IMPORTANT NEW INFORMATION
August 24, 2023
School Dismissal Manager
IMPORTANT NEW INFORMATION
Julian Curtiss Elementary-School Year 2023-2024
Dear Parent/Guardian,
Welcome to School Dismissal Manager (SDM), an organized and more efficient tracking system for afternoon dismissals! Using your desktop or smartphone browser, quickly and easily update your child's dismissal instructions when they need to be changed, making it no longer necessary to call or send notes and emails to the school for dismissal changes.
On August 25th, you will receive an email with your “credentials” (email address, etc) that will allow you to sign up for School Dismissal Manager and you can begin recording your child’s dismissal plans at that time.
The first step is to create your child’s “default” dismissal plans which is the way your child will be dismissed the majority of the time. Until this is recorded, your child's plans will read "Unassigned". When you need to make a change the easy-to-use interface will allow you to make changes in advance or for the current day by creating “exceptions”.
When creating an exception for the current day, note that the cut-off time on regular days is
1:45 pm and on early release days is 11:45am. After the cut-off time you will need to call the school office to make any changes for the current day. We highly discourage last minute changes late in the day for safety reasons.
Julian Curtiss will begin using SDM to report daily dismissal changes on
Sept 1st, 2023, the first day of school, and will be used for after school dismissal changes only.
SDM will not be used for absences, late arrivals, or early dismissals. Absences and early dismissals should be communicated to the Julian Curtiss office at
203-869-1896 only.
Here are a few Fast Facts that you will need to know for getting started:
Here are a few Fast Facts that you will need to know for getting started:
1. The app is compatible with Android and Apple devices and native apps can be found in the respective app stores or via our website. IMPORTANT: Returning parents need to ensure their app has the latest UPDATED version before the first day of school. If your phone is set to update automatically no action is required but those that don’t will need to update manually.
a. Android – Search in the Play Store for School Dismissal Manager and Install -OR- open a Chrome browser window, go to www.schooldismissalmanager.com, and login. Then click the three stacked dots at the top right corner, scroll down and click on Add to Home Screen, and follow the onscreen instructions to install the app.
b. iPhone – Search in the App Store for School Dismissal Manager and Install -OR- open a Safari browser, go to www.schooldismissalmanager.com, and login. Then click on the box with the arrow pointing up, scroll down, and click Add to Home Screen. Type in (or click on if auto-filled) SDM and then tap Add to install the app.
First Login
Record your child's default dismissal (how your child goes home most days) and make sure it is set correctly. If changes are needed, select the green Set/View Default button above the calendar or if using the SDM app, select Default Dismissal from the menu at the top left, to set the correct dismissal. Setting a weekday default will override the main default on a specific day of the week. Always set the main default first, then set weekday defaults only as necessary.
The Parent Dashboard always displays the current and following week. Days where there is no school or there is an early dismissal will be clearly marked.
Recurring Dismissal Exceptions: If your child has a temporary, recurring dismissal exception click the Recurring Dismissal Instructions located at the top of the screen and fill out the details as required. DO NOT use the Recurring Dismissal feature to put in your child's ''default'' dismissal. The difference between a Recurring Dismissal Exception and a Weekday Default Dismissal is that recurring has a start and end date because it is a temporary dismissal that occurs regularly on a specific day of the week for the entire school year.
Email Notifications: When receiving email notifications regarding dismissal changes or cancellations made, know that hitting Reply or Reply All on those emails does not reply to the school or person making the change. If you need to respond to a notification (i.e., to inform the school it is incorrect, provide additional details, etc.), click Help in your top menu and fill out the details to email the office or call the office.
FAQs: As you begin to use School Dismissal Manager, if you have questions, check the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) link found in the Parent login area at the top of the SDM homepage or click on Help in your top menu. Here, you will find answers to the most commonly asked questions. If your question remains unanswered after checking here, please contact the school office and we will be happy to assist you further.
If you find you need further assistance, contact the Julian Curtiss School office at 203-869-1896. For reasons of safety and security, SDM staff does not respond to parent requests or emails and will redirect any parent callers to the school office.
Thank you for using this tool to help us keep the dismissal process safe and orderly for all our students and staff. Please contact our office if you have any questions or concerns.
Sincerely,
Trish McGuire
Principal
REMINDERS
Back to School Picnic, August 31 at 11:00AM!
Please join us for our Annual Back to School Picnic on the back field. This is always a fantastic event and we can't wait to see all of our families there! Feel free to pack a picnic lunch or buy lunch from one of the food trucks.
The First Day of School is Friday, September 1st and is a full day for grades 1-5 that will begin with our community of learners ceremony.
All 1st through 5th grade students will meet at 7:55 am on the blacktop by the playground and assembled classes will walk into school together.
All 1st through 5th grade students will be directed to the blacktop as they arrive and staff will be available to assist with classroom teachers available to greet and welcome their students. Parents are welcome to join us on the blacktop! We will walk into school together as a community of learners!
For the first day of school only, all kindergarten and pre-k students will have a special Welcome at 9:00 am on the black top. Parents of Kindergarten students will receive an email today with specific information about the first day.
Arrival Times for the rest of the year are: 8:15 for K-5 and 8:30 for PreK
Join the PTA
Want to receive the School Directory and PTA Newsletters?! Join the PTA and Sign Up for Membership Toolkit
Welcome JCS Families!
On behalf of the Julian Curtiss PTA, we welcome all families to the 2023-24 school year!
If you haven't created an account with us previously, you can do so by clicking the register/login button below. You will need a family account in order to register for PTA and school events, as well as access our online directory.
If you registered for this website already, you do not need to create a new account but your family information and PTA membership will need to be updated yearly.
Lastly, download the Membership Toolkit app for easier access from your mobile device!
If you have any questions regarding MTK, please don’t hesitate to reach out to jcptapresident@greenwich.k12.ct.us
Mark Your Calendar
Save the Date!
August 31: New Student Orientation at 10:30AM
August 31: Back to School Picnic for the entire JC Community at 11:00 AM on the field
September 1: First day of School! 7:55 for 1st-5th graders on the back blacktop
September 1: First day of School! 9:15 for Kindergarten on the blacktop
September 1: First day of School! 9:15 for Pre-K students
September 4: No School, Labor Day
September 13: Ringing In Ceremony 9 am
September 19: Open House
September 22: School Photo Day
September 25: No School Yom Kippur