Timber Creek September Newsletter

2022-2023 School Year

September 16th edition

No School Monday, September 19

We are looking forward to our first staff collaboration day on Monday, September 19th. Our staff will use this valuable time to dig deeper into our new ELA resource, plan effective instruction for students, and collaborate with our school teams to support and improve learning and teaching. Thank you to our community for the additional time provided for our staff. We appreciate you!

WATCHDOGS

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Lunch after October 1st

We are thrilled to welcome families back to our cafe! To help us maintain the safety of our students we ask our special guests to commit to the following expectations:


  • Arrive 5-10 min before your child’s lunch. Bring your identification as you check in at the office and receive your visitors badge from our Raptor Security System.

  • Your student will join you at the guest table during their scheduled 20-25 minute shift.

  • Eating lunch is a special time for you and your child. Classroom friends cannot be invited to the guest table.

  • You are more than welcome to bring outside food for you and your child to enjoy.

  • Due to allergy/diet concerns, we ask that our guests not share outside food or drink with students other than their own.

  • Raymore Peculiar School District's privacy policy requires our guests to take photos of only their students.

  • We ask that guests give a quick farewell at the table to allow students to leave when their class is dismissed from lunch. This helps students stay on schedule and allows the table to open up for the other guests coming in.

  • When lunch is over, guests will return to the office to check out as this allows us to account for the number of guests in our building.

Our home/school partnership is extremely valued. The office will be happy to answer any questions you may have. We appreciate your cooperation regarding our safety protocols.


Upcoming!!!

More fun is coming to TC in the coming weeks. We will have our APEX fundraiser (with an opportunity to volunteer), Trick or Treat Street, and will be bringing back our Grandparents breakfast! Be on the lookout for more info soon.

REPEAT Info Beyond This Point

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Emergency Drills

We continue to make school safety a top priority at Timber Creek Whether there is a medical emergency in the building, a weather emergency is imminent, or an intruder is suspected, we want to ensure students and staff know what to do and where to go in an emergency situation.


Throughout the year, students and staff will participate in various emergency and lockdown drills. We discuss with students what to expect during each type of drill. We also encourage families to converse with their children about what to do in an emergency or safety situation.

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Attendance/Absences

Absence Definitions Explained

  • VERIFIED ABSENCES: An absence from school resulting from illness or unforeseen circumstances which is verified by a parent/guardian. A VERIFIED absence is NOT an EXCUSED absence. (Verified absences count against student's attendance)

  • EXCUSED ABSENCES: An absence is categorized as excused when a note is received by the school excusing the absence. EXAMPLE: official doctor’s note, court document, etc. (Excused absences do not count against a student’s attendance)

  • UNEXCUSED ABSENCES: An absence from school without verification within 48 hours of the absence. (Unexcused absences count against a student’s attendance.)


After ten verified/unexcused absences or tardies/early outs, the office will contact the parents to schedule a conference regarding the issue. In accordance with Missouri’s Compulsory School Attendance Law (RSMO 167.031), regular school attendance is required. This law states, “Every parent, guardian or other person in this state having care, control or custody of a child between the ages of five and seventeen years shall cause the child to attend regularly.” Should the pattern of excessive absences continue, Raymore-Peculiar School District reserves the right to refer the matter to the Juvenile Officer of Cass County for further investigation.

Chromebook Care

As we begin a new school year we felt it was important to send a reminder of some device care. These have been reviewed at school with students, but please also discuss these at home.


  • The devices are school devices, so please make sure if you are using this at home, you are still looking at school appropriate websites.

  • Please be mindful of food and drink use around devices.

  • Please don’t pick at or remove district or factory labels.

  • No stickers should be put onto devices.

  • A charger is sent home with all 4th and 5th graders. Please make sure to charge devices at night so that students come to school with a full charge each day.

  • K-3rd grade students will have a charger that will be sent home for AMI days (coming at a later date) that will stay at home.

  • If chromebooks or chargers are lost or damaged, please report to the librarian as soon as possible.

  • A $35 dollar replacement fee will be charged if any part of the school issued charger is lost or damaged.


Thanks for your support at home.


PTA Calandars

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PTA

Please join our PTA. You can sign up at https://tcepta.membershiptoolkit.com/home


You can also follow all PTA updates on the Facebook group “Raymore Timber Creek Elementary PTA”.

Breakfast & Lunch - Update!

CASHLESS SYSTEM - You will no longer be able to send CASH to fund your child's lunch account. Nutrition services can only accept payment by check or online at MySchoolBucks.com .


Free and Reduced Price Meals are available to families who believe they may qualify. If your family chooses to apply please complete our ONLINE "Free and Reduced Meal Price Application Form."

Ways to Support PTA

WAYS TO HELP PTA

1) Do you shop on Amazon? Use smile.amazon.com - the Amazon you know and love doesn't change at all and Amazon graciously donates .5% of all eligible purchases to our PTA! Login today and select 'PTA Missouri Congress Timber Creek Elem PTA' as your charity. You can also designate this to automatically apply when shopping on the app by turning on AmazonSmile in the Settings in the app shopping menu.


2) Submit your Box Top eligible receipts via the Box Tops app - Download the Box Tops for Education app in your app store. When you create your account, you can designate your saved school as Timber Creek Elementary in Raymore, MO. After purchasing Box Top eligible products, scan your receipt in the app within 7 days of purchase. Online or pick-up shopper? Once your box tops account is created, simply email your receipt to receipts@boxtops4education.com and your box tops will be counted. We'll still take any unexpired clipped Box Tops, too!

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Dismissal Reminders

Dismissal Changes: Please call in dismissal changes by 2:30.


Neighborhood traffic: Our neighborhood patrons have done a fantastic job keeping parking to one side of the road to relieve congestion. As a reminder, when you are waiting in line to pick up your student at the end of the day-please do not block driveways. We appreciate you being mindful of this so that our community can enter and exit their houses/driveways safely.

Before & After School Care

Panther Pride offers before- and after-school child care for children in kindergarten through fifth grade.


Sites are located at all Ray-Pec elementary schools. Before-school care is available from 6:15 a.m. until the school days starts. After-school care is available from dismissal to 6 p.m. on school days.


Care is also available on many weekdays that school is not in session. The schedule includes indoor and outdoor activities, snack, hands-on projects, gym activities, social interaction, and homework assistance. Panther Pride is a large group supervision program that follows district guidelines related to discipline, illness, and healthy snacks.

There are three options for care: before school only, after school only, and before and after school care. For more information about the program and questions on pricing please call 816.892.1090 or see the link below.


Sign up here: https://www.ezchildtrack.com/parent7/ParentLogin.aspx?c=pantherpride

Panther Pride

Quick Tip

Quick Tip is an online method to report a school safety or bullying issue, or concern about a student engaging in self-harm. Click on the link and complete the information requested. Tip reporters may enter personal contact information or remain anonymous.

Hours

  • Doors will open this year at 8:20 am for students to begin arriving.
  • School starts at 8:35 am

  • Car rider lane starts at 3:20 pm to relieve congestion in the neighborhood. Students will still not be dismissed until 3:50.
  • Walkers will dismiss AFTER car riders this year.