JSE Tracks
John Simatovich Elementary School welcomes YOU!
July 21st
Good Afternoon, JSE Families,
I hope you had a good weekend, enjoying the sunshine! As I said, I will communicate with you weekly as we get our school year underway. Thank you for your patience, understanding and time to view these weekly communications. Updates include mask requirements, a special board meeting, and a parent survey as well as updates to general registration information as indicated below.
We are confident in that WE will TEACH your children to prepare them for exactly what they need to be successful at the next grade level, LOVE on them to make them feel special and important here at JSE, and INSPIRE them to grow confidently both socially and emotionally.
As always, we look forward to the next school year to watch our kids grow as little people. At JSE, we want you to know first and foremost we are here for you! Our JSE team looks forward to this year focused on partnering with you to meet your child's needs and support them in reaching their individual goals. We are dedicated to working together to provide the highest of quality education. Please don't hesitate to reach out to us as we navigate much new territory now, and to come, for all of us this school year. We are #BearcatStrong together!
Registration for JSE is the following days in July: Tuesday (28th), Wednesday (29th), and Thursday (30th). For returning families, all you will need to do is log-in via the Harmony Parent Portal and complete the online registration, the same procedure we did last year. For new families and incoming kindergarten families, we will need (1) parent, no children, to come into the JSE main office on one of the registration days to complete the needed paper forms to be able to complete the remainder of registration online. We welcome you anytime between 8-4 on the 28-30th. If you need after work hours, we will be open until 6pm on Thursday. Mrs. Rittle, our JSE main secretary and I will be available to meet you, share our school with you, and answer any questions you may have. Please wear a mask.
Thank you for allowing us the privilege of working with your child this year. Our main office opens Monday the 27th and will remain open daily 8-4pm, if you have question or concerns I am available anytime via my email lbarnes@union.k12.in.us or if you would like to meet in-person, please call the main office to schedule an appointment.
Thank you for being supportive and understanding during this time. I sincerely hope that you and your family are doing well and staying healthy.
Leigh Barnes
Principal
Update: Return to Learn
From the Office of our Superintendent: We continue to live in a time when COVID-19 affects the operations of our daily lives and our response requires frequent adjustment. As we continue in our planning, the safety of our students and staff remain paramount. With that said, we are asking for some additional feedback.
Since the release of our plan on July 8th, the Porter County Health Department now requires the use of face masks for the majority of the day with some time planned to be mask free.
Accordingly, staff and students will be required to wear a mask when:
1. Riding the bus
2. Moving throughout the building (ie., restroom breaks, passing periods)
3. In the classroom while the teacher is providing direct instruction and/or group discussion is occurring.
"Mask-free" breaks will be available when students are outside, at lunch or doing independent quiet work in the classroom.
*Student masks are included on the supply list. Please have your child wear a mask daily to school. If needed, we will have masks available at school for situations that may cause a student to need an additional mask.
2nd Parent Survey: Thank you again for helping all of us navigate through these uncharted waters! Please take a few moments to respond to this short survey that can be found on the following link:
UTSC Parent Survey LINK: Click to Open
Special School Board Meeting 7pm at the Union Township Middle School July 23rd.
Update: Teacher and Bus Assignments and Textbook Rental and School Supply List
Classroom Teacher Assignment: Your child's teacher information will be available via your Harmony account on August 5th. We will also an email to let you know that information is available. Your child's teacher will reach out to you before school begins.
Bus Assignments: You will be notified of your child's bus assignment the Monday before school begins, August 10th.
JSE Supply list LINK: 2020-2021 LINK
Textbook Rental Fees: You may pay your child's Textbook Rental online through the Harmony Parent Portal or you may send in a check or pay cash at our JSE office. Click this link for your child's textbook rental fee information.
Update Beginning of the Year events:
This year, these traditional back to school events have been canceled in order to limit building access to students and staff according to our re-entry plan. After registration, all visitors to our building will be by appointment only. Our intent is to still provide opportunities for students and families to feel welcome, connected, and more at ease as we transition into a new school year. More information will be shared in early August. These events will not be in the traditional in-person fashion rather your child's principal and teacher will be reaching out with welcome back to the classroom details.
Important Dates:
July 22 Parent Survey Due
July 23 Special School Board Meeting 7pm
July 27 JSE Main Office Open 8-4PM *Please call to make an appointment before coming in
July 28,29,30 ONLINE Registration via Harmony Parent Portal *this is where you will register your child for the virtual option.
July 28,29,30 Kindergarten and New Student Registration at JSE in-person, please wear a mask. Come in between 8-4PM Tuesday or Wednesday and Thursday anytime between 8-6PM.
August 5th Classroom Teacher assignment available via Harmony
August 10 Bus Number Assignment available via Harmony
August 12 First Student Day *Information to come
Harmony Parent Portal LINK: https://sis.union.k12.in.us/familyaccess.nsf/hello.xsp
*With our current situation, please be reminded all dates, events, and information is subject to change. We appreciate you working together with us by checking your email regularly and reaching out to us with questions and concerns. Our partnership will remain strong for our children and community!
We have a new website underway:
Online Registration Information:
Last week, UTSC Superintendent Mr. Hunter released Union Township’s Re-Entry Plan for the 2020-2021 school year. In the plan are guidelines for how UTSC will operate due to the COVID-19 pandemic. If you have yet to see the plan, please see Mr. Hunter's letter and a link to the plan below. Currently, our plan is for students and staff to return to our school building with safety measures in place. For those students who do not wish to return to the physical building, a virtual learning option will be provided for your child by your child's elementary teacher.
Registration for JSE is the following days in July: Tuesday (28th), Wednesday (29th), and Thursday (30th). For returning families, all you will need to do is log-in via the Harmony Parent Portal and complete the online registration, the same procedure we did last year. For new families and incoming kindergarten families, we will need (1) parent, no children, to come into the JSE main office on one of the registration days to complete the needed paper forms to be able to complete the remainder of registration online. We welcome you anytime between 8-4 on the 28-30th. If you need after work hours, we will be open until 6pm on Thursday. Mrs. Rittle, our JSE main secretary and I will be available to meet you, share our school with you, and answer any questions you may have.
Harmony Parent Portal LINK: https://sis.union.k12.in.us/familyaccess.nsf/hello.xsp
During registration, per the UTSC Re-Entry Plan, as stated above, families will have the option of choosing to have their child attend JSE in-person or virtually to start the school year. As a parent, I completely understand that you would like to know how the day-to-day operations of our building will operate, and my plan is to continue to send details specific to JSE daily operations after registration.
The current plan is for all UTSC schools to open for students on Wednesday, August 12th, our normal start of the school year. The re-opening of schools is a fluid situation and is something that we are monitoring on a daily basis so that we can do everything possible to ensure that all our students and staff can return to school safely.
We Welcome New JSE Staff:
Mrs. Jennifer Oxendale will be a new 4th grade teacher for us, replacing Mrs. Asher as Mrs. Asher will now be our High Ability teacher. Mrs. Belinda Black will be our new Social-Emotional Learning teacher, this is an additional specials curriculum we look forward to offering our students. We are delighted to have these amazing educators join our team.
UTSC Return to Learn Plan
Dear UTSC Community,
As we look forward to the 2020-21 school year, we understand that many of you are awaiting the release of our Return to Learn plan. We are pleased to announce that our plan will be released on July 9, 2020. Please accept our sincere appreciation for your support and patience as we continue to work through the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Our re-entry team, with over 20 members including administrators, directors, elementary and secondary principals, teachers, other staff, and parents, met on July 6 to discuss and finalize the Return to Learn plan. The School Board approved the plan on July 8, 2020. Our return to school decisions are based on guidance from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), Indiana State Department of Health (ISDH), Indiana Department of Education (IDOE), and the Porter County Health Department while considering parent and staff feedback.
We realize you may have questions and concerns and we would like to address these for you, your family, and our community. Please send questions and concerns to covid19@union.k12.in.us. Our intent is to create a Frequently Asked Questions resource and post it on our website. With the ever changing state of the pandemic in our community, we will continue to do our best to respond to your questions, concerns and changes in regulations.
At this time, UTSC will follow our previously Board approved 2020-21 school year calendar with our first school day of August 12th at all UTSC schools. Our heartfelt thanks goes out to all of those working toward a safe return to learning for students and staff. We are looking forward to sharing the UTSC Return to Learn plan with you via the link below, the UTSC website, and UTSC social media.
Additionally, please note the following online registration dates through your Harmony Parent Portal Account for your child’s respective school. Your child’s school will send more information regarding registration in the near future.
JSE and UCE
July 28, 29, and 30
UTMS and WHS
July 29, 30 and 31
Superintendent Hunter's Ready to Learn Video Information Link Below:
Our JSE Cafe:
The Free and Reduced Price Breakfast and Lunch Application may be completed online through your Harmony Family Portal Account or picked up in the office anytime. Applications need to be completed each year. Families who applied and qualified last year will need to reapply at the start of school. If you would like us to send a copy home with your child during the first week of school please call the main office.
Mealtime: You may find information at this LINK to create an account or add your child to your mealtime account. You may also always send money in with your child to be added to your child's account.. Please make sure the money is in an envelope marked with your child's name and indicate lunch money. Our kitchen manager, Sandy Denison, will get all Kindergarten and new student families their lunch account information the first week of school, should you choose to create a mealtime account, this will be needed information.
Ice Cream Friday and Snacks: These will be available to students after we get our school year started. More information will be communicated in an upcoming weekly newsletter.
Lunch Visitors: To start the school year, we will not be allowing visitors during our lunch periods. Thank you again, for understanding the changes in place to support our safety measures this school year.
PTO News
- PTO Events: We will continue to support the school with needs and events throughout the year. Information will be shared with you.
- Join our facebook page and let us know if you are interested in joining our meetings and looking for ways to get involved in our school! Please reach out to us through our facebook page or our PTO email.
- PTO Meetings usually occur the first Tuesday of each month at 6PM. Please consider attending the meetings this year, every JSE parent is welcome and encouraged to attend! Changes to our meetings to follow social distancing guidelines and safety measures of UTSC will be communicated.
First Day of School and Transportation:
Kidstop Program: Before and After-School Care at JSE:
Information will be shared in early August, before school begins.
You are always welcome at JSE!
Please let us know how we can strengthen our partnership with you!
Leigh Barnes, Principal ext 3001
Barb Rittel, Secretary ext 3000
Lisa Morton, Home School Advisor ext 3003
Kathy Maniszko, School Nurse ext 3002
Email: lbarnes@union.k12.in.us
Website: http://jsimatovich.union.k12.in.us/
Location: 424 West 500 North, Valparaiso, IN, United States
Phone: (219)759-2508
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/JSEPTO/
Twitter: @JSimatovichElem