Union Elementary Weekly Update
Sunday, November 28, 2021
We hope all of our families had a wonderful Thanksgiving break. We look forward to welcoming our students back to school tomorrow, November 29th!
Mark Your Calendar!
December 6-17 - NWEA testing window
December 7 - Dads Club Meeting at 7 PM at Greek's Pizzeria in Zionsville
December 9 - PTO Meeting at 10 AM at Union
December 12 - Winterfest presented by Dads Club at Mulberry Fields from 10-11:30 AM (see below for more information)
December 17 - End of Quarter 2/Semester 1 and Class Winter Parties
December 20-31 - Winter Break (no school)
January 17 - MLK Jr. Day (no school)
January 18 - Teacher professional development day (no school for students)
January 22 - STEM/Wellness Morning (10 AM-12PM) - Explore the Outdoors!
February 4 - Tentative Date for Union's Soiree presented by the PTO (more information to come)
February 14 - Valentine's Day
February 21-25 - Presidents' Day/February Break (no school)
March 11 and 12 - Spotlight Night (details to come)
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)
Kindergarten Pajama Drive
Recess Reminder
Good Bye to Miss Kryger
Holiday Assistance Information
As we approach the holiday season, we are aware that members of our school community may be seeking assistance to provide for their families. We have been working with a number of agencies to assist in connecting families with ongoing and/or holiday support for food, clothing, and financial assistance. Please contact our school counselor, Lori Karnuta, if we can offer any assistance in connecting your family with a support agency.
Please note the following agencies provide a variety of assistance for families. Please contact the agencies directly for a full list of services:
Love, Inc. Hours 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. Mon/Wed/Fri (765) 482-6144 https://www.loveincbc.org/
Love, Inc. provides short term assistance and education services supported by numerous Boone County Churches
Zionsville Food Pantry – Serving all of Boone County
Located at Zionsville Presbyterian Church, (317) 873-6503.
The Caring Center 1230 Ransdell Ct., Lebanon, IN 46052 (765) 482-2020. Visit www.thecaringcenter.net for additional information. Assistance with holiday food baskets, Christmas gifts, Thanksgiving meals.
Boone County Toy Drive
(765) 482-4641. Provides assistance with toys and gifts for children and teens.
Help 4 Hoosiers Offers a variety of resources. https://www.help4hoosiers.org/
Indiana 211 Families can access resources by calling 211 directly or visiting https://in211.communityos.org/
Food Assistance Availability Map https://www.in.gov/fssa/dfr/food-assistance-availability-map/?fbclid=IwAR0qdNVKD-Dsxkn0_tAd2Bk5_PJo_newqBp1-qCcSiKFkGflBLtxXeTGqOQ
Feeding Indiana’s Hungry https://feedingindianashungry.org/find-your-food-bank/
PTO Updates
Meeting Information
Next meeting is December 7 at 10 AM at Union Elementary. The link will be sent out via email closer to the meeting date.
Click here for instructions for linking AmazonSmile to support Union's PTO
12 Days of Excitement!
The Union PTO is proud to start a new tradition to honor our teachers and instructional staff with 12 days of excitement! During the last 12 days prior to winter break, every morning, 4-5 teachers will be drawn on the morning announcements , and the winners will receive a $10 gift card to either Target, Starbucks, or Amazon. The kids will love hearing their teachers' names, and it is a way to add excitement and joy to the winter season. We hope this year is a smashing success, and we can extend it to all staff next year. Thank you for helping us make Union Elementary such a special place!
If you would like to support this fun event, please either send your gift card in with your child's folder in an envelope titled 12 Days of Excitement, or please drop it off to Elizabeth Shively's house: 11535 Willow Springs Drive, Zionsville, 46077 prior to December 1st.
Spotlight Night 2022!
If you would like to volunteer for this amazing event, please contact Rebecca Rozich.
Dads Club Updates
Meeting Information
Our next meeting is Tuesday, December 7, 2021 at 7 PM at Greek's Pizza in Zionsville. Hope to see you there!
If you have any questions please contact Jake Webster at jwebster1220@yahoo.com.
Union Winterfest 2021 presented by Dads Club
- When: Sunday, December 12th, 2021 from 10-11:30 AM
- Where: Mulberry Fields Park in Zionsville
This year, Zionsville is hosting its first ever Winterfest. Union Dads Club is joining in on the fun! Before the event opens to the public for the day on Sunday, December 12th, Union Elementary will have the opportunity to enjoy time together for a private event for all of Union's students and families! Some of the Union Winterfest favorite traditions will still be present- Yeti stuffed animals, hot cocoa, a sled raffle, and of course, community building! We will also add some new events, such as ice skating (covered by the Dads Club during the 10-11:30 AM time frame).
We hope you will stop by and join the fun!
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
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.
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!
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.
Major Changes to the 1:1 Computer Program at the Middle Schools starting in the Fall of 2022
During the November 8 board meeting, ZCS school board members approved an updated 1:1 technology plan. Beginning in the fall next year (2022-2023 school year), Zionsville Middle School (ZMS) and Zionsville West Middle School (ZWMS) will be using a staggered approach to transition into a 1:1 rental program that will eliminate the Bring Your Own Device (BYOD). *These changes will only affect the current 4th grade class (class of 2030), students who are incoming 5th graders next year at ZMS and ZWMS.*
How it works.
Current 4th grade students (Class of 2030) will be required to rent a Lenovo 11e from ZCS for the start of their 5th grade year in 2022. Students in grades 6-8 will maintain their BYOD status for the 2022 school year so as not to interfere with already purchased devices. All current middle school students who started with BYOD will have the option to maintain BYOD status throughout their middle school years. The chart attached shows the staggered approach over the next four years as we transition out of BYOD and into this new rental program.
For more details about this change, including financing, please visit the following
link: https://www.zcs.k12.in.us/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=458767&type=d&pREC_ID=2267749.
If you have questions, reach out to Dan Layton at dlayton@zcs.k12.in.us.
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