The Simon School Days Newsletter
August-September 2015 (Back to School Edition)
Welcome Back! Home of the Simon Superheroes!
Welcome to another fantastic school year! This is a school newsletter/flyer that will be published once a month (usually the first Friday of the month) for all students who attend Simon Elementary and stories from this newsletter will be posted on the district’s web site at www.winnebagoschools.org.
If you want a hard copy of this newsletter, please notify the office at 815.335.2318 and we will send a copy home with your child.
In the newsletter, you will find information about what is going on in the classrooms and in the school. We hope that you share this information with your child and the rest of your family. If you have any questions, please contact your child’s school. The office hours will be M- F 7:30 am – 4:00 pm.
Our PreK and Early Childhood classes will be starting school on Monday, August 31.
Also, you can download the Simon Information App
This year will have many new challenges and opportunities. I am looking forward to working with all the parents, staff, and children.
Sincerely,
Mr. Mandera
Be A Simon SuperHero!
Simon will be continuing their theme of “Simon Super Heroes” this year as we practice the “Three R's" of Simon Super Hero behavior (Responsible, Respectful, Ready). Throughout the year we will have exciting lessons and activities that acknowledge and promote positive behavior.
The staff has been wearing their “Simon Super Hero” shirts at the beginning of each week to help remind us of our quest for positive behavior. We will have a student Simon Superhero shirt option available soon.
Need To Be Reminded?
1. Enter this number (815) 401-9303 with this message @simon1516
2. Click here for additional directions
By joining your the group on Remind, you’re choosing to receive class messages via push notifications, SMS, or email. Don’t worry, your phone number will not be shared with the teacher or anyone else in the group.
That's it! You will start receiving messages next week.
Parent/Student Handbook is Online!
The Parent/Student Handbook is available on the website. It can be accessed by going to www.winnebagoschools.org and clicking on the link to Dorothy Simon Elementary and found under the SIM Popular Downloads on the right hand side of the page. Please take some time to go over this document with your child. If you do not have Internet access to view this document, please let the office know and we will send one home with your child.
Back to School Night at Simon Elementary
Parents are invited to attend Simon’s Back to School Cook Out & Open House on Thursday, September 10 starting at 5:00-6:00 for the cookout and 6:00-7:00 for the Open House.
This is the 8th year of this event aimed at getting students and their families excited and energized about going back to school. Bring the family along with your lawn chairs and blankets and join us for dinner on the lawn of the school. After dinner, the building will be open, families can get to know the teachers and the facilities.
"Grab and Go" Breakfast Pack
"Grab and Go" Breakfast Pack which consists of cereal, a carton of milk, graham cracker or goldfish crackers, and juice. We are also giving a fruit option this year.
Parents, it is very important to make sure you are allowing your child to have breakfast. Each year, parents are surprised by how quick their child’s lunch balance decreases; this occurs if their child is getting breakfast and lunch. If you do not want your child to have breakfast at school because they already ate at home, please remind them not to get breakfast at school. Breakfast is available for those students who do not eat breakfast at home. The breakfast cost is $1.75, .30 for reduced students, and of course free for those students that are free. The kits are available at all schools before school starts. If your child receives free or reduced meals, your child’s breakfast/lunch account will be charged accordingly.2015-16 Dorothy Simon Elementary Start and End Times
Kindergarten-Grade 2 Student School Hours 8:05 a.m. - 2:55 p.m
Breakfast 7:40-8:00 a.m.
PreK/Early childhood/Kindergarten-Grade 2 - Earliest Student Arrival Time 7:35 a.m
K-2 Bus Dismissal 2:44p.m.
Kids Club/Parent Pickup/Walkers Dismissal 2:55 p.m.
Winnebago Special Education Cooperative Early Childhood/District At-Risk Preschool AM Session 8:05 a.m. -10:35 a.m. / PM Session 12:10 p.m. - 2:40 p.mAdditional attendance information can be found by clicking here.
News from PE
Do you have extra shoes that your child has grown out of? Would you be willing to donate them? Simon PE could use those shoes as loaners for students who forget theirs during the school year. Any donations could be sent with your child or turned into the Simon office, and are greatly appreciated!
Thanks!
Mr. Flynn
Simon PE Teacher
Nurse from the School Nurse
Children Illness - Children should stay home if any of the following are present:
· -Fever of 100 degrees or higher
· -Upset stomach
· -Skin rashes or sore, any lesion on the skin that is draining
· -Excessive coughing
· -Sore throat
· -Vomiting
· -Diarrhea
· -Headache
· -Flushed face
· -Contagious illness, such as strep throat or chicken pox
**Please keep your child home for 24 hours after symptoms (including fever) are gone. If your child’s temperature can be kept under 100 degrees only by giving him/her acetaminophen or ibuprofen, your child should stay at home.
Food Allergy Awareness
Food allergies are a growing concern in schools across America. Millions of children - children who are perfectly healthy and normal in every other way – must watch every single bite they eat, or risk suffering a severe or even life threatening reaction. In fact, food allergies claim over 200 lives and are responsible for over 30,000 emergency room visits each year. A major health issue such as this one needs to be taken very seriously, and it has always been the policy of this school to make the safety and well being of our students our top priority.
We have students at Simon Elementary that have a serious milk, egg, peanut and/or nut allergy. The peanut and/or nut food allergy claims more lives each year than any other.
A child with a serious peanut allergy can suffer a reaction merely by touching a peanut-containing food. Therefore, we are putting the following safety guidelines into effect:
- Please limit peanuts, peanut butter, or foods containing peanuts or nuts to be eaten as snacks in the classroom. It is recommended not to send these products for lunch, which is eaten in the cafeteria. However, we will allow students to eat peanuts or peanut butter – we will monitor it closely.
- Food allergy education will be done in each grade.
- There will be one table in each cafeteria designated as “Peanut Free” to assist in keeping food items to a minimum.
- A classroom might be assigned to contain students that have severe food allergies such as peanuts or gluten. This is based on doctor’s orders and/or recommendations.
- We will not be doing any classroom projects that involve peanut butter (like bird feeders) or peanut shells (art projects). Please do not send any of these projects into the classroom with your child.
- Birthday parties are a special time for children, but can be a difficult time for the food-allergic child. Treats should be store bought with the ingredients clearly visible. It would be especially helpful if you could let your child’s teacher know a few days ahead of when you’d like to celebrate your child’s birthday, so that the food-allergic child can provide his/her own safe treat. These should be brought to the school office, not the child's classroom.
- We will have the school nurse check all food items to limit exposure to possible allergens to students.
- If your child ate peanut butter for breakfast, we would greatly appreciate your making sure that his/her hands are washed with soap and water before leaving for school. Water alone does not do the trick!
This is a learning process for all of us, but we trust that you understand how deeply important it is to respect and adhere to these guidelines. If throughout the course of the year you have any questions or concerns about food-allergy-related issues, please do not hesitate to contact our school nurse or Mr. Mandera.
September Calendar Events
Simon Back to School Night/Open House
6:00-7:00 Open House