Homecroft Elementary School
September Newsletter - Update
September 2019
From the desk of Mr. Cawcutt:
The first week of school went by very quickly and we are racing through week two! It's great to see everyone and have "our kids" back! We would like to welcome all new students and families, in addition to those that have been part of the Homecroft family before.....Welcome Back!
We have a few new staff faces/changes that we would like to hightlight:
- Regan Hjelle is our new K-5 music teacher
- Brenda Antonich is our new Grade 4 teacher
- Susan Chapman and Angela Watters join our grade 1 team
- Doreen Ruhanen has moved to Grade 2
- Doug Trentor is our new school psychologist
Additionally, we have hired several support staff members that will be working with students:
- Tammy Corrigan, Playground/Cafeteria Supervisor
- Melissa Sundeen, Playground/Cafeteria Supervisor
- Lisa Wrazidlo, LPN/Student support
- Sheila Koewler, PreK Reading Corps
Please help us welcome everyone to our Homecroft Family!
A few reminders about procedures as we start getting back into our routines:
- Parents cannot park in the front in the mornings until after 8:00 AM. If you want to come into the building, please park in either the north or south parking lots. Parking in front is not allowed due to bus traffic and for student safety reasons.
- Breakfast begins at 7:30 AM in the cafeteria. Children can go directly to breakfast once the doors open at 7:30.
- If your child is going to be absent, please notify the office.
- If you are picking up your child early from school, please send a note and/or call the office.
We encourage parents to leave kids at the front (or back) door beginning on September 16. Give them a hug, send them in, and know that they are being directed by staff to their classrooms. This will help alleviate some of our traffic in the lots and make the morning more pleasant for all.
Our students are focusing on our three school-wide expectations, which we have been teaching this week: Being Respectful, Being Responsible, and Being Safe. They have learned the classroom and school routines and procedures. Our Kindergarten students will continue to learn more about being a Homecroft Hornet as the year goes on.
Attendance Matters
Our goal this year is to ensure that every student attends school regularly.
Showing up for school has a huge impact on a student’s academic success starting in kindergarten and continuing through high school. Even as children grow older and more independent, families play a key role in making sure students get to school safely every day and understand why attendance is so important for success in school and in life.
We realize some absences are unavoidable due to health problems or other circumstances. But, we also know that when students miss too much school— regardless of the reason – it can cause them to fall behind academically. Your child is less likely to succeed if he or she is chronically absent—which means missing 18 or more days over the course of an entire school year. Research shows:
- Children chronically absent in kindergarten and 1st grade are much less likely to read at grade level by the end of 3rd grade.
- By 6th grade, chronic absence is a proven early warning sign for students at risk for dropping out of school.
- By 9th grade good attendance can predict graduation rates even better than 8th grade test scores.
Absences can add up quickly. A child is chronically absent if he or she misses just two days every month!!
Clearly going to school regularly matters!
We don’t want your child to fall behind in school and get discouraged. Please ensure that your child attends school every day and arrives on time. Here are a few practical tips to help support regular attendance:
- Make sure your children keep a regular bedtime and establish a morning routine.
- Lay out clothes and pack backpacks the night before.
- Ensure your children go to school every day unless they are truly sick
- Avoid scheduling vacations or doctor’s appointments when school is in session.
- Talk to teachers and counselors for advice if your children feel anxious about going to school.
- Develop back up plans for getting to school if something comes up. Call on a family member, neighbor, or another parent to take your child to school.
Let us know how we can best support you and your children so that they can show up for school on time every day. We want your child to be successful in school! If you have any questions or need more information please contact your child’s school.
What if we have bus concerns, needs, or questions?
Instead, if your child has concerns about the bus, it is important for them to first seek assistance from the adult on the bus. Since more of our buses do not have another adult on the bus beside the driver, this would mean they should talk to the driver when things happen.
The bus driver will file incident reports with the school when the situation cannot be handled on the bus. If a child gets a bus referral from the driver, the first consequence will be reteaching the expectations and practicing with an adult at the school. The second referral will result in a one day suspension from the bus. Further bus referrals will result in longer suspensions and could even mean the remainder of the school year.
If there are concerns about the bus, please call Voyageur Bus (218)724-1707, you can call the district transportation office (218)336-8970.
Parents should note that we passed out/shared busing information as timely as we could once it was received from our transportation department which was not until the week of teacher in-service. Thank you for your understanding and patience; let us know if you have questions.
Morning Procedures
What if my child is absent?
Attend Today, Achieve Tomorrow!
What if there is a change for the end of the day?
We ask that you contact the school early in the day if you need to make a change to your child's after school routine. It is best if you directly contact your child's teacher with a note in the morning.
Please do not depend on voicemail or email communication with the teacher as they may not get a chance to check these forms of communication while working with children. If you are unable to reach the teacher, please contact the school office before 1:00 PM with the change request.
Homecroft CIT (Continuous Improvement Team) Needs YOU
Dear Parents/Guardians,
When schools, families and communities work together more students achieve at higher levels.
Knowing that, we’re inviting families to become more involved in our school leadership teams, which are called Continuous Improvement Teams or CITs.
The team includes building administration, teacher leaders, and parents/guardians. Its purpose is to improve student achievement for all learners.
Team meeting dates and times are the decision of each school. In general, teams meet 1-2 time(s) per month for 1-2 hour(s) before or after school. New CIT members will receive introductory training.
CITs also focus on equity. The Duluth School District follows the Ten Minnesota Commitments to Equity. In addition, ISD 709 adopted an equity framework and uses the Tool for Equity Accountability to help make decisions and consider the impact of decisions on all learners.
We encourage you to consider joining your school CIT and helping us with this important work. Please contact your school principal if you’re willing to make the commitment.
You can reach Mr. Cawcutt via phone (218) 336-8865 ext 2703 or via email thomas.cawcutt@isd709.org to discuss your interest and learn more about Homecroft's CIT process.
Thank you for your consideration and support.
Wellness Policy and Snack Time
If you would like more information on our wellness policy please visit...https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B6Jc3S65Ott8ZThVV3VGVFp0bms/view
If you would like to know the snack encouraged by USDA please visit...https://www.fns.usda.gov/healthierschoolday/tools-schools-focusing-smart-snacks
Emergency Procedures
Our first fire drill is scheduled for 9am on Thursday, September 12th. Please not that if it is raining, we will conduct our drill next Monday at the same time.
Our first ALICE drill will be a lockdown drill. This will be on Friday, September 13th at 10 am. To learn more about ALICE, please see the district ALICE informational website.
Here is the information on the Safety Drills as written in our Family Handbook:
Fire Drills / Lockdown Drills / Severe Weather Drill
Each year, the principal is required to conduct five (5) fire drills to ensure that students practice the procedures in case of a fire emergency. The first fire drill must be conducted within the first 10 days of school. In a fire drill, the alarms will go off (rather loudly) and students will be escorted from the classroom quietly, quickly, and in single file out of the building. Teachers will reassure the students that these drills are just “practice”. The first fire drill is communicated out with all staff members. The remaining planned drills are not communicated to staff.
Additionally, five (5) emergency lock down drills are conducted each year. Each drill will be communicated and the first will occur during the first 10 days of school. These drills are NOT indicated with an alarm. Instead, the principal will come over the intercom and announce a lockdown drill PRACTICE. Teachers will lock the students inside of the classroom, keeping them away from visible locations. The students will practice quietly sitting in a location with the lights off. The principal will announce the “All Clear” over the intercom when the practice is concluded.
A severe weather drill is conducted each April. Tornado Safe areas have been indicated for the school. At the intercom announcement (in case we cannot hear the sirens), teachers will move all students to the safe location designated for their class. Students will practice sitting quietly in position until the drill is concluded.
Homecroft Fundraiser!!!
Homecroft Families!
Today our Boosterthon fundraiser kicked off with an exciting Pep Rally! Register your student on FUNRUN.COM using our school’s registration code 734-223 or by searching our school name. Your student will receive a FREE prize just for being registered.
Our goal is to raise $12,000 for Reading/Literacy resources for classrooms, technology needs, and our student activity account.....and we need your help!
Gather pledges from family and friends and enter them on FUNRUN.COM. Your student should be bringing home a Pledgebook today—make sure to check it out to learn more about our fundraiser.
Thanks for helping us make Homecroft even better!
Fall Conferences
Highlight on School-Wide Expectations: Focus on the Lunchroom
Students in grades K-3 will be sitting with their classroom at assigned seats in the cafeteria. Students in grades 4 & 5 may pick their seats with grade level friends within a group of tables.
Here is a breakdown of the cafeteria expectations:
- Level 1-2 voices
- Stay seated
- Follow directions
- Use manners (Please and Thank You)
- Keep hands and feet to self
- Clean up space (floor and table)
- Take only what you will eat
- Eat only the food on your tray
- Follow directions
- Wash hands
- Walk safely
Our goal is to teach the students to be Respectful, Responsible, and Safe in the cafeteria!
Picture Day is coming!
PTA Update
We have our first big event for PTA coming up on September 19th from 6:00-7:30. If you have not attended Harvest Festival before it is a great evening at Homecroft where we can share a homemade dinner and fall activities! There is no cost to attend this event!
This event has grown significantly over the past couple of years and I am looking for some help to put this all together.
Here are the current needs:
1. Help to prepare the meal or donate produce. We can cook together or separately but I need help prepping food or cooking! Dinner is always a variety of soups, breads, veggies and typically an apple desert. Please consider helping out! Meal prep will be on the 18th and 19th.
2. APPLES! Homecroft is really lucky to have "The Cider Man" at the Harvest Festival this year!! Paul is amazing and brings an old press where we can help make and drink the cider! To do this we need about 8 banana boxes worth of apples. If you can pick or have a tree that you would share apples from please let me know!
3. Animals. We have been very fortunate to have 4H involvement in this event. If you have a small farm animal you would be willing to share with our Homecroft Families contact me with details and your ideas.
4. Help serving or with crafts. With the popularity of this dinner we need extra hands to serve or help with the activity table.
Please feel free to contact me with any support you can provide.
You can sign-up though the following link:
We are excited to get our PTA year off to a successful start!
Feel free to share this email with any friends from Homecroft as currently this email is only shared with our PTA members and a few known PTA past helpers.
Also, our first PTA meeting of the year is September 24th at 6:00. Come see what is happening and share your ideas!
Jessica Linsten
PTA Board Member
218-348-0028