Back-To-School Gator Gab
August 24, 2020 School Newsletter
Union Chapel Elementary
Welcome Back!
Please take time to review this back-to-school edition of our Gator Gab parent newsletter for important information regarding a wide variety of items and topics.
Class placement information will be emailed to families on August 24th at 4:00 pm
If you have any questions, please feel free to call the Union Chapel office at (816)359-4310.
What Supplies Will I need to purchase for online learning?
The same school supply list will be used for online learning. Teachers will still assign tasks in notebooks including: independent writing, reading response journals, and science notebooks. Students will still use items like glue and crayons to complete assignments and process information. While students can use technology-based communication tools, we know many students will still need offline learning strategies from the classroom, using supplies from the school supply list. It will still be a teacher’s goal to teach organization skills to students by using folders, notebooks, planners, and binders. Pens, pencils, and other traditional materials will be needed to complete work in math consumables and word work consumables. Math manipulatives (unifix cubes, base ten blocks, counting beads, etc.) will not need to be purchased and will be available for check out from the school. Students may also choose to use the electronic manipulatives available in the Park Hill Application Portal which you can find here.
2020-21 School Year Back to School Night/Teacher Meet and Greet
First Day of School
Here is what you can expect from a regular school day:
Start
Breakfast starts at 8:50 am
Car riders can be dropped off at 8:50 am
Classes begin at 9:10 am
*Students arriving after 9:10 am will need to check in at the office and will be counted as a partial absence.
Dismissal
Dismissal for walkers, car riders and Adventure Club begins at 3:53 pm. Bus rider dismissal occurs as soon as the other groups have cleared the hallways, approximately 4:00 pm.
Keeping our Gators Safe
Ensuring the safety of our students is our most important goal. All outside doors including the main entrance are locked during school hours.
At this time visitors will be limited to people who are here to work, such as substitutes and repair workers. If you need to bring something to the school, you will need to stay in the front office and we will ask that you wear a face mask and follow physical distancing rules.
ALL visitors will need to be "buzzed" into the office by pressing the intercom button near the main entrance. One of our administrative assistants will then verify your identification and reason for visiting Union Chapel. Please be prepared to provide proof of identification upon request. Safety procedures are in place to ensure the well-being of every child, staff member and guest at Union Chapel. Thank you for honoring our safety procedures and helping us create a safe environment for our U.C. Gators!
Should you need to pick up your child for early dismissal, please come to the office, and Mrs. Sadler, Mrs. Burch, or Mrs. Rezac will call the classroom. Of course, where possible, please schedule appointments before or after school to prevent interrupting your child’s learning.
Student Attendance
Regular attendance and punctuality are important for children to gain the most from their educational experiences. When your child is late, absent or leaves school early, it will be noted on his or her attendance record.
If your child is going to be absent, please call our office (816-359-4310) before school so we are assured of your child’s safety. If you forget to call, you will receive a call to verify the absence.
If a child’s attendance becomes a matter of concern, the classroom teacher, as well as our social worker, Mrs. Ellie Logan; or counselor, Mrs. Beth Dusin, may contact the parent or guardian to offer support.
Please try to schedule appointments before or after school. We want our Gators here as much as possible to maximize their learning opportunities!
Regular Car Rider Preparation
Arrival and Dismissal
In order to ensure appropriate supervision each morning, students should not arrive before 8:50 AM. Classes begin at 9:10 AM. Students arriving after 9:10 will be counted as a partial absence.
Dismissal for walkers, car riders & Adventure Club takes place first (around 3:53). Once these students have cleared the hallway, we begin bus rider dismissal. During dismissal, it is extremely important for parents of car riders to remain in vehicles. Car riders will be called in the order parents are lined up in the two car rider lines. Do not congregate near the entrance or leave your car unattended. Following these processes will support a safe, efficient dismissal each day.
Bus Rider Preparation
On September 1st, your family will have the ability to see bus information including stop location, time, and bus number in your parent portal through Infinite Campus. If you have questions or concerns regarding bus issues, please contact First Student at (816)359-4560 or 20275.busrequest@firstgroup.com
Students will be expected to wear masks while on the bus and will be physical distanced when possible.
First Student will respond to emails or messages within a 24-hour period.
Birthday Treats
Click here for the fillable form and to learn more information about the many options that are available to your and your child.
Please note: In order to keep our Gators healthy and safe, birthday/event treats purchased outside of Park Hill School District Food Service will NOT be accepted this school year. Thank you for your cooperation and understanding.
Student ID Badges
Your student will be issued a student ID badge to be worn each school day. The ID badge supports our safe and caring environment by providing proper identification and improved processes for transportation, lunch, and more.
*Students arriving late/leaving early will check in/check out at the front office using their badges.It is imperative badges be brought to school each day.
Mail from School
UC Report Cards
Assessment of student progress will continue to be based on learning standards as outlined in the PHSD curriculum, which is available for parent review on the district’s website.
Of course, telephone calls, notes, emails will continue to be important ways to share more immediate feedback. If you have any questions about your child’s progress at any time, we encourage you to contact the classroom teacher.
Forgotten Items
Student Dress
Families should use good judgment in choosing clothes that are appropriate for school. Clothing which may cause a distraction from the learning process is not permitted. Clothing such as “short” shorts, see-through shirts or blouses, halter tops, spaghetti strap tops, t-shirts with inappropriate printing, clothing advertising drugs or alcohol, or clothing that does not cover the midriff are not allowed. Roller skate shoes are not to be worn to school. Tennis shoes should be worn on P.E. days. Refer to the student handbook or PHSD Board Policy JFCA for more detailed information.
** Flip-flops & other backless sandals are strongly discouraged, as they can pose a danger on stairs and on the playground.**
Miles of Smiles, a program of LevelUp Kids, provides free dental care to children in the Northland who do not have access to oral health services. The dental care will be provided at Union Chapel from September 8 (first day of school) through September 18. All care is provided by a licensed dentist and assistants. Miles of Smiles treats children from the ages of 3 to 18, and all of their patients receive a comprehensive exam, cleaning and x-rays.
Miles of Smiles dental program is starting on the very first day of school! Please register ASAP to ensure your child can be seen by the dentist at Union Chapel. We highly encourage online registration, which can be found at this link: https://levelupkidsinc.org/patientinfo Please contact Ellie Logan (816-359-5733) or Amy Powell (816-359-6892) if you have any questions or need help registering your child. Union Chapel would like to help all students see a dentist!
2020-2021 Union Chapel Staff
Four Ways to Help with Mask Wearing
Click here for information on how you can help your children during this time.
Fall Picture Day-Friday September 18th
All students will have their individual pictures taken this day as these pictures will appear in the yearbook. Once again this year, there will be online ordering only. Families have the option to prepay or wait for a proof picture with the option to order online at a later date. There will be fall picture re-takes on October 28 for any student absent on September 18.
Pictures for Park Hill Online students will take place on October 28 at Union Chapel. More information will be available closer to that date.
First Day Jitters?
Hi, my name is Rebecca Irwin. I am a fifth grade teacher at Union Chapel, but I am also working on a master’s in counseling through Arkansas State University. I will be working under the direction of Mrs. Dusin this year providing support for our Gators all while learning from her experience. Given the recent news of school starting on September 8th, I would like to offer virtual support to our Gators. I know that the first day of school can cause some jitters; this year you might be seeing more jitters with all the changes we are experiencing. I would like to alleviate some of those jitters prior to the first day of school through either individual or small group virtual meetings. If you would like to sign your child up to meet with me, you can click on the link below. Once I have the sign up, I will contact you concerning scheduling. I hope you are enjoying your summer and I wish you well.
Rebecca Irwin
Meal Prices
Breakfast and lunch are served daily in the Gator Grill. This year’s meal prices are listed in the below.
MEAL PRICES
Student Breakfast-$1.50
*Breakfast includes an entree, fruit/juice, and a milk
Student Lunch-$2.40
*Lunch includes an entree, fruit/juice, vegetable, bread, and a milk
Extra milk-.$.60
Extra Juice- $.40
Adult Breakfast-$2.00
Adult Lunch-$3.50
Free & Reduced Meals
The free and reduced meal application must be submitted annually.
Meal Payment
Students who bring lunch money to school should turn in the payment envelope to the cafeteria before school.
The Park Hill School District Food Service Department also offers automated prepayments to a child’s meal account via telephone or online. Money can be applied to a child’s food service account so children will not need to carry cash to school each day. SchoolCafe.com is our online portal for making payments to accounts, viewing purchase history, setting account restrictions, etc. Parents who wish to use online applications will need to set up a SchoolCafe account.
Students will be reminded when their account balance is low. Please refer to the monthly menu for specific meal selections. The August menu will be available on your child’s desk at Back-to-School night. Monthly menus can be found at the Park Hill website: www.parkhill.k12.mo.us.
2020-2021 Kidguard Insurance Enrollment
Park Hill is very interested in providing a safe environment for all students. However, accidents do happen every day during school activities. Therefore, the school offers all parents the opportunity to enroll their child in a low cost, school approved insurance program. Because of the high risk of injury in sports, all students that want to participate in school sports should have basic insurance protection. We strongly urge all parents to read this description of low cost coverage available through the school.
Union Chapel Vision and Mission Statement
Our Vision
Building Successful Futures * Each Student * Every Day
Our Mission
Union Chapel is a safe, caring environment that upholds high standards and inspires students to achieve their personal best so they will become successful lifelong learners and citizens of character.
At Union Chapel Elementary School, we value:
- A positive and structured environment;
- Open line of clear and regular communication;
- Collaboration;
- Students feeling valued, respected and safe;
- Variety in learning approaches to meet individual learning needs, styles, and interests; and
- High standards and a clear purpose for learning.