Rocky's Weekly Roundup!
August 28, 2022
A Message from the Leadership Team
Dear RES Families,
Welcome to the 2022-2023 school year!
If you are new to RES, Rocky's Weekly Roundup! is a weekly communication sent from RES Administration on Sundays to help families prepare for the week ahead. In addition Rocky's Weekly Roundup! is used to share school updates, photos, happenings, and reminders. For those who do not know, Rocky the Raccoon is RES school's mascot!
Please be sure to read the RES Family Handbook for important information regarding RES policies and procedures. It is a great resource for when questions come up during the school year. In addition it is very important you familiarize yourself with all of our summer mailing information located here and on our school's website. Our summer mailing information, handbook, and this week's Rocky's Weekly Roundup! is everything you need to know to successfully kickoff the start of the school year!
We are excited that much of our pre-pandemic ways will be back in place for the 2022-2023 school year, including:
- Grade levels eating in one cafeteria
- Grade levels playing together at recess
- Field Trips
- More opportunities for visiting RES
- Arrival and dismissal procedures (see below)
- Classroom celebrations
- In-person grade level Meet and Greet
- In-person Open House
- Halloween House and Parade (more details to come)
- And much, much, more!
We look forward to seeing new and familiar faces during our grade level meet and greets on August 30th. A schedule can be found below.
See you soon!
Mrs. Melissa Labrosciano, Principal
Mrs. Kim Roy, Assistant Principal
August 30th Grade Level Meet and Greet
Attention PreSchool and Kindergarten Families!
Please note that preschool students will be dismissed at 12:00 p.m. on 8/31, 9/1, and 9/2. Kindergarten students will be dismissed at 1:00 p.m. on 8/31, 9/1, 9/2, 9/6, and 9/7. Bus transportation will be provided to kindergarten families.
Bus Transportation Information
School Arrival and Dismissal Times
Morning Arrival Procedures
Students may be dropped off at school beginning at 7:55 a.m. - 8:05 a.m. There is no adult supervision at school prior to this time, so please be sure to listen for the morning bell before letting students out of your car to enter the school building. In the morning, all students arriving by parent vehicle, in Kindergarten through Grade 4 will be dropped off in the Big Gym parking lot and will enter school through the main entrance. Please see the RES Campus Map to view the drop-off route and location of drop-off. Staff members supervising morning drop-off will monitor students exiting cars. It is important that students are prepared with their backpacks on and all belongings are ready to go so they can exit the car quickly. Students will exit from the passenger side of the vehicle. Family members dropping children off must remain in vehicles during this time.
Dismissal Procedures - Updated!
We will begin dismissing students out to cars around 2:45 p.m. and this process will continue until 3:00 p.m. If students remain in the holding areas at 3:00 p.m., we will bring them down to the main office to be picked up.
Each family will be assigned a student pick up number. This number will be identified on a tag that attaches to the child’s backpack, and a separate tag that hangs from the rearview mirror of the vehicle being used for pick-up. Staff supporting the student pick-up process will help escort children out to cars, matching student pick up numbers on backpacks and vehicles.
For our returning families, please track down your student number tags and car tags you used last year. This includes both the rearview mirror tag and the smaller tags that attach to your child’s backpack. Please keep these car tags, until your last child enters JRMS.
For our new families, we will issue a student number tag & car tag to hang from your rearview mirror. This is needed if you are picking your child up at the end of the school day. There will be a corresponding number on your child’s backpack. New families will receive tags during Welcome Back to School meet and greet. If you are unable to attend the back to school orientation, please call the main office and make arrangements to pick up your car tags.
In the afternoon, all students being picked up by parent vehicle, in Kindergarten through Grade 4 will be picked up in the Big Gym parking lot. Please see the RES Campus Map to view the pick-up route and location.
Families must remain in vehicles throughout our pick-up process. Staff will monitor and assist students into vehicles, as needed.
LUNCH MENU
Unfortunately, Chartwells has been experiencing some technical issues that has prevented them from updating the menus on the ER9 website. We hope it will be resolved by Monday so that you can view the entire month's menu.
Peanut and Tree Nut Free Classrooms
Due to the amount of students with life threatening peanut and tree nut allergies all classrooms at RES are designated as peanut and tree nut free areas. We are following the same practices as JRMS. Please do not pack classroom snacks that contain peanuts and/or tree nuts. Your child may still enjoy peanuts and/or tree nuts during his/her lunch period in the cafeteria. We only ask that snacks eaten in the classroom do not contain such products, as the cafeteria has additional procedures and special precautions to follow for children with food allergies. Students are encouraged to engage in safe practices in the cafeteria, which includes refraining from sharing or swapping meals and snacks. If food is being allowed at a classroom celebration, food products must be accompanied by the original packaging so that ingredients can be checked.
A Message from Nurse Connolly...
WELCOME BACK STUDENTS AND FAMILIES!!!
We hope everyone had a wonderful summer vacation; we're excited to see you all back at school in a few days.
First, a little introduction of the Health Office staff. Once again your full time nurse at school is Jennifer Connolly, and we are fortunate to be welcoming back our part-time nurse, Deanna Carley. You can reach us by phone at 203-938-2519 ext. 309 or Mrs. Connolly's email is jconnolly@er9.org and Mrs. Carley is dcarley@er9.org. We are here to help ensure the students are healthy and safe to be ready to learn. Please don't hesitate to reach out if there's anything we can do to help your child be at their best.
Absences and Illnesses
All student absences should be entered into School Dismissal Manager (SDM) by 8:30am with specific reason for absence in the comment section. The nurses utilize this information to monitor communicable illnesses and assist with tracking absences. Please report specific communicable illnesses such as strep throat, influenza, lice, Covid, Lyme and pneumonia as we report these to the State Health Department. Children must stay home for temperature greater than 100.0 and need to be fever free for 24 hours or more without the use of Tylenol or Motrin before returning to school. Children must also stay home for vomiting and diarrhea for at least 24 hours after the last episode.
Medication Drop Off
Medications can be dropped off at school on Monday August 29th 10:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. and Tuesday August 30th from 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. A current Medication Authorization Form needs to be signed by a physician and a parent for prescription and over-the-counter medications (Benadryl, eye drops, cortisone creams, Tylenol/Motrin used for extended time periods or scheduled times).
Each medication requires the following:
- Medication Authorization Form signed and dated by both physician and parent at the beginning of each school year.
- If your child has an action plan for a chronic health condition (i.e. allergy or asthma) please bring that with their medication as well.
- Prescription medications must be in the original package with the pharmacy prescription label attached.
- Over-The-Counter medication must be new and sealed in the original packaging.
- Have all medications in a ziploc bag with your child's name on it.
- Medications must be dropped off at school by a parent or guardian and cannot be sent to school with children.
Again please don't hesitate to reach out to the nurses with questions or concerns. We are looking forward to a wonderful year ahead with your children!
Jennifer Connolly RN, BSN, CPN
203-938-2519 ext. 309
Email: jconnolly@er9.org
Visiting RES Reminders...
At RES we regularly discuss our safety protocols and procedures. The following protocols are implemented for visitors at RES:
In order to enter the vestibule at the main entrance, anyone wishing to do so MUST present a photo identification. Identification will be held up to the outside camera and checked by our office staff before you are allowed to enter the vestibule. This procedure includes dropping off your child, picking up your child, etc. Please do not take offense if you feel the office staff should know you. There will not be an exception made to this rule. Office staff will also be asking visitors the purpose of their visit.
Visitors will be allowed in the building by appointment only. Appointments could range from a specific meeting with a teacher, special education team, and/or administration. Appointments would also include any volunteer opportunities or visits in your child’s classroom. An appointment may also be a call from the nurse to pick up your child. All planned visits and appointments will be arranged for you by an RES staff member.
If you feel you need to enter the building and have not made previous arrangements. You must call RES to make arrangements prior to arriving. For example, access to our lost and found area.
A drop-off table will be placed outside of the vestibule. The table will be clearly marked. Please make sure items are properly labeled before you arrive (child’s name and teacher). You do not need to ring the bell to tell the office an item is being dropped off. The table will be checked twice daily at 10:30 a.m. and at the end of each school day.
Students are expected to be dropped off each morning by 8:05 a.m. If you are arriving at drop off after 8:05 a.m., please drop your child off by parking in the main parking lot, and have your child walk down the walkway to enter through the RES main entrance.
RES JOB OPPORTUNITIES
Important Dates and Reminders
Tuesday, August 30: Meet and Greet
Kindergarten Visitation & Bus Orientation - 11:00am - 12:00pm
Grades 1 & 2 - 1:00pm - 1:30pm
Grades 3, 4 & PreSchool - 1:45pm - 2:15pm
Wednesday, August 31: First Day of School
PreSchool dismisses at 12:00pm
Kindergarten dismisses at 1:00pm
Grades 1 - 4 dismiss at 2:50pm
Wednesday, August 31 - Friday, September 2: PreS/PreK Early Dismissal at 12:00pm
Wednesday, August 31 - Wednesday, September 7: Kindergarten In-Take Conferences, Kindergarten Early Dismissal at 1:00pm
Monday, September 5: School Closed, Labor Day
Thursday, September 8: Kindergarten begins full days, dismissal at 2:50pm
Monday, September 26: School Closed, Rosh Hashanah
Wednesday, October 5: School Closed, Yom Kippur
Thursday, October 6: Picture Day, Grades 1 - 4 (more information to come)
Friday, October 7: Picture Day, PreSchool & Kindergarten (more information to come)
Quote of the Week
"I've always loved the first day of school better than the last day of school. Firsts are best because they are beginnings."
–Jenny Han
REDDING COMMUNITY OPPORTUNITIES
Contact Us
Website: www.reddingelementaryps.org
Location: 33 Lonetown Road, Redding, CT, USA
Phone: (203)938-2519
Additional School Contacts
Office hours for Special Services is 7:30am - 3:00pm during the regular school year.
SPECIAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT
Ms. Jennifer Del Conte, Director, Special Services
Ms. Michelle King, Administrative Assistant to Director of Special Services
mking@er9.org Ext. 313
Mrs. Jennifer Hankla, Supervisor, Special Services
Mrs. Marilyn Caruso, Secretary, Special Services
mcaruso@er9.org Ext. 312
Office hours for the main office is 7:30am - 3:45pm during the normal 10-month / 180 day school year.
SUPPORT STAFF:
Miss Bobbie Granskog, School Secretary
bgranskog@er9.org Ext. 304
Budgets, Payroll, & Information for Rocky's Weekly Roundup!
Mrs. Komal Kulkarni, School Secretary
kkulkarni@er9.org Ext. 302
Registrar & Enrollment
Mrs. Rachel Saluzzi, School Secretary
rsaluzzi@er9.org Ext. 301
Assistant to School Principals
School Dismissal Manager & Subs
OTHER FREQUENTLY CALLED NUMBERS:
Nurse Connolly — Ext. 309
Library— Ext. 343
Kitchen — Ext. 346
You will find a complete list of telephone extensions and email addresses for our staff on our website www.reddingelementaryps.org