The Leighton News
September 17, 2021
From the Principal
Dear Leighton Families,
What another great week as we have enjoyed building a strong foundation of nurturing relationships and setting the stage for academic success while kicking off our Autumn Assessment administration. These assessments occur 3 times a year ( Fall, Winter, and Spring) and support instructional decision-making.
As a reminder our K-5 Autumn Assessment Dates are the following:
Today ONLY students with last names beginning with the letters A - L attended school. (M-Z stayed home)
On Monday, September 20th ONLY students with the last names beginning with the letters M - Z will attend school. (A-L will stay home)
Our Positive Behavior Intervention and Support Program is underway as Caught Being Good Tickets abound for demonstrating our 3 pillars of being respectful, responsible, and a problem solver. We have learned, practiced, and reinforced what our pillars look like and sounds like in all areas of the school. Next week we will be honing in on our focus skills including listening, following directions, being a good digital citizen, keeping hands, feet, and unkind words to yourself. Our pillars and focus skills are directly correlated to our 6 competencies while aligning to our Strategic Vision. Students are enjoying our biweekly challenge at lunch and recess where classes with the most positive compliments earn tallies. Classes with the most tallies in each grade level at the end of a two-week period earn the 3 foot Golden Fork to place outside of their classroom for all to see while deciding on a treat of popsicles at lunch or an extra recess. The excitement gets high at the end of each month as well where our Caught Being Good Tickets make their way to the office for our monthly office drawing and PBIS store winners. Our Quarterly awards are right around the corner as well where students enjoy a building-wide event! Leighton Pride is Building Wide!
Finally, you may have noticed that we added an additional communication in regards to positive cases of COVID-19 in your child's homeroom class. Moving forward, you will receive a Final Forms communication if there is a positive contact case in their classroom. We will continue to make specific phone calls to close contacts as well as building-wide communication.
Thank you to our amazing parent community for all your support and patience this year as we have been working very hard to ensure the safety, nurturing, and positive learning environment for each of our learners. We appreciate your continued partnership.
Kind Regards,
Michelle Nizen, Building Principal
Maria Goodman, Assistant Principal
Safety Resources
Wellness Checklist https://docs.google.com/document/d/1NuZKiyoUBTTc-ufkLA6HoqWaoEVdY5WrlhybrW6UJzw/edit?usp=sharing
ACSD Face Covering Guidelines https://docs.google.com/document/d/11Rxr3YZzB7bTFq8dlD9vA0XSG6vFOqXEwhn0n6YihoI/edit?usp=sharing
ODH Quarantine Flowchart https://coronavirus.ohio.gov/static/responsible/covid-19-fact-sheet-k-12-exposure-and-quarantine-flow-chart.pdf
ACSD Opening Plans 2021-2022 https://docs.google.com/document/d/1q1Xak0ezZQ3DYAGUej9g2oq9_CICfftxCfKJxyzrhA0/edit?usp=sharing
Face Covering Guidelines
ACSD Face Covering Guidelines
(Last Update 9/14/21)
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, in accordance with CDC recommendations, as well as the Governor’s mandate during 2020, the Aurora City School District implemented a face covering policy during the 2020-21 school year and will continue it as needed for the 2021-2022 school year. The ACSD is adopting a layered approach to manage and minimize the risk of spreading the virus with face coverings playing an important role. As stated by the CDC, “Cloth face coverings are recommended as a simple barrier to help prevent respiratory droplets from traveling into the air and onto other people when the person wearing the cloth face covering coughs, sneezes, talks or raises their voice. This is called source control.” This measure is especially important when individuals are not socially distanced.
Masks for face coverings can be purchased or made at home from cotton material. According to CDC guidance, an effective cloth face covering will:
fit snugly but comfortably against the side of the face
be secured with ties or ear loops
include multiple layers of fabric (most gaiters are NOT multiple)
allow for breathing without restriction
be able to be laundered and machine-dried without damage or change to shape
Multi-layered cloth face coverings will be required of students, staff, and visitors at all district buildings. The CDC has noted “that masks should cover the mouth and nose, be secured under the chin and fit snugly on all sides.” These face coverings will need to be worn properly at all times while inside and moving around the facilities. Opportunities for breaks will be provided when students are socially distanced outside of the buildings.
There may be instances where certain students or staff are not able to wear face coverings, due to documented health conditions or other factors, in which case other precautions such as social distancing, and face shields will be utilized.
PE Innovators Created Their Own Obstacle Courses
Student Attendance
Counselor's Corner
Be sure to visit my Google Site (often) for updates and fun things we are doing!!
https://sites.google.com/aurora-schools.org/leightonschoolcounselor/home?authuser=1
Tami S. Mazzella
School Counselor
330-954-2260
Choir Reminder: A Note from Mrs. Iriarte
Due to current conditions groups of students will be kept to groups of 20 per group. Students will sing during their recess for one month with a safe distance in the classroom while wearing masks. Students will make an in-class recording that will be shared in lieu of a large concert.
Please fill out this Google Form to sign up! https://forms.gle/WbTsyPwnbh3dSuNs5
BIG SHOUT-OUT!
Mrs. Chartier and Mrs. Nizen are so proud of 5th-Graders, Madison, Jenny, Brooklyn, and Nick for the initiative they took to clean up our school trail without any prompting! During their short morning snack break/mask break time, they used their time to go up and down the trail to pick up the trash they noticed earlier this year. They cleaned up 2 full and 1/2 grocery sized bags of trash! What a way to set an example and be 5th-Grade role models!
PTO News
MUMKIN PICKUP LOCATION HAS CHANGED TO MILLER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Mumkin pickup is Sunday 9/19 9:30 AM-12:00 PM
Please use the links below to access all PTO information for the 21-22 school year!
PTO Head Room Parent Sign-up Form
Coming soon! The Aurora Elementary PTO presents its 4th Annual 5K Haunted Hustle and One Mile Pumpkin Fun Run!! https://runsignup.com/Race/OH/Aurora/AuroraHauntedHustle
We hope you can join in on the fun!!
Our next fundraiser kicks off soon! Be on the lookout for our Charleston Wrap fundraising info coming soon and get ready to start checking off your holiday gift list! You’re going to LOVE what you see, and your support will help us reach our fundraising goal!
5th-Grade Volume Cities
Mrs. Nagy's Math Class!
Showcasing our Mathematical Thinking!
Learning is Social and We Love to Collaborate!
Important Dates and Reminders
Monday, 9/20 - Autumn Assessments for Last Names M-Z
Monday, 9/27 - Board of Education Meeting 7:00 PM
Friday, 10/8 - NEOEA Day - No School
Monday, 10/11 - Teacher PD Day - No School for Students
Tuesday, 10/12 - PTO Meeting 7:00 PM at the Annex
Friday, 10/15 - End of 1st Grading Period
Friday, 10/22 - Report Cards Distributed
Monday, 10/25 - Board of Education Meeting 7:00 PM
Tuesday, 10/26 - School Picture Re-Take Day
Thursday, 10/28 - LES Band Concert 7:00 PM at High School
Friday, 10/29 - Fall Festival
LUNCH MENU
Click on the link below to view the school lunch menus. We HIGHLY encourage you to check the menu each week to see if any changes will be occurring.
Clinic Updates
As a reminder, please monitor your child for any COVID-related symptoms and contact our school nurse if you have any questions. We appreciate your attention to this.
- Check your child each day for COVID-related symptoms. If your child is showing any symptoms whatsoever, it is best to keep him/her home to monitor.
- Students sent home with a fever, may not return to school until they are fever-free without medication for at least 24 hours. This means if your child was sent home on Tuesday at 12:00 p.m. with a fever, he/she may not return to school until Thursday. If your child does return the next day, our school nurse will be calling for you to come to pick him/her up. Thank you for your support and efforts in this area.
- We have COVID-19 home testing kits available that we can send home with any child or family should you question symptoms or exposure. We will be able to answer any questions about these kits should the need arise.
- Please make sure your Final Forms medical information is up to date. We will closely read the health sections to address any medical concerns.
If you have any questions, please contact Mrs. Tanski in the clinic at 330-954-2285 or email her at atanski@aurora-schools.org
**** If your child will be absent for an extended period, please reach out to your child's teacher and they will get school work ready for your student for the period of the absence. You may pick up the work outside the main office on a table that will be labeled with your student's name.
Arrival/Dismissal Procedures and Transportation
Thank you for your patience as we have worked very hard to ensure a safe, smooth, and rapid arrival and dismissal process.
For transportation information go to:
https://versatransweb04.tylertech.com/Aurora/elinkrp/Login.aspx (cut & paste into your browser)
The login information is as follows:
User name = jane.smith (That is the students first name period last name with no spaces) Password = students date of birth 01012021 with no characters or spaces between mmdayyear
Please be reminded we now have GPS on all of the school buses. You can see when the bus is to arrive at your home. Download the app "versatrans my stop" from the app store and sign in the same as above. If you have any questions or concerns with transportation, please email us at transportationinfo@aurora-schools.org
Leighton Elementary School
Mrs. Maria Goodman - Assistant Principal
Email: dzorc@aurora-schools.org
Website: aurora-schools.org
Location: 121 Aurora Hudson Road, Aurora, OH, USA
Phone: (330)562-2209
Twitter: @michelle_nizen