrs. Diana Wyrick, MS, BSN, RN, NCSN can be reached directly in the health room by dialing 686-1713 or at wyrickd@sycamoreschools.org.
~Forms needed - All Preschool, Kindergarten or New Students to the district are required to have the following medical forms on file by the first day of school: a copy of current immunization records, student health history, physical and dental exam forms (completed by health care providers). All health forms can be found Here.
~Student medication - Prescription, over the counter or herbal remedies may be administered by Mrs. Wyrick or trained school personnel at school only if the school has a current medication form completed and signed by your child’s healthcare provider and the parent. Prescription and over the counter medications need to be in the original bottle with the child’s name, time of administration and correct dosage listed. If your child needs medication starting with the first day of school, the medication form must be filled out and returned prior to the first day of school. If you have medication to bring to school prior to the first day of school, please contact Mrs. Wyrick. When coming to school to drop off medication to the school nurse, you will be directed to drive to the front circle of the building. Call 513-686-1713 when you arrive in the front circle of the building. Students are not permitted to carry medication to school – a parent needs to bring the medication and completed form with parent and physician signatures when dropping off prescription medication and over the counter medication. Please count prescription medication and write the number of pills in the bottle on a note and place it in a plastic bag with your child’s name clearly marked on the plastic bag and photo of your child. The medication will be counted by the school nurse when checking medication into the clinic. If any count discrepancy is noted the parent will be notified.
~Health Concerns - Health concerns such as food allergies, asthma, seizures or diabetes, a new action plan form needs to be completed each school year. Children with food allergies must complete a Food Allergy Notification Form indicating a student's food allergy and signed by a physician to have substitutions available. If your child has had any health changes during the summer, please update new health information in Final Forms prior to the first day of school.
Please contact Mrs. Wyrick if you have questions regarding immunizations, health forms or student health concerns.
CAFETERIA NEWS!
Click HERE to access the menu.
Free Lunch and Breakfast for all students! *Still need to waive school fees? See below:
While this means that completion of the free and reduced application isn’t needed to qualify for free meals, there are other reasons you may wish to complete the form for your family. Examples: Free/Reduced Kindergarten tuition, waive of school fees.
By applying online you will get an immediate response as to how your family qualifies benefits. You may apply at any point during the school year.
Go to http://www.sycamoreschools.org/Page/2292 and complete each prompt to successfully apply today.
Parent Portal
Parent Portal is located on the Sycamore Community Schools website and allows parents to pay school expenses online 24 hours a day. For example, you will be able to add money to your child’s meal account and pay academic fees online! Go to www.sycamoreschools.org in order to create an account.
Your child should bring a water bottle every day. Students can refill their bottle in class, but cannot go to the hall water fountains during lunch. All hallway fountains will remain closed for the 2021-22 school year. If your child forgets his/her water bottle, please do not bring them one. Their teacher can help them problem solve, or they may purchase a small water bottle during lunch.
Child Nutrition Department Updates for the 2021-22 School Year:
Free Meals for 2021-22 School Year
Sycamore Schools will offer FREE breakfast and lunch at every school for the entire 2021-22 school year for ALL Sycamore students. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has passed meal waivers for the entire school year allowing this. Please note, this only applies to a student's first meal, any second meals or a la carte drinks and snacks will still cost money and be offered daily.
Free and Reduced Price Meal Application for the 2021-22 School Year Q&A
1. Do I need to fill out a free and reduced price meal application this school year?
You only need to complete a free and reduced meal application for the 2021-22 school year if one of the following pertains to you:
You are new to the district and believe that your income qualifies your family.
Your family circumstances have changed. (ie. new family members living in the household, change in combined family income, or you believe you would now qualify when you did not in the past)
2. Am I understanding you, if I qualified for free and reduced price meals last school year I do NOT need to fill out a free and reduced application this school year?
Yes. You do not need to submit the free and reduced price meals application this school year if you were approved for free or reduced price meals during the 2019-20 AND/OR the 2020-21 school year.
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has given districts permission to carry these meal status’ over to this school year.
If you qualified for free or reduced price meals during either the 2019-20 and/or 2020-21 school year and your status is being carried over, you should have received an email inviting you to fill out a new Authorization to Share Information Form. This is important for fee waiver purposes.
Food Allergy Notification Form
The school’s Food Allergy Notification form and additional information can be found HERE
A form does not need to be filled out yearly, only as information changes BUT does need to be on file for a notification to be placed on the student’s school meal account
Contact warrenk@sycamoreschools.org with any specific questions on food allergies or how your student can eat for FREE with us this year safely!
Online Payments
While all meals are free, money still needs to be put on students' accounts if they wish to buy a la carte entrees, snacks or drinks as these are not included. LOAD MONEY ON ACCOUNT HERE or send cash or check in with your student to school.
Setting up Meal Restrictions on Student Meal Account
CLICK HERE to learn more about how to set up meal restrictions on your student’s meal account.
Nationwide Food Shortages Will Affect Your School Kitchens This School Year
There are nationwide food shortages that will affect our department this school year due to unavailable items or last minute replacements by the distributors/manufacturers. Menus are subject to change, as always, but more than ever this school year. We will do our best to provide timely notification to families when major outages occur affecting the menu(s). We appreciate your patience and understanding.
Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to keep up with our department, daily menus and more! @SycamoreCNS
Sycamore Schools Mobile App
Sycamore Community Schools Mobile App will keep you up to date!
If you have not done so already, we recommend that you download the district app.
The app features:
The latest district and school news
Push notifications about breaking news, closures, weather, events, and more
Easy access to lunch menus and calendars
School and staff directory
Parent log-in to access grades, fees, attendance, and bus information
The app is FREE and available for download today! Visit www.goav.es/sycamoremobileapp for more information.
"Having trouble logging into the app? Please reset your Parent Portal password online. You will need to wait 24 hours for the system to refresh before trying to log back into the app."
Champions Before and After School Care Program
Knowledge Learning Corporation (School Partnerships) will operate the “Champions” before and after school program at Blue Ash Elementary in our cafeteria. This program is an early morning program (6:30 – 8:50 A.M.) and an after school program (3:30 – 6:00 P.M.). For details, including enrollment, go to their website: www.discoverchampions.com. The School Partnerships’ administrative phone number is: 984-4878 ext. 15. Please note there is a 48 hour processing period. The onsite phone number is 686-1719.
Champions parents will drop off students by pulling around to the back of the school, Car Drop Off video , before 8:30 a.m. Parents are NOT to drop off children in the front of the school building as this will be used with buses and preschool. Champions will greet parents/children at the door, and then escort the child to the cafeteria. We are not allowing the parents to come beyond the vestibule at the back door.
PTO INFORMATION
PTO
The BLUE ASH ELEMENTARY PTO (Parent-Teacher Organization) is made up of parents/guardians, teachers, and staff members. PTO Membership is open to anyone wishing to improve the school environment and student experience at Blue Ash Elementary. Your membership will give you access to DirectorySpot, our online student directory app. Information regarding the DirectorySpot app will be emailed to PTO members this fall.
What does the PTO do?
• Supports student clubs and programs, educational assemblies, staff appreciation
• Funds staff project requests (Student learning items, updating all of the classroom libraries, flexible seating for various classrooms, ESOL books and games, replacing older musical instruments, and PT, OT, and speech therapy equipment.)
• Odd Couple Dance and Family Fun Night (roller skating at Castle Skateland)
• Author visits Why become a member?
• You are supporting student programs and activities, technology advancements, and staff appreciation, and much more throughout the year!
• Ability to vote on PTO decisions
Choose a membership level:
• $10 – you will receive access to DirectorySpot, our online student directory app
• $20 – you will receive DirectorySpot access and a BAE car magnet as a thank you gift (limited quantity available)
• $50 – you will receive DirectorySpot access, a BAE car magnet, and a stainless steel water bottle as thank you gifts (limited quantities available)
How do I become a member? (you can also make an optional hassle-free donation)
• Use the following link: https://tinyurl.com/vbrt6h38
If you have any questions, please contact Kathy Wynkoop (Membership Chair) at baptomembership@sycamoreschools.org
Thank you for your generosity!
Welcome Back Coffee
We'd love you to Join us for our meetings and events throughout the year. Our first meeting and Welcome Back Coffee is scheduled for Thursday, September 9th in-person at the Walnut Shelter at the Blue Ash Nature Park. We'll gather at 9:30. It's the perfect opportunity to grab a coffee, come find out what's going on at your child's school, and meet other parents. All are welcome, even those parents with younger children who might not be in school yet.
***Due to pavement resurfacing being done at the Nature Park on Sept 9th, access to the Walnut Shelter can only be obtained by entering the park from the Blue Ash Presbyterian Church parking lot. The walnut shelter is the first shelter on the path from that access point***
Here is a full list of all of our BAE PTO meetings and events.
Spiritwear
We've got spirit, yes we do!!! Every Friday is spiritwear day at BAE, and our fall spiritwear sale runs this Friday, September 3rd through Friday, September 17th. It's the perfect time to stock up on Blue Ash Owl apparel. Use the following link to place your order.
https://commerce.gqproducts.com/blueash
Orders will be delivered to BAE about 2 weeks after the sale has closed and will be sent home with students.
Other ways to support the PTO
There are several ways you can help support Blue Ash Elementary through things you do on a regular basis, such as shopping at Kroger or Amazon, scanning Box Tops, or eating out during one of our restaurant nights. Please encourage your family, friends and neighbors to help in our fundraising opportunities.
AMAZON SMILE Amazon will donate 0.5% of the price of your eligible AmazonSmile purchases to Blue Ash Elementary PTO whenever you shop. AmazonSmile is the same Amazon you know: same products, same prices, same service.
Support BAE by shopping at smile.amazon.com. Visit the website to enroll.
BOX TOPS FOR EDUCATION Box Tops = money to get sports equipment for gym classes. Box tops has made the switch to an app that can be downloaded on your mobile phone. Choosing products during your grocery shopping with box tops labels on them, then scanning your printed grocery receipt into the mobile app after shopping can help BAE earn money for the PTO. Visit http://www.boxtops4education.com to learn more.
KROGER PLUS CARD –
IF YOU DO NOT HAVE A KROGER PLUS CARD:
Obtain a digital Kroger Plus Card when creating an account online or at any Kroger store.
Link your card at www.KrogerCommunityRewards.com.
You must have a registered Kroger Plus card account online to link your card to Blue Ash Elementary.
IF YOU DO HAVE A KROGER PLUS CARD, go to www.KrogerCommunityRewards.com
If you are a new online Kroger.com customer, click the “Create an Account” button. You will need to enter your email address, create a password, enter your zip code, click on favorite store, and agree to the terms and conditions. Once you are done entering your information you will get a message asking you to check your email inbox and click on the link within the body of the email that was sent to activate your Kroger account. If you already have an online Kroger.com account, click the “Sign In” button. Enter your email address and password and click on “Sign In”. Click “Community” (along the top of the screen) then “Community Rewards” (the drop down menu).
Click the “Enroll Now” button, complete personal information, click on save. Under Community Rewards (at the bottom of the screen) click the “Enroll” button
Enter “Blue Ash Elementary PTO” the BAE PTO Number “84564” then click the “Search” button
Select “Blue Ash Elementary PTO” and click the “Enroll” button
Once you are linked, you can start earning rewards immediately toward the organization you are supporting. (Note: The message saying that you are supporting an organization through the Kroger Community Rewards program will start printing on your receipt about 10 business days after you linked your card.)
Room Parent
You can help make your child’s school year extra fun and memorable! Your child’s class needs a Primary/CoPrimary Room Parent and two or more Assistant Room Parents.
This is a wonderful, engaging way to participate in your child’s BAE experience and to get to know your child’s teacher and friends! We really appreciate your interest and know you will enjoy it! For additional information and to sign up: https://forms.gle/eVUhMbFXMtTEzZXm9