Kutz Cougar Courier Times
February 2, 2024
Check Out These Important Dates!
- Friday, February 9- Sports Jersey Day
- Friday, February 9- Sweetheart Dance (see below for more information)
- Thursday, February 15- Dine and Donate Event @ Panera- 4-8 PM (see below for more information)
- Friday, February 16- No School (Teacher In-Service)
- Monday, February 19- No School (Presidents' Day)
- Thursday, February 22- Home and School Meeting @ 11:30 AM (All are welcome!)
- Friday, February 23- Student Council Meeting @ 8:15 AM
- Friday, March 1- Kutz Spirit Day
- Thursday, March 7- Kutz Musical
- Friday, March 8- Early Dismissal @ 12:10 PM
- Friday, March 8- Kutz Musical
Time Sensitive Information
Sweetheart Dance Update
Kutz Sweetheart Dance- Help Needed!
We still need a few more volunteers!
We are looking for some additional setup and clean up support for our Sweetheart Dance. We are planning to host the dance in the Kutz gym on Friday, February 9th from 6:30pm - 8:30pm.
In order to make it a huge success and fun for all the kids and families we need some help with the pre-planning and the day of. Please find the Sign Up Genius link below.
New Information
Smart Watch Reminder
Teachers have noticed an increase in the amount of electronic devices, especially smart watches, being brought to school by students. In some cases, student personal electronic devices are interrupting instruction, especially if alerts are set to go off throughout the school day. Considering this, we would ask the following:
- Please consider having your child keep their personal electronic devices at home.
- If you feel your child must bring their personal electronic device to school, please have them put it on a setting that blocks alerts during the school day. For instance, the newer versions of Apple Smart Watches have a Schooltime feature that allows parents to limit the watch’s functionality during the school day (some older versions, however, do not have this feature).
- Another option is to have your child keep their personal electronic device silenced and in a secure part of their bookbag during the school day.
Additionally, we cannot ensure that a student’s personal electronic device will not go lost or missing when it is brought to school.
Thank you for your understanding.
Repeated Information Below
Families Helping Families Continue
Even though the holidays are over, we still have families in need at Kutz. You can continue to make a donation on My Payments Plus under Kutz Home and School- Families Helping Families. There are three donation options- $20, $50, and $100. If you want to donate more than this, you can do it multiple times. These funds directly support our Kutz families and students. Thus far we have provided food for families, gift cards for families, and access/tickets for many Kutz events.
Dine and Donate at Panera
Come to the CB Job Fair!
Theater Opportunity Below
Winter Weather
Please make sure your children are dressed appropriately for the weather. We always try and have the students go out for at least a portion of recess. Please make sure your child has pants and a coat, at minimum. If they do not, we will ask them to either borrow them from the nurse or they will need to stay inside for recess. Hats, scarves, gloves, etc. are encouraged, but not required. Thank you for your help with students staying safe and warm!
Community Wellness Fair
The Central Bucks School District is hosting a comprehensive wellness fair for the community on Tuesday, February 20th from 6:00pm-8:00pm at Central Bucks High School South, with a snow date of February 26th . Come talk to providers to get more information about mental health, behavioral health, and general wellness services/options in the community. This exciting event will be represented by over 60 vendors that have availability for kids, teens, and families. Please see the attached Save-the-Date, and please look out for more information as the event gets closer. You will not want to miss this!
Spring Fair Update
Unfortunately, we did not receive enough spring fair volunteers. There were no parents interested in co-chairing the event; therefore, we will not be holding the spring fair this year.
Job Opportunity
There are many opportunities to become a CBSD employee at several of our schools, Kutz included! If you are interested, please look at the CBSD Employment Opportunities link below. There are positions available at all levels, including several at the elementary level. If you are seeking an opportunity to work with children and be part of an amazing school community, please take a look!
District/Community Information
Portrait of a Graduate
Each month students around the district will be learning about a new attribute from our Portrait of a Graduate. For the month of January, we are focusing on how to be a critical thinker. Critical thinkers maintain an open-minded perspective and apply analytical tools to make meaning of new and existing knowledge. Critical thinkers consider multiple viewpoints and employ an inquiry-based approach when seeking solutions to complex problems.
Below are ideas for how students can demonstrate this attribute:
- Welcoming Different Ideas: Encouraging students to embrace diverse opinions during discussions.
- Respecting Others' Perspectives: Teaching students to value and consider viewpoints different from their own.
- Exploring Alternatives: Promoting exploration of various solutions or approaches to a problem without bias toward a specific outcome.
- Breaking Down Information: Teaching students to break down complex information into smaller parts for better understanding.
- Identifying Patterns: Helping students recognize patterns and relationships between different pieces of information or concepts.
- Making Connections: Guiding students to connect new knowledge with existing information to deepen their understanding.
- Considering Different Perspectives: Encouraging students to actively seek and consider various viewpoints on a topic or problem.
- Comparing and Contrasting: Having students compare and contrast different viewpoints to understand their differences and similarities.
- Synthesizing Information: Guiding students to merge multiple viewpoints into a cohesive understanding or solution.
- Questioning Skills: Teaching students how to ask probing, open-ended questions to explore topics deeply.
- Research and Investigation: Guiding students in conducting research to gather information from multiple sources.
- Problem-Solving Techniques: Encouraging students to use systematic approaches to address complex problems or challenges.
Repeated/Ongoing School and District Information
Safety Information
In an effort to keep all students and staff safe during arrival and dismissal, please review the following information:
- If you are driving, please travel at no more than 15 MPH in the school zone and parking lot.
- If you are driving, please do not stop in the crosswalks.
- If you are walking, please use the intended crosswalks.
Thank you for your efforts in keeping our students and staff members safe!
Snacks in the Cafeteria
The cafeteria manager is only permitted to buy a certain number of snacks each week. There are students with later lunches that are not able to purchase snacks because they are all gone by their lunch period. Moving forward, students will only be permitted to purchase 1 snack or ice cream in total per day.
Students in grades 1-6 are allowed to purchase snacks and/or ice cream at lunch in addition to the items listed on the lunch menu. Students are able to purchase snacks as long as they have money in their My School Bucks account. Students on free and reduced lunch cannot get these additional snacks unless they have money in their My School Bucks account. Snack prices are not reduced or free because they are in addition to the well-balanced full lunch provided. Ice cream costs $1.50 and chips cost $1.25, for your reference. Please check in with your child about their spending and monitor their account if they are buying lunch or snack.
Visit MySchoolBucks.com to set up recurring payments, create low balance alerts, and track and review what your student is purchasing.
Here is the FAQ section regarding Student Breakfast and Lunch: Food Services / Breakfast and Lunch Account FAQ (cbsd.org)
Car/Walker Dismissal Request
In an effort to keep all of our students safe, students cannot cross Turk Road or walk through the parking lot without an adult. Please do not park on Turk Road to pick up your child. Please either use the car line, park on Rolling Hills (a bit further down to not disrupt the car line), or park in the parking lot (and walk up to get your child). The car line is very efficient and most days the car line is finished around 3:40. Thank you for your support in keeping our students safe!
Laptop Reminders
- Students are expected to bring their laptop to school every day in the laptop carrying case.
- Students are expected to fully charge their device at home each evening.
- In the event the laptop did not charge fully, students are expected to bring their labeled laptop charger to school. We have very few extra chargers here.
- Students should not change the settings (the time zone, mouse settings, keyboard settings, etc.)
- If there is an issue with your child's laptop, they should log a help desk ticket so it can be repaired.
Laptops are used for instruction and assessment and when devices are not charged properly, this inhibits their learning.
Bike and Scooter Safety
Thanks for your help with keeping our students safe!
Car Line Request
Thank you for your efforts to keep our students and staff safe.
Do you need to change your child's dismissal?
For half days, please call and/or email the office by 11:30 AM.
For car rider dismissal, please make sure the lettering is in thick, dark, large print on your yellow placard that can be read by our staff members from a distance. Please also either have your placard in the passenger side window or if you want to keep it on your dashboard, please hold it up for staff members to easily see. This will ensure our car line moves as efficiently as possible.
This is just a reminder that students cannot switch buses for play dates. If you need your child to ride a different bus home due to an emergency child care situation, you must call the office at 267-893-3900. We will then contact the transportation department to determine if we can obtain an emergency bus pass for your child for the day.
Thank you!
Important Attendance Information
Central Bucks School District attendance policies conform to the Pennsylvania School Code sections 1326 to 1333 dealing with compulsory school attendance. “Every child of compulsory school age having a legal residence in this Commonwealth… is required to attend a day school in which the subjects and activities prescribed by the standards of the State Board of Education are taught.”
For Parents / Attendance (cbsd.org)
Online Absence Request (See below for directions on how to report an absence.)
- Parents and guardians will be able to submit absence requests via the Parent Portal. Parents can request a full day absence, early dismissal, or late arrival.
- Absence requests will be reviewed by School Attendance Staff and approved or denied.
- Requests made using the Parent Portal will also serve as the excuse for the absence. Parents will not be required to submit an excuse either electronic or written.
- For all vacation requests, please utilize that option through the Parent Portal. Your school attendance office will contact you with any additional information that is required. Parents/Guardians are required to notify the school at least three (3) days prior to the absences covered by this regulation so that the student may obtain work to keep current with class progress.
Please be sure to visit the Attendance web page for your child's school for specific procedures for reporting an absence. This page is located under "Our School" on each school's website.
For additional information about school attendance please see School Board Policy 204.
Free and Reduced Lunch for 2023-2024
Dear Parent/Guardian,
Central Bucks is pleased to announce the availability of applying for Free and Reduced Price Meals online! The process is SAFE, SECURE, PRIVATE, and AVAILABLE anytime, anywhere!
Food Services / Free & Reduced Lunch Application (cbsd.org)
Instructions: If you are applying for Free and Reduced Lunch and would like your child’s school to provide additional resources to your family, there is an additional form to complete in Parent Portal. You can also reach out to Mrs. Adelberger at cadelberger@cbsd.org.
CHIP
Laptop Breakage
We have seen a rise in the amount of screen breaks for student laptops. Our policy covers for 2 broken screens per device. If your child’s laptop screen breaks 3 times, we will be required to send you an invoice for the repair and labor. The current cost for this is $200. Please remind your child to care for their laptops. Some simple steps to assist are:
- Use two hands when holding or moving the device.
- Use clean hands while using the laptop or iPad.
- Use only the provided digital pen or finger on the screen.
- Use only the power adapter that came with the device.
- Use a microfiber cloth to clean the screen.
- Keep device stored in the provided case. This includes traveling through the hallways, on buses, or anytime the device is not being utilized. Students should not be using the devices on the bus.
- Make sure nothing is on the keyboard, close the lid, and remove all cables if any are plugged into the laptop. Place laptop in your bag carefully.
- Be careful when placing your case on the floor. Keep the device off the floor so screens do not get stepped on by others.
Passive Fundraising
Kutz Information
Daily School Hours
Kutz is a "B" School
- Arrival begins at 8:30 AM
- Student day begins at 8:50 AM
- Student day ends at 3:30 PM
- Dismissal ends at 3:50 PM
- For early dismissal days- dismissal begins at 12:10 PM
- For 2 hour delay days- arrival begins at 10:30 and the student day begins at 10:50
Kindergarten
- Morning Kindergarten begins at 8:50 AM (arrival begins at 8:30 AM) and ends at 11:25 AM
- Afternoon Kindergarten begins at 12:55 PM and ends at 3:30 PM
- Beginning in the 2019-2020 school year, we implemented a “modified kindergarten” schedule on weather delay days. The schedule will be as follows for Kutz: AM Students 10:50 AM – 12:35 PM and PM Students 1:45 PM – 3:30 PM
Student Directory 2023-2024
The student directory for the 2023-2024 school year is on the Kutz website. Directions for how to find it on the website are included below. The directory is a password protected document. The password was sent to all families on 10/3. Click here to access the directory.
Directions for how to find the directory on the website:
1. Go to www.cbsd.org/kutz.
2. Hover over "Parents/Students".
3. Click "Parent Resources".
4. On the left hand side, click "Student Directory 2023-2024" (at the bottom of the menu).
5. Enter the password listed above.
If you have any questions, please reach out to our office staff.
Kutz Student/Parent Handbook
Click here for the Kutz Parent and Student Handbook for the 2023-2024 school year. This handbook provides a comprehensive summary of school and district policies and programs for students and their families. We hope you will find this to be a valuable resource.
Reminder for Volunteer Clearances
Please click here (https://www.cbsd.org/volunteers) to learn more about the process and requirements to volunteer in CBSD. App Garden Volunteer Tracker (https://appgarden5.app-garden.com/VolTrackPA92102.nsf/VolApp.xsp) is a contactless application and paperwork submission process. Sign-up is required for both new and returning volunteers.
Clearances expire five years after approval, so please check your CBSD Volunteer card to make sure yours are still current.
Clearances are required for parents chaperoning field trips, volunteering for classroom parties, and supporting other classroom and school events.
Thank you for supporting our staff and students by volunteering your time!
Food Service Information
Want to view our lunch menu? Need to add funds to your child's account? Looking for nutrition information? Need to apply for free and reduced breakfast/lunch? Click here to learn more about Food Services in Central Bucks.
Child Care Program
Looking for more information on our Before and After School Programs? Click here to learn how to register your child.
About Kutz
Kutz Character Traits: Perseverance, Integrity, Respect, Responsibility
Email: cadelberger@cbsd.org
Website: www.cbsd.org/kutz
Location: Kutz Elementary School, Turk Road, Doylestown, PA, USA
Phone: 267-893-3900
Twitter: @CBKutzElem