Dear HMR Families:

We want to thank you for your participation in this very important partnership. Conferences are one way to ensure that your student(s) are making not only academic progress but social and emotional progress as well. Your support and teamwork are critical to the academic, social, and emotional success of each student who attends HMR. If you ever have any questions or concerns, we are always available to assist your family.

The Importance of School Attendance:

One of the most important things your child can do to achieve academic success is also one of the most basic: going to school every day. In fact, research has shown that your child's attendance record may be the biggest factor influencing her academic success.

Benefits of daily attendance:

By attending class regularly, your child is more likely to keep up with the daily lessons and assignments and take quizzes and tests on time.

There are other benefits as well:

Achievement: Students who attend school regularly are more likely to pass reading and math assessments than students who don't attend school regularly.

Opportunity: For older students, being in school every day gives them a chance to learn more about college and scholarship opportunities, and to take the important exams they need to build a successful academic record.

Exposure to the English language: Regular school attendance can also help students who are learning English by giving them the chance to master the skills and information they need more quickly and accurately even in other subjects!

Being part of the school community: Just by being present at school, your child is learning how to be a good citizen by participating in the school community, learning valuable social skills, and developing a broader world view.

The importance of education: Your commitment to school attendance will also send a message to your child that education is a priority for your family, going to school every day is a critical part of educational success, and that it's important to take your responsibilities seriously including going to school.

Fargo Public Schools 2023-2024 Kindergarten Registration

Kindergarten Registration for Fall 2023 opens online on February 1 at www.fargo.k12.nd.us/registration. Your child must be age 5 by July 31, 2023 to attend school in the fall.

Registration is a two-step process:

STEP ONE: REGISTER ONLINE

Complete online registration forms at www.fargo.k12.nd.us/registration. For assistance, please contact your child’s school to schedule an appointment to complete in-person. Masks are required for all visitors.

STEP TWO: SUBMIT DOCUMENTATION

Upload or bring the following documents to your child’s school by August 28 to finalize registration.

• Child’s certified birth certificate

• Child’s immunization record with 5-year shots

• Document (i.e. current city utility bill or bank statement) that includes parent/guardian name and current address for verification

If you do not know which school your child will attend, call 701.446.1043 or check online at www.fargo.k12.nd.us/boundarymaps.

If you need help in PowerSchool (Fargo Public Schools online registration software), please call 701.446.1006

Transitions + ESY = Elementary Summer School Changes are coming this summer.

Transitions Summer School and Extended School Year are combining to become Elementary Summer School. What does this mean for our students? Let’s start with some background.

Transitions Summer School is for students who qualify for remedial reading and/or remedial math. TSS students are referred by their classroom teacher based on data driven criteria.

Extended School Year is for students who may experience regression over the summer months. ESY students are referred by their designated IEP team member based on individual student needs.

Elementary Summer School will merge the two programs. Here is what we are striving for:

• Most students will attend their home building

• Students will be assigned a classroom teacher

• Students will receive push-in/pull-out special services as defined by their IEP team

Elementary Summer School logistics:

• Students who have sped. bussing in place will have access to summer bussing

• General ed bussing is not available

• All classes will be reading/math combination

Elementary Summer School is Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to noon, July 10-28.

Weather Changes:

Parents and caregivers…as you know, our weather in March, April, and May can be tricky. Please make sure you are keeping an eye on the weather so your student(s) are dressed appropriately for recess and other possible outdoor activities this Spring.

Inclement Weather:

The season of winter storms is here. We want you to know that we are committed to keeping our school children safe. When storm conditions develop Fargo Public Schools must make a decision to hold school or not. This decision is based on weather conditions that exist for the majority of Fargo students. If school is in session and it is your decision that your child should remain at home, that decision will be respected by the school.

If school is called off, Automated calls will be made to all families. Please make sure your PowerSchool account is accurate and up to date. Local radio and television stations will be notified as early as possible. School closing notices will also be posted on the internet via the weather section of In Forum. If it appears a storm is on the way, all students approved to do so will take their Personal Learning Devices home and if school is closed, students will have a Virtual Learning Day and will have homework assigned by their teacher in addition to a Zoom class. If you have not gone into PowerSchool to give permission for your student’s device to be brought home, please do so. Mrs. Swenson at Roosevelt and Mrs. Tedford at Horace Mann will be happy to help you if you need assistance finding the form or filling it out. Please check your student’s PowerSchool account to ensure all contact information is also updated in case of early dismissals or late starts due to inclement weather.

If storm conditions develop during the day and it is determined that an early dismissal is in the best interest of the students, the media will be notified and principals will proceed with an orderly dismissal of school. Elementary principals will dismiss students consistent with instructions provided on the emergency/weather school closing form filled out by parents in PowerSchool.

We appreciate your continued cooperation and understanding in this important matter. Be assured that the well-being of your children is of the utmost importance to us.

Fargo North Summer Volleyball Camp - July 10th, 11th, & 13th (Mon, Tue, Thur)

Location: Fargo North High School

Sessions Available:

K-2 nd Grade – 4:00-5:30pm

3rd-5 th Grade – 5:30-7:00PM

Cost: $40/session Camp Format:

All camps will be coached by FNH Coaching Staff and current Fargo North Volleyball Players. Athletes will learn fundamental skills, strategies, and teamwork for the first half of each session. The remaining time will be spent in game play. All campers will receive a t-shirt!

Camp registration deadline is June 1st to guarantee a t-shirt. Please click on the link for the registration form.

Return the registration Form along with Payment to:

Fargo North High School Attn: Rachel Hummel

801 17th Ave. N. Fargo, ND 58102

*Checks should be made payable to: Fargo North Volleyball Spartan Volleyball Camp 2023 Contact Rachel Hummel with questions: 701-446-2762 or hummelr@fargo.k12.nd.us

We will be meeting with a representative from the Boys and Girls Club soon to receive more information in regards to signing up your students for before school and after school care starting in August 2023. A formalized starting date will be announced soon and the links to register your students will open soon as well. Please be on the lookout for more information to come after Spring Break. We will be sending out several parent blasts to our HMR community and new Kindergarten families. If you are in need of this service, please be on the lookout for this important communication.

HEAD LICE…..

Never a topic we want to discuss, but something that we need to be informed about.

The Fargo Public Schools policy regarding head lice (Administrative Policy 4780): Exclude from school until treated and determined to be non-communicable (no nits). Children should be treated for lice as soon as possible. Close contacts should be checked frequently for two weeks. Head to head contact with other children should be discouraged. Due to the low risk of transmitting head lice at school and to maintain confidentiality, notification letters will NOT be sent to parents of classmates and classrooms will NOT be checked. We must remember that head lice are a nuisance, but not harmful.

Current guidelines from the ND Department of Health: Recommend children NOT be excluded immediately from school when head lice is found. Our school nurses are contracted through Fargo Cass Public Health who follow the guidelines from the ND Department of Health. Fargo Public Schools has chosen to continue to enforce a no nit policy, which is more stringent than the guidelines followed by Fargo Cass Public Health.

What do I Need to Know? Head Lice (Pediculosis Capitis)

Head lice is transmitted through prolonged close head to head contact. Transmission is more likely to occur between family members, overnight guests and playmates that spend a lot of time together.

What are head lice?

Head lice are small insects (less than 1/8 inch long). They range in color from red to brown, black, yellow-tan or gray-white. Head lice live on blood they draw from the scalp and lay tiny, gray/white eggs (known as nits) on a hair shaft near the scalp. The warmth from the scalp is needed for the eggs to hatch. Head lice are not known to spread disease.

Who is at risk for head lice?

Head lice infestations occur in all socioeconomic groups, are not an indication of poor hygiene, and can affect anyone.

What are the symptoms of head lice?

Most people who have head lice do not have symptoms at all. When symptoms do occur, the most common signs include itching of the skin on the scalp or neck where lice feed. Nits are glued to hair, commonly behind ears and at or near the nape of the neck. Scratching, especially behind and around ears and at the nape of the neck, may lead to open sores and a bacterial infection that also my cause swollen lymph nodes.

How soon do symptoms appear?

Symptoms appear when a live louse is present.

How are head lice spread?

Head lice are spread most commonly by direct head to head contact. Additionally, infested people can also spread head lice by sharing combs, brushes, hats, blankets or sheets with others, but this is not very common. It can be spread only by live lice and not nits.

When and for how long is a person able to spread head lice?

Nits (the eggs of human head lice) can live for up to 10 days without a host, adult head lice can live for only two to four days without a human host.

How is a person diagnosed?

Diagnosing head lice is done by identifying the presence of live lice or nits within 1/4 inch of the scalp. Identification of eggs and lice with the naked eye is possible; however, the use of a hand lens or microscope may help to confirm the identification.

What is the treatment?

Over-the-counter treatments and prescriptions that kill lice and most viable eggs are available. Follow the directions on the label. Re-treat nine days after initial treatment if not otherwise specified on the product label. Contact your health-care provider or local public health unit for more information.

Does past infection make a person immune?

No. A person who previously had head lice may get it again.

What can be done to prevent the spread of head lice?

Follow these steps to prevent the spread of head lice:

● Avoid sharing headgear, coats, hats, hair ornaments, helmets, headphones, combs, brushes, towels and bedding.

● Combs and brushes should be washed in hot water (130 °) for 10 minutes.

● Items that cannot be washed should be bagged and stored for two weeks.

● Provide separate storage areas for clothing so that the personal articles of one person do not touch the personal articles of another.

● When an infestation is found, check the hair and scalp of all household

● members and treat only those who have lice and those who share the same bed with the infested person.

Parents are encouraged to check their child periodically for head lice. If you are concerned your child may be infected or you need help in identifying head lice, please contact a health care professional, school nurse or public health department.

Please contact your school nurse with any questions.

For additional information about head lice, head lice removal, school exclusions, etc., contact the ND Department of Health, Division of Family Health at 800-472-2286 or www.ndhealth.gov/head-lice/

Resources:

American Academy of Pediatrics, [Pediculosis Capitis]. In: Pickering LK, ed. Red Book: 2009 Report of the Committee on Infectious Diseases. 28th ed. Elk Grove Village, IL: American Academy of Pediatrics; 2009: [495-497}

North Dakota Department of Health, (2012). Head Lice; A Lousy Problem. Division of Family Health. pp. 1-30.

March 13-17:

Spring Break NO SCHOOL

March 20:

Spartan Spotlight - Fairness (Orange)

March 21:

Grade 2 Learning Bank Perfomance - South High School 11:50a