PUMA PRESS
Educating Today’s Child for Tomorrow’s World
Dear Prairie Vista Families,
It has been a great start to the new year! We are excited to be back and we are ready to dive into learning at PV! January marks the start of the “heart” of the instructional year. There are very few interruptions and with the fresh beginning and renewed commitment to learning, students make great academic and social growth during this time.
Teachers will be administering the DIBELS benchmark assessments to students in grades K-2. All students in grades 3, 4, and 5 will be taking the ClearSight benchmark assessments. These benchmark assessments help teachers identify students’ strengths and weaknesses as well as help prepare students for the upcoming statewide assessments. Students in grades 3, 4, and 5 will be taking Indiana’s statewide assessment, ILEARN (Indiana Learning Evaluation Assessment Readiness Network). The window is April 19th - May 14th. IREAD-3 for 3rd-grade students will take place March 8th - March 19th. Please see below for additional ILEARN and IREAD-3 information.
While it's been relatively mild thus far, it looks like wintry weather is on the way. If a decision is made to close school, the school corporation has been approved by the Indiana Department of Education to use eLearning instruction lessons on those day(s), rather than schedule additional make-up days at the end of the school year.
*For the 2020-2021 school year, there are no built-in snow days. This means the first-day school is canceled it is an automatic eLearning day for P-H-M teachers and students; THIS INCLUDES ALL VIRTUAL STUDENTS! Please see the information below for School Closings & Delays Procedures.
I would like to give a big "shout out" to the PTO for supplying the teacher's lounge with cold drinks! The staff really appreciates your thoughtfulness! THANK YOU!!!
Thank you again for sending us students who are consistently ready for the learning opportunities that await them each day!
Together we can do so much for children!
Please contact me if you have any questions or concerns.
Sincerely,
Keely Twibell
Here’s what parents need to know to prepare for closings or delays:
NOTIFICATION
The notification process is designed to let all members of our community know no later than 6:00 a.m.
School Messenger, an automated phone calling, texting and emailing service. It is our primary means of notification. PLEASE VISIT THIS PAGE for steps on how to update your contact information & set your notification preferences in the parent portal InfoCenter. Please note that parents cannot select the option not to receive a phone call; parents can only select not to receive a text message or email. Parents can change their options to receive text messages or emails as many times as they wish. To update your phone number and email address, please contact your child(ren)’s school(s). You will not be able to change it in School Messenger.
These local broadcast television stations are informed: ABC 57, WNDU and WSBT.
The announcement is also posted on the District’s website, Facebook, and Twitter
TWO-HOUR DELAY SCHEDULE
A two-hour delay may be called when indications are that the weather conditions will improve later in the morning
Buses will run their normal routes with pick-up times two hours later than normal. The Here Comes the Bus app can be helpful to use on 2-hour delay days so that you are notified when your child’s bus is approaching the bus stop.
This is the list of all P-H-M schools’ 2-hour delayed start times, along with other information about school drop-off times and school meals
Schools will end at their normal time
Please reference the programs below to see how they are affected when schools are delayed:
Morning Kids Club (the District’s before- and after-school childcare program) is CANCELED.
Head Start and morning PennPALS Preschool will be CANCELED on 2-hour delay days. Afternoon classes will be held as normal.
Early Learning Academy Preschool program, full-day will operate on a 2-hour delay
SCHOOL CLOSING
- When schools are closed, after-school and evening activities are also canceled
- Coaches and sponsors will make announcements about rescheduling their events
- Kids Club does not operate, morning or afternoon, on days when school has been canceled
eLEARNING
If a decision is made to close school, the school corporation has been approved by the Indiana Department of Education to use eLearning instruction lessons on those day(s), rather than schedule additional make-up days at the end of the school year.
Click here for more information on how you and your student will access eLearning lessons.
Kindergarten Registration
Registration for kindergarten students for the 2021-2022 school year will begin on Tuesday, January 19, 2021.
This registration opportunity is for youngsters who live within the P-H-M district and who will be five-years-old on or before September 1, 2021. A parent or guardian must register their child.
Each child entering kindergarten at P-H-M must complete a Registration Packet and is also encouraged to have a physical exam and a dental exam completed before entering kindergarten.
- Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there is limited access to our school and administrative offices. We have created an easy way for you to complete the registration process electronically. For more details and information click on the below button:
PHM High Ability Identification Testing
In accordance with the Indiana high ability law, we are required to have an identification process in place to identify students of high ability in the general intellectual and specific academic domains. We identify students who have high ability in language arts and/or math.
Every kindergartener, second and fifth-grader who has not been previously identified in a subject area is considered for high ability identification.
Testing for the high ability identification process will begin in February. Virtual students in grades K, 2, and 5 will be invited to participate in high ability testing in home schools.
Learn more about our identification procedures by visiting our high ability website at P-H-M High Ability Identification.
Social-Emotional Supports
Dear Families:
Dr. Jennifer Sears
Director of Social-Emotional Learning & Mental Health
Penn-Harris-Madison School Corporation
From The Health Office: Note to 5th Grade Families
Parents of Fifth Graders:
Please remember to check with your family physician for your child to receive their
MCV4 (Meningococcal), Tdap, and 2nd Hep A (if not received yet). These are all required for 6th grade. See the below document for more information:
PICTURES NEEDED FROM VIRTUAL FAMILIES FOR THE YEARBOOK
INFORMATION FROM PTO:
PTO MEETING:
The PTO will be discussing what we have been doing and what we are planning in the next few months such as the upcoming friendship parties and the winter fundraiser. Below find the zoom link.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us04web.zoom.us/j/78169008465...
Meeting ID: 781 6900 8465
Passcode: pto
Please bring any materials/items for the Friendship Celebration to the office by February 5th.
We look forward to seeing you Thursday evening!
-Amy and Megan
DATES TO REMEMBER...
Jan 28 - Virtual PTO Meeting at 6:30 pm
Feb. 5th - Last day to bring in items/materials for the Friendship Celebration
Feb 12 - Friendship Celebration
Feb 15 - Recess Day, President's Day
March 8th -March 19th: IREAD-3 (grade 3)
April 19th- May 14th- ILEARN (grades 3-5)
INFORMATION FROM PHM FOOD SERVICE:
PHM Food Services Meal Service will offer additional sites for virtual meal pickup during the time when the High School and Middle Schools are virtual learning.
Meals are available for the 100% virtual learners from all schools. You may pick up at any site.
The Wednesday package will contain two breakfast and two lunch meals. Friday package will contain three breakfast and three lunch meals. Items will be frozen if possible and bags will have heating and storage instructions.
All meals will be handed out from 4 pm-6 pm on Wednesday and Friday at the following sites:
Penn High School Door K – enter the back of the building off of Jefferson. The door is at the driveway by the playground.
Grissom Middle School Door H – enter back parking lot off Elm
Horizon Elementary School Door B – enter back parking lot
Students do not need to be present for the parent or guardian to pick up meals. Student ID’s will not be required. All Meals will be free.
ARTICLES INCLUDED BELOW HAVE BEEN SHARED IN PREVIOUS NEWSLETTERS
PRAIRIE VISTA FACEBOOK & TWITTER:
You can also follow us on Twitter at Prairie Vista Pumas @PVPumaPride
Cold Weather—Warm Clothing
Cold weather is coming...
Please remember to send children with adequate outerwear for recess. Outside recess generally occurs if the outside temperature (wind chill included) is above 0 degrees. Because children are on the playground for approximately 25-30 minutes either before or after lunch, it is important that your child is dressed appropriately during the cold weather months: coat, hat, mittens, boots, and snow pants.
If the playground area is snow-covered and your child does not have snow pants and boots, they will have to remain on the shoveled pavement during recess.
COVID-19 SCHOOL ATTENDANCE REFERENCE SHEET
Attached below is a resource for parents that helps provide information regarding when students should isolate and quarantine and for how long. This resource is provided by the Indiana Department of Health.
Students who are isolated or quarantined will NOT be enrolled into a virtual classroom. They will remain under the guidance and instruction of their current in-person teacher who will provide make-up work for the time the student is absent.
Back to School Checklist...
PRIORITY::
Check with your child EACH morning for signs of illness. - See graphic below
If a child has a temperature of 100.4 degrees or higher, they should NOT come to school. Email prairievistaattendance@phm.k12.in.us
If your child has a sore throat, a cough, diarrhea, severe headache, vomiting, or body aches, consider calling their doctor immediately.
If your child has had close contact with a COVID-19 case, they should NOT go to school. Please contact the school to inform us of a known exposure.
OTHER ITEMS::
Students must wear a mask on the bus and into the school.
Refillable water bottles may be brought to school. (NOTE: Make sure their name & grade level is prominently displayed. Water bottles will be thrown away if they are left behind with no name).