Sheiko Shark Tales
September 2nd, 2022
Principal Update
Dear Team Sheiko,
Well, it definitely wasn't the start to the school year that we all envisioned! With that said, it was wonderful to see students back in the building this week. Their smiles, energy and positive attitudes were infectious! I'm especially proud of our Sheiko Leaders for demonstrating a commitment to our school expectations of being respectful, responsible and safe. I was proud of all students for demonstrating these expectations while transitioning in the hallways this week. Way to go, Sharks!
This newsletter is a doozy! I promise that they will get shorter as the year goes on. Please be sure to read through this newsletter in its entirety so that you are aware of important dates, procedures and expectations.
Newsletter at a glance:
- Important Dates
- Curriculum Night Information- Tuesday, Sept. 13th (see info below)
- Bell Schedule
- 5th Grade Instrumental Music Information
- Breakfast/Lunch Information
- Arrival/Dismissal Information
- PTO Meeting- Sept. 8th at 6:30 PM in the Sheiko iCenter
- Building Procedures
- Snacks
- iCenter Book Return/Check-Out
- Attendance
- Planners/Homework
- MTSS Info
- Sheiko Spiritwear Orders
- Severe Allergies
- Student Expectations
- Lunch Logistics
- Young Rembrandts Community Education Information
- School Calendar
- Volunteer Information
Enjoy the holiday weekend! I look forward to welcoming our students back on Tuesday, September 6th.
Educationally Yours,
Ashleigh Larkin
Principal, Sheiko Elementary
Email: ashleigh.larkin@wbsd.org
Important Dates
- Friday, September 2nd-Monday, September 5th: No School for Labor Day Weekend
- Thursday, September 8th: First PTO Meeting at Sheiko at 6:30 PM in the iCenter
- Tuesday, September 13th: Curriculum Night (in-person, see details below)
- Wednesday, September 14th: Mr. Peace Assembly for all grade levels
- Friday, September 23rd & Monday, September 26th: No School
- Wednesday, October 5th: No School
- Thursday, October 6th: Count Day
Tuesday, October 11th: Picture Day
Tuesday, November 22nd: Picture Retakes
Curriculum Night- Tuesday, September 13th
2022-2023 Bell Schedule
5th Grade Instrumental Music Information
5th Grade Parents,
We are excited about the start of this school year, and we hope that your 5th graders are enjoying every minute of their experience with us so far. Instrumental Music (Band or Orchestra) is one of the many exciting opportunities that we have in store for your 5th graders this year. Our 5th graders will have the choice to participate in 5th grade Instrumental Music during the school day this year!
Please save the date (see below) for an informational 5th Grade Instrumental Music Zoom Webinar Parent Meeting to learn more about Instrumental Music. Please note that the date for this meeting has changed from what you saw on the handout provided at our Popsicles with the Principal event.
5th Grade Instrumental Music Parent Meeting
Date: Thursday, September 29th
Time: 7-8:30 pm
Location: Zoom Webinar
Link to Webinar: Zoom Webinar Link
Please be on the lookout for additional information about the program between now and September 29th. Most importantly, please reserve time in your calendar on Thursday, September 29th at 7 pm to learn all about this awesome opportunity.
Sincerely,
Ashleigh Larkin
Breakfast/Lunch Information
Please note that breakfast and lunch is NO LONGER FREE TO ALL STUDENTS. If you would like to apply for free or reduced lunch, please follow the steps outlined in the letter above.
Arrival/Dismissal Information
Arrival/Dismissal Video
Keeping Everyone Safe
Please review these important tips to keep our students and staff safe during arrivals and dismissals. It would also be very helpful to screenshot or share this information with anyone else who might be dropping your student off or picking them up. With nearly 420 students arriving and dismissing in short periods of time it's important that everyone commit to a safe and orderly process.
Parking Lot Safety Reminders
In order to keep all students and staff members safe, everyone who drives to Sheiko to drop off or pick up a student must adhere to the processes in place and make safe decisions.
Remember:
- Do not walk your child through the front bus lot or the carline, it is extremely dangerous.
- Parking and standing with your child behind your vehicle is an unnecessary distraction for cars navigating the carline and merge point and also very unsafe.
- It is right turn only out of the carline. Please do not turn left when leaving the carline.
- Buses only in the front parking lot from 8:30 AM-9:15 AM AND 3:30 PM-4:25 PM.
- If you are picking your student up from school early, but you are after 3:30 PM, please use the carline lot to pick up your student.
- Pull all the way forward in the carline so that we can get cars through as quickly as possible.
- If your child is eligible for bus transportation they should be utilizing it!
- Above all, please be patient and considerate of each other. Thank you!
PTO Meeting Information
Building Procedures
- Masks: Masks are not required, but may be worn in your child chooses to do so.
- Shoes: To prevent any potential injuries, please send your student to school with closed-toe shoes ONLY. Sandals, slides and flip flops are not permitted.
- Dress Code: Students should dress appropriately for school. Please do not send your child to school in any of the following: bare-midress tops, shorts that are shorter than fingertip length, spaghetti strap tank tops, clothes with adult references on them.
- Hats/Hoods: Students are NOT permitted to wear hats and hoods as this is a safety concern. We must be able to see student's faces at all times.
- Games/Items from Home: Please do not send your child to school with any toys from home, including playing cards/pokemon cards, stuffed animals, board games, etc. We will have special spirit days where students can bring these items in! We also have plenty of equipment for indoor/outdoor recess for students to play with.
- Nut Policy: While we are not a nut-free school, we highly encourage nut-free products for snack and lunch. We have a nut-free table in the lunchroom for students that have a nut allergy. If you have a student that has to sit at the nut-free table, they may choose a friend to sit with them as long as that friend does not have any nut products in their lunch. All classrooms that have a student with a nut allergy will have a 'Nut-Free Zone' sign outside of their door. Again, please do your best to send your student school with nut-free products.
- Cell Phones: As a friendly reminder, CELL PHONES ARE NOT PERMITTED DURING SCHOOL HOURS (THIS INCLUDES THE MOMENT A STUDENT IS DROPPED OFF UNTIL THEY ARE IN THE CAR WITH YOU OR UNTIL THEY ARRIVE AT THE BUS STOP) They must be silenced/turned off in your student's backpack.
- Reusable Water Bottle: Please send your student to school with a reusable water bottle, preferably one with a sport top to mitigate spills. We have water bottle refilling stations that students are welcome to use.
- Clothes/shoes for PE: Please make sure that your student is wearing appropriate attire on days that they have PE. Students could leave PE shoes in their locker so that they always have them on hand. If you are unsure of your child's schedule, please contact your child's teacher.
- Teacher/Building Procedures: We appreciate your support of the procedures and policies that are established by your child's teacher, as well as our building policies. Thank you for your help in encouraging your student to be respectful of their peers and all Sheiko staff members.
Snacks
We appreciate you packing a healthy snack for your child(ren) each day. If you need ideas for healthy snacks, please see the snack safely website: https://snacksafely.com/guide/peanut-treenut-free.pdf
Ideas for healthy snack:
- Fruit
- Yogurt
- Graham crackers
- Goldfish crackers
- Cheese sticks
- Granola Bars
iCenter Book Return
Attendance/Early Dismissals
In order for students to be successful in school, it is imperative that they attend. Students should be in school each day from 9:10 AM-4:02 PM. Please know that if you pick your student up early from school, they will miss instruction in core content areas. We know it's not always possible, but we we appreciate you scheduling appointments outside of school hours as often as you are able.
If your student is sick and is unable to attend school, please call the safeline to report the absence: 248-865-6370.
Planners/Homework
Planners have been provided to students free-of-charge from our amazing PTO! Students are expected to write in their planners daily. In addition, it is the expectation of the WBSD that students will have the following homework each week:
- Minimum 20 minutes of reading per night
- Bridges Home Connections (typically 2 assignments per week)
- Fact fluency practice (addition, multiplication, subtraction, division)
MTSS Information
Sheiko Spiritwear Information
Severe Allergies
We have several students in our building with severe allergies. Due to this, students will wipe their hands with a sensitive-skin, fragrance-free baby wipe each time they arrive at a special. If your child cannot use these wipes, please email me and we will have them wash their hands instead.
Student Expectations
All members of Team Sheiko, including students, staff and parents, are:
- Respectful
- Responsible
- Safe
Students will have conversations throughout the week about what these three expectations look like and sound like in different parts of the building (walking in the hallway, during lunch and recess, in the classroom, specials, etc).
Please know that we do not tolerate bullying and/or physical aggression of any kind. If a student chooses to fight, they are making the choice to go home.
Thank you for your help in reiterating these expectations with your student(s).
Lunch Logistics
Lunches will take place during the following times:
- 3rd Grade: 11:30-12:10 PM
- 5th Grade: 12:20-1:00 PM
- 4th Grade: 1:10 PM-1:50 PM
Please note that we are working around 5th grade instrumental music, which is why the assigned times are not in order of grade level.
Students will spend approximately 20 minutes in the cafeteria each day for lunch and 20 minutes outside for recess. We split each grade level into 2-3 classes per area for lunch. In other words, three third grade classes will eat lunch while the other the will be outside for recess and then they will rotate.
Please see the note above about applying for free/reduced lunch if you believe you qualify. Lunch is no longer free for all students.
If you send your child to school with their lunch, please be sure that you are helping them make nutritious choices so that they have the fuel they need to get through the day.
Young Rembrandts Community Education Opportunity
2022-2023 School Calendar
Volunteer Information
We're excited to welcome back parent volunteers in the 22-23 school year! Unscheduled visitors coming to the building will not be permitted to enter past the front office. Drop-in visitors will not be allowed to enter the building without a pre-scheduled appointment. We will continue this approach in an effort to maximize safety & security while minimizing disruptions to learning.
Families are welcome to schedule in-person meetings with administrators, teachers, counselors, and other staff. These meetings should be scheduled in advance and communicated with the main office. The option to Zoom for meetings will also continue to be available.
Volunteers:
- Must have approval from the principal and teacher before volunteering.
- Interested volunteers must also complete a volunteer form (linked below) and provide a copy of their driver’s license/ID to the school’s office staff upon request. Once completed the paperwork is forwarded to HR for a background check (ICHAT).
- ICHAT background checks are still required for all non-student volunteers.
- Parents/Guardians interested in volunteering can submit completed volunteer forms at Popsicles with the Principal on Tuesday, August 23rd.