Southwest Elementary Newsletter
August/September 2018
Welcome Back!
Welcome Back!
I want to officially welcome all of you to the 2018-2019 School Year! For those of you who are new to our school, I want you to know that you are coming to an absolutely wonderful place. This is my 4th year as the Southwest Elementary Principal and firmly believe that all students can and will succeed.
Our teachers and staff are caring, innovative, and always learning something new for the benefit of your children. We are a collaborative and driven group of educators who strive to have our students reach their highest potential.
I look forward to our continued partnership in ensuring a productive and fun educational experience for your child(ren). I believe that building strong relationships between home and school is a key factor in increasing student achievement. As principal, my door is always open and I welcome your input. I strongly believe that parental involvement is an essential component to student success, as research continues to show strong correlation between increased involvement and high student success. We ask that you guide and support your child's learning by ensuring that he/she:
- Attends school daily and arrives on time, ready for the day's learning experience.
- Completes all assignments given by teachers.
- Reads or is read to daily in order to develop a love for reading and to improve literacy skills.
- Shares school experiences with you to engage in conversations about his/her schooling.
- Knows that you expect him/her to do their best in school!
Newsletters and additional information can be found by accessing our Southwest website by visiting: https://geneseoschools.org/southwest/. Individual teachers websites can be accessed through this site as well.
In this newsletter you will find MANY important reminders and information. Please take your time to review this information and do not hesitate to ask if you have any questions.
Sincerely,
Brian Hofer
Principal
Southwest Elementary School
New Faces at Southwest
We are excited to announce the new faces to our Southwest School Family. Some are new to the district, while others are new just to Southwest. We are ecstatic that they are a part of our team!
Mr. Aaron Skopec- PE
Mr. Mike Eckwall- Music
Mr. Patrick Helling- 2nd Grade
Ms. Kylee Wagenecht- Speech
Mrs. Denise Ford- Social Worker
Mrs. Elizabeth Hull- Social Worker
Ms. Jacelyn Neulieb- Mrs. Allen's Maternity Leave Substitute
Back to School Night
Tuesday, Aug 21, 2018, 04:00 PM
Southwest Elementary School, South Center Street, Geneseo, IL, USA
Drop Off Procedures
Pick Up Procedures
Changes in Transportation
If your child has a change in their normal routine for transportation:
- Please send a written note to your child(ren)'s teacher informing them of the change.
- Indicate on the note the name of anyone other than yourself that may be picking up your child.
- If the change happens during the school day, a call needs to be made by 2:00 pm in order to ensure communication and changes get relayed on time.
- Do not email transportation changes to your child's teacher as they may not be able to check their email during the school day.
Behavior Matrix and Character Education
All three elementary schools utilize our Geneseo behavior matrix to ensure common language and expectations for all our students. Board Policy 7:20 included specifics of bullying prevention and contact information and can be found in our board policy book. The behavior matrix is included in this newsletter. These expectations will be taught the first week of school and it is an expectation of our students, staff, and parents. Additionally, monthly character education lessons will be included during our library time.
If you have any questions about the rules and expectations, please feel free to contact me or to discuss them with your child’s teacher. It is very important that you and your child are fully informed regarding standards related to appropriate behavior for a safe and productive school year. Please review the handbook at https://geneseoschools.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Elementary-HANDBOOK-18-19-FINAL.pdf
Safe Snacks
Only items on the District Approved list will be accepted in the classroom. This includes birthday treats, holiday/party treats, treat-bag items and valentine candy.
Food for personal snacks eaten in the classroom must be an item from the snack list. Snacks may be packaged individually at home.
Attendance
According to our policy, if a child has ten (10) days of excused and/or unexcused absences the following may take place:
- 10 day absence policy letter sent home
- Any student who has accumulated ten (10) days of unexcused and/or excused absences per year must obtain a doctor's note for each and every absence over the ten (10) days to be considered excused.
Reminder: Nine (9) total unexcused absences means a student is in direct violation of the Compulsory Attendance Laws of Illinois. Administration reserves the right to contact the Henry County Truant Officer.
Visiting the School
Southwest Elementary School
Email: bhofer@geneseoschools.org
Website: https://geneseoschools.org/southwest/
Location: 715 South Center Street, Geneseo, IL, United States
Phone: (309) 945-0699
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Southwest-Elementary-School-Geneseo-IL-206219249417001/